No, the enhanced edition has all the classes from number 2 in it.

Probably, but also probably nothing major. The main complaint I've heard are some out-of-place new NPCs/party members that you can probably skip if you'd like. As far as I know, they're solid releases with some poor but mostly ignorable additions.

Hello guys. I was wondering if you ever played a pc game so addicting that you had to take a break from it.

It's been 25 years since I've played original, and I've played EE last year...honestly, go with EE, I admit I don't remember everything about original, and apparently there are few nerfs in EE, but everything else is more user-friendly. For folks who are not familiar with AD&D 2e (I was), it might be a bit strange at first, especially if they're coming from later editions (5e in particular), since resolution mechanism is different, multiclassing is different, spells work differently and pretty much the whole feel of the system is quite different from later editions, but it's not that hard to get into it, especially if you're willing to learn a thing or two from game's manual.

Isn't it like on GOG where the original version is included with the enhanced edition? As in, you get an extra key for the Original when you buy the Enhanced Edition

The Tuesday news:

SALES /PLAYER COUNT & DEALS

Steam's Top 10

(Click here for the Top 100)

Co-op survival action RPG, Enshrouded, hits one million sales in four days
https://www.dsogaming.com/news/co-op-survival-action-rpg-enshrouded-hits-one-million-sales-in-four-days/
Keen Games released last week its co-op survival action RPG, Enshrouded, on Steam Early Access. And, in just four days, this new survival game has managed to sell over one million units.
Enshrouded supports both solo and co-op modes. Each session can support up to 16 players. In this game, players can venture into a vast world, vanquish punishing bosses, build grand halls and forge their path.

Farming Simulator 22 has sold over 6 million units
https://www.dsogaming.com/news/farming-simulator-22-has-sold-over-6-million-units/
Giants Software shared some exciting news. Its latest FS game, Farming Simulator 22, has sold over 6 million copies. Farming Simulator 22 was released in November 2021, and it took two and a half years to reach this incredible milestone.
Farming Simulator 22 comes with lots of cool new stuff. You get to do more things and have more freedom in the game. Now, you can do things like mulching and picking up stones in the fields. They also made the build mode better, so you can add greenhouses and beehives. Plus, there’s an improved character creator, so you can make your own character in the game.

Steam brings new deals, sales and weeklong deals:

• I'm not sure if I already posted it or not, but Curve Games has a New Year Sale with up to 90% discounts that will last... another 26 hours: https://store.steampowered.com/developer/curvedigital/sale/curvenewyear2024
• The StoryTeller's Festival 2024 has up to 80% discounts. Most, but not all, the deals will last until the 4th of February: https://store.steampowered.com/sale/TheStorytellersFestival2024
• BallisticNG will be 30% off until February, 5th: https://store.steampowered.com/app/473770/BallisticNG/
• Pizza Tower is going to be 33% off until the 5th: https://store.steampowered.com/app/2231450/Pizza_Tower/
• The Sonic Franchise Sale (the page only has a fraction of the Sonic games, but they're all on sale), comes with up to 75% discounts until the 5th: https://store.steampowered.com/sale/SonicFranchiseSale2024
• The Games in Sweden 2024 Sale features up to 90% discounts until, once again, the 5th of February: https://store.steampowered.com/sale/GamesinSweden
• The Quebec Games Celebration 2024 Sale brings up to 90% discounts during... well, it's hard to say. I've seen some deals that end on the 5th, some on the 10th and some others will last until the 12th, so check it out by yourselves: https://store.steampowered.com/sale/quebec2024
• And here's a small sample of the weeklong deals:
  • Becastled, still in Early Access, is 20% off: https://store.steampowered.com/app/1330460/Becastled/
  • Ghostbusters: Spirits Unleashed Ecto Edition is 35% off: https://store.steampowered.com/app/2383990/Ghostbusters_Spirits_Unleashed_Ecto_Edition/
  • pureya gets a 50% deal: https://store.steampowered.com/app/1268960/pureya/
  • Power of Ten is 60% off: https://store.steampowered.com/app/1319550/Power_of_Ten/
  • Out of Space gets a 75% discount: https://store.steampowered.com/app/400080/Out_of_Space/
  • And the last one, BEAUTIFUL DESOLATION, is going to be 80% off: https://store.steampowered.com/app/912570/BEAUTIFUL_DESOLATION/

SOFTWARE & DRIVERS

-Empty-

MODS, EMULATORS & FAN PROJECTS

New mods for Sekiro and Elden Ring enable dynamic shadows from static lights
https://www.dsogaming.com/mods/new-mods-for-sekiro-and-elden-ring-enable-dynamic-shadows-from-static-lights/
Modder ‘BostonAirportNavmeshFix’ has released a pretty cool mod for Sekiro and Elden Ring that enables dynamic shadows from static lights. Therefore, both of these FromSoftware games will look more realistic than before.
According to its description, the mod introduces dynamic shadowcasting light to the different light sources. In other words, static lights can now cast shadows. This will bring a new level of realism and immersion to the game. Additionally, it will create a new breathtaking visual experience that enhances the atmospheric depth of the game. Or at least that’s what the modder claims.
From what I could see, only the main characters can have dynamic shadows. Various environmental objects do not seem to have dynamic shadows. So that’s kind of a bummer. Despite that, though, this mod can improve the visuals of these two games.
>> The article has some screenshots.

GAMING NEWS

Assassin’s Creed Red rumored to come out in November 2024, first gameplay trailer to air in July 2024
https://www.dsogaming.com/news/assassins-creed-red-rumored-to-come-out-in-november-2024-first-gameplay-trailer-to-air-in-july-2024/
Rumor alert everyone. BunnyTheVillain, a Ubisoft Partner and Content Creator, says she has some inside info on the next main Assassin’s Creed game called Assassin’s Creed Red. So, let’s dive in, shall we?
According to the rumor, Ubisoft will officially reveal this game in May 2024. Then, in July 2024, the French company will air its first gameplay trailer at its Ubi Forward event. And finally, the game will most likely come out in November 2024.

Tuesday news, the second part:

Pyrene is a promising roguelike deckbuilder with all the overpowered builds your synergistic heart desires
https://www.pcgamer.com/pyrene-is-a-promising-roguelike-deckbuilder-with-all-the-overpowered-builds-your-synergistic-heart-desires/
I recently had the pleasure of playing a dash of Pyrene—and as someone with an upsetting amount of hours logged in games like Slay the Spire, I had a grand old time. Pyrene is a deckbuilding roguelike from developer team Two Tiny Dice, a studio headed up by Christophe Coyard—the mind behind the similarly-designed Escape the Fold.

Embracer lays off 97 people at Eidos Montreal, reportedly cancels new Deus Ex game
https://www.pcgamer.com/embracer-lays-off-97-people-at-eidos-montreal-reportedly-cancels-new-deus-ex-game/
Eidos Montreal, developer of the Adam Jensen-centric Deus Ex reboots as well as 2021's Guardians of the Galaxy, announced today that it has laid off 97 employees "from development teams, administration, and support services." According to a Bloomberg report, the layoffs coincide with the cancellation of an unannounced Deus Ex game the studio was working on.
>> The voice of the recent Deus Ex games wasn't involved in the game.

Neo-Victorian survival game Nightingale is holding a public stress test on Friday, but it's only for 3 hours so don't be late
https://www.pcgamer.com/neo-victorian-survival-game-nightingale-is-holding-a-public-stress-test-on-friday-but-its-only-for-3-hours-so-dont-be-late/
Nightingale, the neo-Victorian survival game being developed by Aaryn Flynn's Inflexion Games, is holding a stress test on Friday, but you'll have to be quick if you want to get in: It's only scheduled to run for three hours.
To get into the Nightingale stress test, head over to the Steam page and click the "request access" button. Inflexion will start granting access at 10 am MT/12 pm ET on February 2, while servers will go live one hour later, at 11 am MT/1 pm ET. The test will come to an end at 2 pm MT/4 pm ET.

Destiny's story structure 'may have become predictable,' admits Bungie as it pivots to Episodes to 'pleasantly surprise' players more often
https://www.pcgamer.com/destinys-story-structure-may-have-become-predictable-admits-bungie-as-it-pivots-to-episodes-to-pleasantly-surprise-players-more-often/
Bungie is still playing it close to the vest with its planned shift from a seasonal model to an "Episodic" one with its upcoming expansion, The Final Shape, but at a recent developer roundtable, members of the team shed some light on the reasons behind the change, as well as how the unique demands of making Destiny affect its storytelling.

Activision's Call of Duty general manager takes over as president of Blizzard
https://www.pcgamer.com/activisions-call-of-duty-general-manager-takes-over-as-president-of-blizzard/
Blizzard Entertainment has announced that its new president is Johanna Faries, who previously spent nearly three years as the general manager of Activision's Call of Duty franchise. Faries will replace Mike Ybarra, who unexpectedly announced his departure when Microsoft laid off 1,900 employees from its gaming division last week.

Unprecedented 'inside look' at Call of Duty matchmaking debunks fan theories on SBMM and confirms our assumptions: 'Skill is not the dominant variable'
https://www.pcgamer.com/unprecedented-inside-look-at-call-of-duty-matchmaking-debunks-fan-theories-on-sbmm-and-confirms-our-assumptions-skill-is-not-the-dominant-variable/
Call of Duty's matchmaking is no longer a mystery.
Last year, Activision promised fans that it'd finally open up about how matchmaking works in Call of Duty. Today, it delivered: The unprecedented blog post dives deep into exactly which factors Call of Duty is looking for when grouping you with other players, and where its priorities lie. The post does not cover Warzone matchmaking or ranked modes.

Here are the first details on new Stormgate hero Maloc, a tanky fire-caster voiced by Chris Metzen
https://www.pcgamer.com/stormgate-maloc-exclusive/
The upcoming RTS Stormgate has three factions, two of which have been announced: Vanguard, with the previously-released hero Blockade, and the Infernal Host, which gets its first hero this week in a new beta build (codenamed "Elephant").
That new build will be available to those who purchase the $40 Kickstarter tier or higher. It'll introduce Infernal Host hero Maloc—voiced by Chris Metzen of Blizzard fame—and several new units including the Fire Giant and Burned One. (Coming later as part of the Infernal Host campaign: Warz, a character voiced by Marvel “Shang-Chi” star Simu Liu.) The UI also gets a refresh, which should be sharp, since it was already in pretty good shape.
>> Talking about Kickstarter, the game was already fully funded before the launched theirs.

Blizzard's late-night emergency patch saved Diablo 4's most controversial season yet
https://www.pcgamer.com/blizzards-late-night-emergency-patch-saved-diablo-4s-most-controversial-season-yet/
Last week, Blizzard learned just how little Diablo 4 players want to avoid traps while doing dungeons. Reddit and social media were ablaze with criticisms over season 3's new vaults and the robot companion. It was as if the success of season 2 was an anomaly and Diablo 4 would go back to being the tedious grind it was when it launched.
But late on Friday, Blizzard dropped a patch that targeted the season's worst issues: the traps and the rate at which your companion's skills upgrade. Vaults are considerably easier now and the robot spider takes no time to grow into a powerful companion. The Reddit threads died down and people seem happy. Season 3 is saved.

Indie games showcase Day of the Devs is now officially a non-profit organization
https://www.pcgamer.com/indie-games-showcase-day-of-the-devs-is-now-officially-a-non-profit-organization/
Day of the Devs has come a long way from its debut in 2012 as an indie games showcase hosted by Double Fine Productions and iam8bit. It's now "a fully independent 501c3 non-profit," which organizers say will make its fundraising efforts in support of indie developers "more transparent and public."

Enshrouded doesn't have PvP, but players are still getting robbed and griefed by strangers
https://www.pcgamer.com/enshrouded-doesnt-have-pvp-but-players-are-still-getting-robbed-and-griefed-by-strangers/
There's no PVP in survival game Enshrouded, but that doesn't mean there aren't ways to hurt other players. Despite the 100% co-op nature of player interaction, there have been reports of some dastardly deeds being done in multiplayer sessions. No one's died yet, but friendly co-op vibes have definitely been hacked to death.

2018's best platformer now has an adorable Mario 64-style tribute made by the game's original dev team for its 6th anniversary—and it's completely free
https://www.pcgamer.com/2018s-best-platformer-now-has-an-adorable-mario-64-style-tribute-made-by-the-games-original-dev-team-for-its-6th-anniversaryand-its-completely-free/
Celeste is one of the best platformers in the past decade—it's a game with a heartfelt, deeply affecting narrative that's also just really damn good at what it does: Complex 2D platforming with a skill ceiling so high it's nudging the moon. Now you can play it in 3D, kinda.

Obsidian's design director would love to add the immersive sim elements of Baldur's Gate 3 into a 'Pillars-y' game: 'we have mostly 2D worlds, so that's a lot more difficult'
https://www.pcgamer.com/obsidians-design-director-would-love-to-add-the-immersive-sim-elements-of-baldurs-gate-3-into-a-pillars-y-game-we-have-mostly-2d-worlds-so-thats-a-lot-more-difficult/
Before Baldur's Gate 3 came along and took a great (weapon master) swing at what we thought the CRPG could do, Obsidian was keeping the flame alive with Pillars of Eternity—a series that is by all means absolutely stellar. Granted, Larian's Divinity: Original Sin 2 laid that groundwork, and the immersive sim elements the studio carried over added a whole new dimension to a more tabletop-adjacent CRPG.
Obsidian's design director Josh Sawyer, recently talked about Baldur's Gate 3 in a Q&A on his YouTube channel. A fan asked him whether there was anything from BG3 that he'd like to incorporate into a "Pillars-y" game—something he's said he'd like to do, though he'd want a Larian-sized budget for it.
>> He works for Micosoft now, he could ask for that kind of budget.

Don't think of Avowed as Obsidian's Skyrim but as a Fallout: New Vegas and Outer Worlds-style take on first-person fantasy, says the studio
https://www.pcgamer.com/dont-think-of-avowed-as-obsidians-skyrim-but-as-a-fallout-new-vegas-and-outer-worlds-style-take-on-first-person-fantasy-says-the-studio/
You've gotta feel for Avowed, Obsidian's upcoming first-person fantasy RPG. As soon as the studio started talking about it, people (including, ah, me) began to look for pigeonholes to slot it into. A quick shorthand that would let us call the game "Obsidian's take on X".
The easiest reference point, of course, is Skyrim (Starfield without guns), to which Avowed's fantasy setting, first-person combat, and classless character system have all invited comparison. But the studio doesn't think it's the right comparison, telling PCGamesN that you're better off thinking of Avowed as an Outer Worlds-like, or even—be still my heart—something like Fallout: New Vegas.

I'm not sure if it was addiction or obsession, but I could say Anno 1404.

After playing the very short campaign and some scenarios, I started a map with the goals of building the two latest buildings the game has, the Imperial Cathedral and the Sultan's Mosque. It took me more than 80 hours to finish, and I play around 2 hours per day so feel free to guess how many days I spend playing it. I ended up dreaming about the damned game and that map.

After that, I decided to take a break from it, and it's been around 5 years since then. But I still have it installed, because you never know...

Well, it looks like Jizz isn't around so yeah, here's something (but don't take it for granted):

AMD Ryzen 8000G Desktop APU Review Roundup
https://videocardz.com/172307/amd-ryzen-8000g-desktop-apu-review-roundup

MSI Deploys AMD AGESA 1.1.0.2b BIOS Firmware Across All AM5 Motherboards, Ready For Ryzen 8000G APUs
https://wccftech.com/msi-amd-agesa-1-1-0-2b-bios-firmware-all-am5-motherboards-ready-ryzen-8000g-apus/

The rest should follow soon. And talking about MSI

MSI Confirms Claw Prices for All Three SKUs, Confirms VRR Screen
https://www.techpowerup.com/318481/msi-confirms-claw-prices-for-all-three-skus-confirms-vrr-screen

GeForce RTX 4080 SUPER reviews rescheduled to January 31st
https://videocardz.com/newz/geforce-rtx-4080-super-reviews-rescheduled-to-january-31st
Apparently, some reviewers got their cards later than expected. But...

NVIDIA RTX 4080 SUPER tested: up to 2.4% faster in 3DMark, similar gaming performance to RTX 4080
https://videocardz.com/newz/nvidia-rtx-4080-super-tested-up-to-2-4-faster-in-3dmark-similar-gaming-performance-to-rtx-4080

Samsung to showcase 37 Gbps GDDR7 memory for next-gen GPUs at ISSCC
https://videocardz.com/newz/samsung-to-showcase-37-gbps-gddr7-memory-for-next-gen-gpus-at-isscc

And take it with lots of salt since the source is MLID (tho he's had a couple wins this year already):

Top AMD RDNA4 Part Could Offer RX 7900 XTX Performance at Half its Price and Lower Power
https://www.techpowerup.com/318426/top-amd-rdna4-part-could-offer-rx-7900-xtx-performance-at-half-its-price-and-lower-power

I don't know. Like I said, I'm personally not interested in paying even a cent to Beamdog, especially since I already own the originals. My only real gripe (that matters) with Beamdog is them taking down (i.e. removing from sale) the cheaper versions of the game in favour of their overpriced remasters, especially since I don't think it was such a common practice back then. It's great if you can still get the originals that way, but my issue was with the monetization.