Checked on RTX 30 cards - yeah, same thing, around 60% penalty when RR is turned on, same as with RX 90, from Cinematic preset. Truth be told, it goes in two steps, since turning lightning to max is one part of the hit (which game automatically switches to when RR is turned on) and then extra hit comes from RR. In essence, it's PT settings, just not as clear defined as in some other games - this will kind of be default for next gen.

And yeah, AMD really needs to step up their software game, FSR 4.1 is practically erasing all rain in this title (unlike DLSS4.5).

Welcome to the Monday gaming news:

SALES/PLAYER COUNTS & DEALS

Pearl Abyss announces Crimson Desert has sold more than 2 million copies in less than 24 hours, promises to 'work to make improvements quickly'
https://www.pcgamer.com/games/action/pearl-abyss-announces-crimson-desert-has-sold-more-than-2-million-copies-in-less-than-24-hours-promises-to-work-to-make-improvements-quickly/
Crimson Desert's launch hasn't been met with universal acclaim, as frustrations with the hypermanic open world's bizarre control scheme and design oversights like its bafflingly restrictive inventory system have earned an early "Mixed" rating on Steam.
Those complaints, however, don't seem to have slowed its launch day sales. Just over 16 hours after its Steam unlock time, Pearl Abyss has announced that Crimson Desert has already sold more than 2 million copies.
"We are incredibly humbled to share that Crimson Desert has sold through 2 million copies worldwide," Pearl Abyss announced on its official X account. "Thank you so much to our fans, community, and everyone who has joined us in Pywel."

Humble Bundle has two new deals:

• Metro Mania: Planes, Trains And Automobiles Bundle has up to 8 games to get during 18 days: https://www.humblebundle.com/games/metro-mania-planes-trains-and-automobiles
• Humble Heroines: Echoes, Voids and Wisdom Bundle has 6 games and will last 23 days: https://www.humblebundle.com/games/humble-heroines-echoes-voids-and-visions

Fanatical has moved to its Encore stage of the Spring Sale, which means that it will end “soon”. Meanwhile, here are nre Flash Deals and a bundle:

• These are the new 24h Flash Deals:
  • The Jackbox Party Pack 7 is 50% off: https://www.fanatical.com/en/game/the-jackbox-party-pack-7
  • PEAK  has a 53% discount: https://www.fanatical.com/en/game/peak
  • The Elder Scrolls Online - Standard Edition is 78% off: https://www.fanatical.com/en/game/the-elder-scrolls-online
• The BYO Cute and Cozy Bundle comes with 18 titles to choose for your 3+, 5+ or 7+ game bundles and will last 34 days: https://www.fanatical.com/en/pick-and-mix/build-your-own-cute-and-cozy-bundle

SOFTWARE & DRIVERS

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MODS, EMULATORS & FAN PROJECTS

VR Mod Released for Resident Evil Requiem
https://www.dsogaming.com/mods/vr-mod-released-for-resident-evil-requiem/
Modder ‘Talemann1982’ has just released a VR mod for the latest Resident Evil game, Resident Evil Requiem. This mod will let you experience RE9 in VR. So, if you own a VR headset, you should definitely download and try it.
Thanks to this mod, you can play with your motion controllers in 6DOF. There are proper motion controls for using your axe. The bike section will now be in first-person (wherever possible). Furthermore, the mod will remove the pitchlock in important places in order to reach some needed button prompts.
As the modder said, HMD movement is possible but not officially supported yet. There’s currently no rotating body transform or button prompts. It’s also unclear whether the modder plans to add them in a future update.
You can go ahead and download the VR mod from this link. Be sure to read its installation guide as it needs both VigEm and REFramework.
>> The article doesn’t have the installation guide nor the links to VigEm or REFramework, but it has a 10 minutes video of the mod.

Angry Birds 3D Fan Remake in Unreal Engine 5 Demo Released
https://www.dsogaming.com/news/angry-birds-3d-fan-remake-in-unreal-engine-5-demo-released/
YouTube’s ‘Kauai VFX’ has just released a cool demo for his fan 3D remake of Angry Birds in Unreal Engine 5. This demo features one level, which you can play for as long as you want.
As we all know, Angry Birds is a 2D puzzle game that originally came out on mobile devices. So, witnessing a fan remake of it in Unreal Engine 5 is actually pretty cool.
Visually, the fan remake looks great. There are some gameplay and physics issues, though, so don’t expect it to be as polished as the real game. Moreover, the remake could benefit from some music or some additional sound effects.
For a one-man project, this is pretty cool. And hey, at least you can actually play this UE5 fan remake. It’s not going to blow you away, but for Angry Birds fans, this demo is a great way to spend the weekend.
You can go ahead and download the demo from Kauai VFX’s Discord server. Once you have joined, you should head to “my-games”. In there, you will find the “Not So Angry Birds” demo.
>> There is an almost 3 minutes video in the article.

This Mod Adds 10 Uniquely Designed Cars to GTA 5 Enhanced
https://www.dsogaming.com/mods/this-mod-adds-10-uniquely-designed-cars-to-gta-5-enhanced/
Modder ‘Happpie’ has just released an amazing new mod for Grand Theft Auto 5 Enhanced. This mod adds 10 uniquely designed supercars to the game. These cars are among the best I’ve seen in any GTA 5 mod pack, so I highly recommend downloading it.
Every vehicle has been tested and tuned for a balanced, realistic driving feel that fits its class. Moreover, every vehicle comes with high-fidelity models, optimized textures, and LODs to ensure stable framerates and zero texture loss, even in high-density areas. The mod balances visual quality with optimized performance, ensuring it runs well while still looking impressive in-game.
From what I can see, you will be able to get your hands on vehicles that resemble the Lamborghini Aventador SV, the McLaren 765LT, the McLaren 720S, and the Kia Stinger 2.5T.
>> The article has some screenshots.

Oblivion Remastered Gets Two New Cool Fan Expansion Mods
https://www.dsogaming.com/mods/oblivion-remastered-mods-gets-two-cool-fan-expansion-mods/
Modder ‘Ianjoseph1986’ has released two cool fan expansion mods for The Elder Scrolls IV: Oblivion Remastered. So, if you’ve been playing this remaster, I highly recommend checking them out.
The first fan expansion brings a fight club that opened in a dark basement in the backwaters of Bravil. The entrance to the underground is located behind the cemetery next to the chapel. Inside the pits, you will find a big training ground that specializes in fist-brawl-type fighting.
There will be some cages where some fights will be taking place, and a cage in the middle of the room where you can make your own matches (outside the cage or wherever you want). There are 5 opponents to fight. Tyler Durden ( the one inside the cage) and the other 4 that are outside. To start a fight, you’ll simply have to punch an opponent.
The second mod is an expansion for the Battlehorn Castle. The mod gives Battlehorn Castle a massive Fortress Gate that goes around the whole Castle in a fortress-type placement. Inside the Fortress, you will find 3 farmhouses. Two of them are fully furnished, and the other one is half furnished on purpose. Moreover, you can find a Bathouse, a Mages Guild Tower, and a Fighters Guild Tower.
And that’s not all. Players can find trainers to aid them in improving their combat Skills. One is outside, and the other one is in Tower 3 (Fighters Guild Tower). There is also a stable with 5 horses, as well as a WarShop with a vendor.
>> The article doesn’t have any media.

8 minutes of gameplay from Resident Evil 3.5 Fan Remake in Unreal Engine 5
https://www.dsogaming.com/videotrailer-news/8-minutes-of-gameplay-from-resident-evil-3-5-fan-remake-in-unreal-engine-5/
Earlier this month, we informed you about an upcoming fan remake of the Resident Evil 3.5 Hookman Demo in Unreal Engine 5. And, a few days ago, YouTube’s ‘Luli Studio’ shared a video, showcasing 8 minutes of gameplay footage from it.
For those who did not know, the Resident Evil 3.5 “Hookman” demo is basically the E3 2003 demo of Resident Evil 4. In E3 2003, Capcom showcased a supernatural-focused version of RE4 featuring Leon S. Kennedy.
This was what Resident Evil 4 was originally meant to be. However, Capcom decided to cancel it and create the RE4 we all now know and love.
In the E3 2003 demo, Leon was exploring a haunted castle, suffering from hallucinations (blue-tinted scenes, living dolls), and fighting the near-invincible, teleporting Hook Man. The demo had an over-the-shoulder camera, red laser sights, and intense lighting/shadow effects.
This first video focuses on the “vibe”, the dense atmosphere, and the asset tests of the Castle Version. The next gameplay video will focus on the terrifying Hookman Hallucination version with Leon.
What’s also cool here is that the artist plans to release a playable demo for it. Not only that, but the demo will have the option to choose which of the two versions (Castle or Hookman) you want to explore first, right from the main menu.
There is currently no ETA for when the demo will come out. Naturally, though, we’ll be sure to keep you posted.

Now you can replace Resident Evil Requiem's product-placement Porsche with a drivable hamburger
https://www.pcgamer.com/games/resident-evil/now-you-can-replace-resident-evil-requiems-product-placement-porsche-with-a-drivable-hamburger/
Resident Evil Requiem's Hamilton watches aren't the only product placement in Capcom's latest action-horror thrilltime. There's also Leon Kennedy's Porsche Cayenne Turbo GT, which he hoons around in when there isn't a convenient motorbike nearby. But if you'd rather not see your middle-aged action hero in a high-performance SUV, modder SinderyMonk is here to help.
The Patty Wagon mod swaps that souped-up sports car for a drivable hamburger right out of SpongeBob Squarepants, so that you can rep for Krusty Krab rather than Porsche. Seeing Leon's ultra-serious face grimly staring over a Krabby patty elevates every scene it's in.
We've already pointed out the first sexy Leon mod, but in the last couple of weeks the shitpost modders have really been busy. There's a mod to replace Chunk with Shrek, one to replace The Girl with a chibi character from Umamusume Pretty Derby, and for the arachnophobes there's one that lets you swap the giant spider for modder favorite Thomas the Tank Engine.
It's not all gags and memes. We recently highlighted a mod that makes Insanity mode even more brutal by turning zombie bites infectious. Like all of these mods, you'll need to install REFramework first to load it.
>> The article has one screenshot where you can see part of the new vehicle, as well as links to all those other mods (even if I don’t remember posting half of them).

Super Mario 64 Plus PC Port Version 4.0.1 Released
https://www.dsogaming.com/patches/super-mario-64-plus-pc-port-version-4-0-1-released/
The team behind the unofficial PC port of Super Mario 64 Plus has released a brand new version of it, Version 4.0.1. This new version comes with lots of new features. So, let’s take a closer look at it.
For those who did not know, Super Mario 64 Plus is a fork of Super Mario 64 PC Port that focuses on customizability. It aims to add features that not only fix some of the issues found in the base game but also enhance the gameplay overall with extra options.
For example, it improves the camera, it adds support for mouse look, it supports 60FPS via interpolation, and it has more responsive controls. It also adds the ability to continue the level after getting a star, and it packs numerous bug fixes.
Version 4.0.1 adds a “V-Sync” setting to prevent screen tearing. Moreover, it adds an “Anti-Aliasing” setting, which uses MSAA to smooth out jagged edges, and an “Anisotropic Filtering” setting, which improves the quality of textures at oblique angles. It also adds a new “N64 Blur” setting. This setting adds a simple blur effect to make the game look more like the original N64 version.
Furthermore, Version 4.0.1 drops the Direct3D 11 and Direct3D 12 backends. The game now exclusively uses OpenGL for graphics and SDL2 for windowing. It also replaces the clunky “Custom Fullscreen Resolution” settings with the “Fullscreen Display Mode” setting.
The “Internal Resolution” setting has been completely overhauled. It’s now a simple multiplier instead of requiring separate width and height values. In addition, it now uses nearest neighbor filtering for upscaling and works on OpenGL. Additionally, the team has adjusted all the presets. Now, the “Recommended” preset renders the game at a lower internal resolution by default, though you can always adjust the settings to your liking.
It’s also worth noting that the team has fixed some really annoying issues. For example, the game will now be DPI aware on Windows thanks to the OpenGL backend. The mouse wheel input will now work and register when spinning too fast. The update has also fixed some potential performance issues with the way the game handles the mouse input. Plus, it the lighting on Mario’s head at the beginning has been fixed.
You can go ahead and download Super Mario 64 Plus Version 4.0.1 from this link. To run it, you will need the ROM file of Super Mario 64. For obvious reasons, we won’t share any download links for it. However, I’m certain most of you will be able to find it with a simple Google search.
>> There is a 10 minutes video about this update in the article.

After one of Blood's best mods added a new episode in January, another brilliant spin on Monolith's shooter just got an even bigger overhaul
https://www.pcgamer.com/games/fps/after-one-of-bloods-best-mods-added-a-new-episode-in-january-another-brilliant-spin-on-monoliths-shooter-just-got-an-even-bigger-overhaul/
It sure is a good time to be a fan of ye-olde FPS Blood. Following Nightdive's release of its second overhaul of Monolith's debut gunfest, the developer has been quietly updating it with enhanced versions of some of the shooter's best mods. The first of these arrived in January, in the form of Marrow: Episode 2. A hugely ambitious expansion of Blood's original ideas, Marrow is basically Blood's equivalent of John Romero's Sigil.
Now, another massive Blood mod has received similar treatment, with Death Wish 2.0 releasing concurrently on ModDB and within Nightdive's remaster. Death Wish is perhaps even more lauded than Marrow for the tricks it pulls with the Build Engine, and its 2.0 version offers an experience more expansive than Blood itself.
Death Wish's creator, who goes by Bloatoid, revealed the full extent of the 2.0 overhaul on ModDB. And it certainly is extensive. For starters, every map featured in the original version of Death Wish has been "updated or replaced completely" in 2.0, with Bloatoid citing several levels as examples. "DWE3M6 may share a handful of sectors with its predecessor, but it is otherwise unrecognisable. DWE3M11, on the other hand, is a completely new map for v2.0."
Alongside these overhauled maps, v2.0 also introduces a new, fourth episode to the experience, one designed to fold seamlessly into the story. "Episode 4 is inseparable from the others and does not feel tacked-on," Bloatoid says. This fourth episode sees players gunning down enemies from the depths of an ancient tomb, all the way to a museum which Bloatoid says "looks to the future."
Episode 4 brings Death Wish's total number of maps to 48, significantly more than Blood's already-impressive 32. Death Wish 2.0 also features a custom soundtrack with music composed by Speedy and Sjellos, while Bloatoid points out that "New cutscenes set the stage at each episode's outset."
Death Wish is available as a free update to anyone who purchased Blood: Refreshed Supply. If you didn't buy Refreshed Supply, you can still get Death Wish for free by downloading it via ModDB.
>> The article has a roughly 1 minute trailer of the mod.

Hero modder restores the coolest bit of Elden Ring cut content: The heartbreaking tragedy of the second guy you meet that actually kinda justifies the game's most evil ending
https://www.pcgamer.com/games/rpg/hero-modder-restores-the-coolest-bit-of-elden-ring-cut-content-the-heartbreaking-tragedy-of-the-second-guy-you-meet-that-actually-kinda-justifies-the-games-most-evil-ending/
Modder Transquility on the Elden Ring Nexus has restored Merchant Kalé's NPC quest in our 2022 game of the year. There was originally a lot more to the early game vendor's character, and I think it could have been a standout part of the game. Spoilers for Elden Ring and the cut quest ahead.
>> I won’t post the rest to avoid the spoilers. The article ahs an almost 20 minutes video.

An ambitious mod management tool for the original Baldur's Gate games just got a massive overhaul
https://www.pcgamer.com/games/baldurs-gate/an-ambitious-mod-management-tool-for-the-original-baldurs-gate-games-just-got-a-massive-overhaul/
Modding is one of PC gaming's greatest pleasures. It's also a pain in the neck, especially as you go back and tinker with old games so they can be enjoyed on a modern system. All too often, it turns into a tangle of compatibility issues and bugs that you may have even introduced yourself with the wrong combination of mods; if your particular poison is the original Baldur's Gate games, though, you may want to take a look at EET Mod Forge.
The web-based tool is a mod manager of sorts that gives you some information about how your game will look and warn you away from gamebreaking mod conflicts, whether you build off one of the site's preset modlists or make your own. It's billed as an "install order builder," and features 640 different mods so far.
It just got a big 2.0 version about a week after its initial release, both of which were shared by creator anprionsa on Reddit. The new overhaul lets you preview NPC portrait art in case "multiple mods compete for the same portrait," and tracks in-engine caps for certain things, like kits, so "you know before you install if you've exceeded a limit."
There's also a new preset, "Mod Forge Ultimate," which piles a mind-bending 475 mods into one list—the update notes state that "every single install category was reviewed mod-by-mod with component-level conflict resolution." If you're wondering how someone could be warping their install so much that they'd need a tool like this to keep everything straight, there's a particularly extreme use case for you.
>> There is no media.

Cult online action RPG Marvel Heroes, after more than eight years offline, has player-run servers at last
https://www.pcgamer.com/games/mmo/cult-online-action-rpg-marvel-heroes-after-more-than-eight-years-offline-has-player-run-servers-at-last/
In November of 2017, MMO action RPG Marvel Heroes was shut down. Though it had the traditional rough launch, the basic idea of "Diablo but you can be Scarlet Witch" had promise, and turned itself around after some updates. Though not enough to save it when Marvel eventually cut ties with developer Gazillion Entertainment. While the plan was to keep Marvel Heroes running until the end of 2017, it ended up being "sunset" two months early, and that was that.
Until now. Marvel Heroes has been resurrected, with a server emulator finally hitting 1.0. The first player-run server came online in Tahiti up and others are on the way. I reinstalled it via Steam, made an account on the Project Tahiti website, launched it with the parameter -siteconfigurl=mhtahiti.com/SiteConfig.xml, and was able to join a queue of 1,706 players this morning.
I eventually made it into the game, though the server was restarted before I could finish the tutorial. Fortunately, a singleplayer alternative has also been made available. You can download a server emulator on Github, follow the setup instructions, and play solo without having to worry about lag or disconnections while things settle down.
There's a Pastebin to keep track of player-run servers as more come online. You may also need this link to the Internet Archive's backup of the final build. I'm glad to see Marvel Heroes enjoy this extra life, because it really was knockabout fun.
>> Again, the article has no media.

GAMING NEWS

Crimson Desert March 23 Update 1.00.03 Released – Patch Notes
https://www.dsogaming.com/patches/crimson-desert-mar-23rd-update-1-00-03-released-patch-notes/
Pearl Abyss has just released Title Update 1.00.03 for Crimson Desert and shared its full patch notes. So, let’s see what this new update brings to the table.
Patch 1.00.03 brings numerous control improvements. For instance, it adds the missing hotkeys for Inventory, Map, Skills, and Journal. As such, you will no longer have to use the mod we previously shared. Additionally, it improves the responsiveness of character movement controls.
>> At the same time, Pearl Abyss has said that it takes time to get used to the controls, but it’s like riding a bike (link) and, at the same time, says that the control isn’t great (link).

The second part of the Monday gaming news:

OpenTTD asks people to please stop being mad at Atari for forcing the game off Steam: 'OpenTTD as a project retains its full independence,' and you can still get it for free
https://www.pcgamer.com/games/sim/openttd-asks-people-to-please-stop-being-mad-at-atari-for-forcing-the-game-off-steam-openttd-as-a-project-retains-its-full-independence-and-you-can-still-get-it-for-free/
We warned you last week that the window was closing on OpenTTD, the open source remake of Transport Tycoon Deluxe that was, until quite recently—we warned you, bro—available for free on Steam and GOG. The reason, the OpenTTD team explained, was the imminent return of the real Transport Tycoon Deluxe, the 1995 business sim developed by Chris Sawyer, which Atari was bringing back as a commercial product.
Sure enough, all happened as it was foretold: Transport Tycoon Deluxe launched, OpenTTD was pulled, and everyone took it about as well as you'd expect, which is to say not well at all. Transport Tycoon Deluxe is currently weighed down with a "mostly negative" user rating on Steam, and reviews helpfully suggesting, for instance, that Atari—and I quote—"can, and should, eat my entire ass."
That negativity isn't likely to have too much of an impact on Atari's future financial planning—there are only 26 user reviews on Steam and the peak concurrent player count is just 23, so it doesn't appear as though Transport Tycoon Deluxe is flying off the shelves here—but even so, it's causing quite a stir among the small but committed OpenTTD fan base. And now the OpenTTD development team is asking everyone to knock it off, because they say Atari has been very cool about the whole thing, and you can still get the game for free anyway.

Death Stranding 2 devs thought 'Brutal' mode was hard enough, but pushed the game to 'the upper limit' with its new difficulty option on PC
https://www.pcgamer.com/games/action/death-stranding-2-devs-thought-brutal-mode-was-hard-enough-but-pushed-the-game-to-the-upper-limit-with-its-new-difficulty-option-on-pc/
Death Stranding 2's PC launch on Thursday may have been overshadowed just a bit by Crimson Desert, but as I wrote in my review, it's a great game, whether you're in it for the Hideo Kojima story or the delivery sim sandbox. Folks who especially love the latter, though, like PC Gamer's Morgan Park, almost universally have the same complaint: it's too easy. Though Death Stranding 2 lets you challenge yourself by making deliveries on foot, the vehicles, upgrades, and shared infrastructure from other players can trivialize making flawless deliveries.
For the PC release Kojima Productions added a new difficult option called "To the Wilder," which was created specifically to address player feedback, the studio said in an interview with PC Gamer this week.

Blight: Survival offers a fresh slice of its medieval zombie-slaying, after its developer took a break to 'rebuild our core systems from the ground up'
https://www.pcgamer.com/games/action/blight-survival-offers-a-fresh-slice-of-its-medieval-zombie-slaying-after-its-developer-took-a-break-to-rebuild-our-core-systems-from-the-ground-up/
Blight: Survival, the third person hack 'n' slash where you carve up zombies in brutal medieval combat, is one of the most anticipated games on Steam. In fact, it recently surpassed 1.5 million wishlists, with only Subnautica 2, Deadlock, Light no Fire and Forza Horizon 6 having more.
Yet with such anticipation comes a lot of expectation, and players have been expecting Blight: Survival for a long time. The game was announced way back in 2022, and it's been almost two years since its developer, Haenir Studio, partnered with Dead by Daylight creator Behaviour Interactive as Blight's publisher.
But in a recently published trailer thanking fans for helping Blight reach its wishlist milestone, creative director Ulrik Langvandsbråten took a moment to explain what's taking so long.

The Last Caretaker's latest update embraces its inner Dr Evil by adding sharks with frickin' laser beams attached to their heads
https://www.pcgamer.com/games/survival-crafting/the-last-caretakers-latest-update-embraces-its-inner-dr-evil-by-adding-sharks-with-frickin-laser-beams-attached-to-their-heads/
I've been intrigued by oceanic survival sim The Last Caretaker since it was announced, but I have also been a little confused by its tone. Is it a melancholy adventure about being the last sentient being on an abandoned Earth, an optimistic sci-fi story about ensuring the long-term survival of the human race by growing people in vats and launching them into space, or a knockabout crafting-explore-o-thon where you build a big daft base on your boat?
I was hoping the latest update would help answer this question. But if anything, it has only confounded me further. Curiosity Wakes strays fully into Austin Powers territory by adding sharks with laser beams on their heads.

If you simply cannot wait for the new Heroes of Might and Magic, this sci-fi take on HoMM just launched from Steam early access
https://www.pcgamer.com/games/strategy/if-you-simply-cannot-wait-for-the-new-heroes-of-might-and-magic-this-sci-fi-take-on-homm-just-launched-from-steam-early-access/
I was a little surprised to discover that Heroes of Might and Magic: Olden Era is one of Steam's most wishlisted gamed. Naturally, I'd assumed there must be a fanbase for this prequel from developer Unfrozen and publisher Hooded Horse, otherwise they wouldn't make it.
(...)
The bad news is you can't play Olden Era yet. It was supposed to release at the end of last year, but Hooded Horse spurred it into 2026 to give the game "the care it deserves." Luckily, you can play a brand new, HoMM-style game right now, provided you don't mind swapping out steel-clad knights for star-pocked nights.
Heroes of Science and Fiction is, as you may have gleaned from the title, a genre-swapped Heroes of Might and Magic. Assuming the role of one of five factions vying for control of a remote star system, you're charged with exploring the planets orbiting that celestial fusion reactor, securing resources, building cities and raising armies to defeat your enemies.

Toby Fox says 'most of the development team has moved on' from Deltarune's fifth chapter, as focus moves to bug fixes and translation
https://www.pcgamer.com/games/rpg/toby-fox-says-most-of-the-development-team-has-moved-on-from-deltarunes-fifth-chapter-as-focus-moves-to-bug-fixes-and-translation/
It's been a long road for enjoyers of Deltarune, the follow-up to EarthBoundy RPG masterclass Undertale. Four of the game's chapters have been released since 2018, and the fifth is closer than ever; Toby Fox took to Bluesky last week to share some details on where it's at.

Minecraft's Diablo-inspired spinoff is getting a surprise sequel this year
https://www.pcgamer.com/games/rpg/minecrafts-diablo-inspired-spinoff-is-getting-a-surprise-sequel-this-year/
The Minecraft umbrella holds a whole host of games and a movie starring Jack Black at this point, but few of Mojang's experiments in other genres were quite as good as Minecraft Dungeons. It might have been 'baby's first Diablo,' but it seemed to garner more fans than its so-so action-RTS cousin—and if you're among those fans, it's a good day for you: A sequel is coming very soon.
>> Mojang has also revealed that the second Minecraft drop of 2026 will feature a new underground biome (link).

The Wheel of Time is getting an animated show and a PC/mobile game, which is different from the open-world action RPG already in development
https://www.pcgamer.com/games/rpg/the-wheel-of-time-is-getting-an-animated-show-and-a-pc-mobile-game-which-is-different-from-the-open-world-action-rpg-already-in-development/
If you were bummed about Amazon cancelling its The Wheel of Time TV series, fret not, because license owner iwot Studios has so much The Wheel of Time coming your way. There's enough The Wheel of Time to affix to The Carriage of Time, maybe even The Articulated Lorry of Time.
A report by Variety states that iwot studios, which owns The Wheel of Time license, is working with Initiate Entertainment and Arcane producer Thomas Vu to develop and produce a new PC/Mobile game based on Robert Jordan's fantasy novels, as well as a new animated feature film and an animated series.

Nearly 2 years after hitting 1.0, goblin pachinko roguelike Peglin adds a fourth act and a final boss: 'It's been a long time coming'
https://www.pcgamer.com/games/roguelike/nearly-2-years-after-hitting-1-0-goblin-pachinko-roguelike-peglin-adds-a-fourth-act-and-a-final-boss-its-been-a-long-time-coming/
The Peggle series may have long been lost to the free-to-play maelstrom that is mobile gaming, but PC gamers jonesing for a fantastical pachinko fix can at least console themselves with Peglin. The game takes the ball-bouncing, peg-busting fundamentals of Peggle, then smashes it together with a fantasy roguelike where a cute wee goblin batters enemies based on your pachinko performance.
Peglin released into Steam early access in 2022, hitting 1.0 two years later. It seemed like a neat and tidy project, garnering 'Very Positive' Steam reviews and seemingly shifting a fair old number of copies. But it turns out that developer Red Nexus Games wasn't done with Peglin. 18 months on from Peglin's launch, Red Nexus Games just fired an unexpectedly meaty update into the pachinko roguelike's peg hole.

With Steam reviews at 'Mixed', the developer of Half Sword addresses differences between the early access game and its hugely popular tech demo: 'The final version of the game will differ from what has been shown previously'
https://www.pcgamer.com/games/action/with-steam-reviews-at-mixed-the-developer-of-half-sword-addresses-differences-between-the-early-access-game-and-its-hugely-popular-tech-demo-the-final-version-of-the-game-will-differ-from-what-has-been-shown-previously/
Medieval duelling simulator Half Sword was a whole hit during last October's Steam Next Fest. Its goofy, grisly tech demo was the most popular playable snippet of the entire showcase, with players going haywire for its elastic, haphazard duels where your weapons were as much a threat to yourself as your opponent.
Unfortunately, the demo's popularity has seemingly come back to bite developer Half Sword Games in its early access launch. Although Half Sword attracted a big audience upon its alpha release in January, the response by players has been as divided as a human skull when struck by a Zweihander.
The issues cited by players are numerous. But the main problem is that combat in the early access version feels very different from the tech demo, with some Steam reviews claiming that the system is harder to grapple with, and much easier to send your character into a flailing ragdoll. The developers point out that the tech demo was based upon a much older version of Half Sword, and its system have been built out much more in the interim.

Crimson Desert team apologizes after players find AI art in the game: 'Our intention has always been for any such assets to be replaced'
https://www.pcgamer.com/games/rpg/crimson-desert-team-apologizes-after-players-find-ai-art-in-the-game-our-intention-has-always-been-for-any-such-assets-to-be-replaced/
AI has been involved in its fair share of oopsies at this point, and Crimson Desert is the latest to take the hit. As reported by IGN, many players have taken to Reddit to point out likely AI-generated assets since the game's release, and today developer Pearl Abyss shared a statement on X responding to the accusations.
>> But worry not, an ex-Blizzard president has come out to say that “gamers need to 'Man up' over AI usage in games” (link). Do I need to say who he is?

Mega Crit responds to the panic over Slay the Spire 2's 1st balance pass, saying these changes are 'the first of many': 'No change is necessarily permanent'
https://www.pcgamer.com/games/card-games/mega-crit-responds-to-the-panic-over-slay-the-spire-2s-1st-balance-pass-saying-these-changes-are-the-first-of-many-no-change-is-necessarily-permanent/
Slay the Spire 2 has been raking in the dough and enjoying all sorts of positive feedback, but the precarious thing about making something people love is that the minute you change it, you're messing with that thing people love. Developer Mega Crit experienced this last week when its first balance changes incurred the collective wrath of thousands of negative Steam reviews.
(...)
Mega Crit responded to the drama with an X post on March 20. "Since we have a lot of new players that weren’t around for StS1’s Early Access phase and players who are new to Early Access games in general, we wanted to explain our patching methodology a bit," the studio said. "This beta balance pass was the first of many to come over the next 1-2 years … this progress will not be linear, and no change is necessarily permanent."

Pearl Abyss working on bringing Arc GPU support to Crimson Desert, with Intel 'ready to assist'
https://www.pcgamer.com/hardware/graphics-cards/pearl-abyss-working-on-bringing-arc-gpu-support-to-crimson-desert-with-intel-ready-to-assist/
Fantasy RPG fans have been spoilt for choice over the last few years, so much so you'd perhaps be forgiven for not getting to Crimson Desert—affectionately described by some as the 'yes, and' of videogames—any time soon. Well, for those gaming on Intel hardware, that may be just as well.
Last week, we attempted to test Crimson Desert with an Intel Arc graphics card, and were greeted by a pop-up explaining the hardware simply isn't supported. While the game's FAQ page previously encouraged out of luck gamers to "please refer to the refund policy of the platform where the game was purchased," developer Pearl Abyss has since assured it is working to support Intel Arc GPUs in the future.
The game's FAQ has been updated, and now reads, "We are currently working on compatibility and optimization support so that Crimson Desert can also be enjoyed on Intel Arc GPU systems. We are preparing to provide a smooth and stable gameplay experience, and we ask for your patience until the support update becomes available."

Cat Parents amasses over 100,000 wishlists in just 3 days, leaving its indie devs speechless: 'We never imagined that our little dream would spark interest in so many people'
https://www.pcgamer.com/games/sim/cat-parents-amasses-over-100-000-wishlists-in-just-3-days-leaving-its-indie-devs-speechless-we-never-imagined-that-our-little-dream-would-spark-interest-in-so-many-people/
During my weekly scour of Steam for new cosy games I came across Cat Parents, an indie game where players collect stray cats and look after them. You clean the cats up, feed them, and even change your home to accommodate your growing clowder of cats.
I saw it and immediately thought: that's a bit of me, and wishlisted it right there and then. And just to prove that I've never had an original thought, it turns out that a bunch of other players did exactly the same thing.

And the third part of the Monday gaming news:

Major industry survey finds that, surprise surprise, 9/10 game devs think generative AI use should be more fully disclosed on Steam
https://www.pcgamer.com/software/ai/major-industry-survey-finds-that-surprise-surprise-9-10-game-devs-think-generative-ai-use-should-be-more-fully-disclosed-on-steam/
>> Maybe that’s why Steam has seen positive messages for its Spring Sale art, as they have promoted the artists behind them on social media (link).

Subnautica 2 chief says Krafton is still messing with him, because the May release date announcement was news to him and he's not happy about it
https://www.pcgamer.com/gaming-industry/subnautica-2-chief-says-krafton-is-still-messing-with-him-because-the-may-release-date-announcement-was-news-to-him-and-hes-not-super-happy-about-it/

Silksong player tracks down a secret version of its act 1 boss and immediately discovers why Team Cherry probably cut it
https://www.pcgamer.com/games/action/silksong-player-tracks-down-a-secret-version-of-its-act-1-boss-and-immediately-discovers-why-team-cherry-probably-cut-it/

Bethesda learned its lesson from DLC pop-ups in its older RPGs: 'We've gotten better at that'
https://www.pcgamer.com/games/rpg/bethesda-learned-its-lesson-from-dlc-pop-ups-in-its-older-rpgs-weve-gotten-better-at-that/

That Dragon Quest MMO still isn't coming to the west, but it is getting a Gemini-powered AI slime companion
https://www.pcgamer.com/games/mmo/that-dragon-quest-mmo-still-isnt-coming-to-the-west-but-it-is-getting-a-gemini-powered-ai-slime-companion/

New Blood boss Dave Oshry 'quadruples down' on supporting GOG after worrying about its future, committing to sales, demos, one-click mods, plus day-and-date releases alongside Steam
https://www.pcgamer.com/gaming-industry/new-blood-boss-dave-oshry-quadruples-down-on-supporting-gog-after-worrying-about-its-future-committing-to-sales-demos-one-click-mods-plus-day-and-date-releases-alongside-steam/

Pearl abyss is now going to make the game fully direct X 12 compliant now? I am glad public pressure will mean arc users can play it soon.

I mean, the go ask for a refund answer they gave at first was probably the worst thing they could have said, so it's not surprising to see them trying to be a bit smarter than that and fix thinga that shouldn't be broken to begin with.

Have any of you played the campaign of CoD: Modern Warfare? I've always heard great things about the game, but they were because of the jump from WWII to modern days and the multiplayer.

The 90% off deal the remake has this Spring Sale makes it an interesting option, as it rarely goes above 67% off.

^ Not sure how lively the MP is these days, but I'd say the SP is worth a play, especially at 90% off.

Thanks.

I don't touch MP so, lively or not, it doesn't matter to me.

Wow, it's cheaper than the original Modern Warfare has ever been? I'm not too interested in Call of Duty, not since the original Modern Warfare 2, but I got kind of interested. Sadly it seems to be always online with an Activision account requirement in all game modes, which I'm interpreting to mean single-player as well.