Category: Gaming

Upgrade Intel Core i5 12400F DDR4 to AMD Ryzen R5 7600 DDR5 – Worth It?

Robert Lohr4 Comments

Intel’s Core i5 12400F was and still is a capable budget gaming CPU. When I bought this chip at the end of summer 2022, DDR5 memory was still costly, and the benefit in gaming was not worth the price by a long shot. In 2023, Intel’s 13th-gen CPUs benefit significantly from faster memory, and DDR5 prices have reached their equilibrium where DDR4 was last year. I could have taken advantage of slotting in a Core-13000 model, maybe even a 14000 variant, but I am too much of a tech enthusiast to ignore the performance I could be leaving on the table with DDR4.

As you will see, I probably would not have noticed the difference and potentially benefitted the one game that triggered the upgrade thoughts. I recently took advantage of AMD’s Starfield bundles and received a new GPU with my game purchase. I knew of all the discussion around this game’s performance profile. Intel owns this game despite it being an AMD-sponsored title. Nevertheless, the 12400 had issues in the CPU-heavy areas, like New Atlantis.

(It appears that AMD or Bethesda forgot that AMD also makes CPUs, which is baffling since AMD makes the Xbox chips and Xbox owns Bethesda…)

Anyway.

The Ryzen 7600 should walk all over the 12400 with DDR4. The Intel chip is roughly equivalent to a Ryzen R5 5600X, and compared to that processor, the R5 7600 is 30% faster in games on average, according to Hardware Unboxed’s testing published on Techspot.

I performed several gaming benchmarks that compare the i5 12400F to the R5 7600 when paired with a Radeon RX 7900 XT.

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MSI B650 Tomahawk EZ Debug LED Memory and CPU Issues – Early Adopter Woes One Year Later

Robert Lohr1 Comment

I have recently treated myself to an AM5 system on an MSI B650 Tomahawk WIFI. The R5 7600 has access to 32 GB of G.Skill 6000 MT/s CL32 memory, which supports AMD’s EXPO technology. Enabling EXPO worked fine for the first hour before the trouble began.

At first, the SSD wasn’t detected anymore. I wanted to reinstall Windows because of licensing issues since I chose the wrong edition at first. Then, changing settings in BIOS did not restart the computer. The BIOS just froze up. Finally, the CPU and memory EZ Debug LEDs were both active, indicating a fried CPU and RAM.

That was a fun experience.

The Debugging

For reference, here is the layout of the debugging LEDs.

I am showing you this because the image of the error was under bad lighting conditions.

Whatever I tried, the system appeared to be dead. No more BIOS, no CMOS reset, nada. A CMOS reset had no effect even when the system would still boot into BIOS. Cutting the power… you guessed it: did nothing.

In a last hurrah, I attempted to boot with only one memory stick installed. Maybe it was just a single DIMM that unleashed hell. Lo and behold, the system booted. Testing the other stick also booted. Trying both RAM sticks again also booted. What the devil?

Changing the RAM configuration from two sticks down to one triggered something in the BIOS to reconfigure itself. A BIOS often shows a message when changes to the previously installed hardware are detected. And suddenly, a BIOS reset also worked.

The Fix

This time, I ran the RAM at 4800 MT/s while I installed Windows and tested a game for good measure. After ensuring the system was stable, I dared to perform a BIOS update.

And this was the solution to the problem. My MSI B650 Tomahawk came with BIOS version E7D75AMS.160; the latest version is E7D75AMS.170. The changelog mentions several improvements regarding RAM support.

An unreleased beta version also mentions stability improvements with EXPO enabled. I assume this also made its way into the latest release.

Since then, the system has been stable. I have run several benchmarks and played Starfield for about four hours straight without any stability problems.

The Disappointment

I am shocked that users can still run into compatibility issues like this about a year after the release of the Ryzen 7000 processors. The original installed BIOS was published in May 2023. That was already about eight months after the release of the AM5 platform, and it still had issues.

I hope this was helpful and saved you some time debugging a similar issue on the same motherboard or even a different one that behaves the same.

Thank you for reading.

The Order 1886 Review – An Underrated Game (PS5)

Robert Lohr1 Comment

If you strongly believe in video game reviews, you likely took a wide berth around The Order 1886 when it was released in 2015. Metacritic says this game is not good, scoring 63 from critics or 6.8 from user reviews. Since I did not own a PlayStation then, I knew of the game but took little notice otherwise. I was only recently reminded of its existence by John Linneman from Digital Foundry as he revisited the game’s technology in 2023. And obviously, it piqued my interest.

The Order 1886 is a 3rd-person cover shooter like the Gears franchise and is equally story-driven. It also pushed the graphical fidelity like the Gears games usually do. So why did it fail?

It admittedly had a few shortcomings, like a story that seemingly ends prematurely and plenty of cutscenes that limit the player’s agency. At least the last part is a criticism that was also directed at Final Fantasy XVI, yet most people still loved it. The story aspect appears valid, but it’s also in the eye of the beholder. It depends on your expectations going into the game – or any game at all. The Order 1886 does not explain everything and leaves many questions open. It was clearly designed to have a successor, which might have allowed the developers to establish more of the backstory. But is that such a bad thing as long as the moment-to-moment action is coherent and enjoyable? I do not think so, which is why I liked The Order 1886.

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Final Fantasy XVI Review (PS5)

Robert Lohr2 Comments

I believe this is the first time that I write an introduction to a review after all has been said and done. I don’t know where to start. It is only my second Final Fantasy game, so my expectations were simple:

  • A more fun combat than Final Fantasy VII Remake.
  • An equally good story.
  • Great visuals and music.

And all of that came to fruition. However, there is a But coming – a very stiff But.

(I better stop this metaphor before it gets out of hand.)

The technical presentation had some issues that could make side content unengaging for you despite the excellent writing. The author’s work was exceptional, and it is a shame that not all received the high-quality presentation it deserved. Did that make it a bad game? No, absolutely not! I liked Final Fantasy XVI a ton and finished it relatively quickly, given its length.

Let’s start the review before I continue beating around the bush.

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Marvel’s Midnight Suns Review – The Superhero Tactics Friendship Simulator (PS5 + PC)

Robert Lohr2 Comments

When Marvel’s Midnight Suns was revealed sometime around the summer of 2021, according to this trailer, I found it to be an interesting concept. The trailer does not say much, of course, and I based my opinions on the first gameplay reveals that are harder to dig up now. My experience with tactics games is limited to the Divinity Original Sin series from Larian Studios, so I would hardly call myself a seasoned player. One of the two gameplay-focused YouTubers I subscribe to is, though, being an X-Com veteran, and he got to show off early gameplay and character deep-dive promotional content. He was even mentioned in the game’s credits, which is so cool. Therefore, I found myself exposed more to this game than I usually would.

As I always do with games I find intriguing but am unsure if I would enjoy them: I watch on YouTube and knew just the right guy for it 😉. I am not a deck-builder gamer, the gameplay loop looked like a lot of busy work, and some of the writing appeared… questionable. So, I stuck with watching, but the idea of the game never let me go. There was a lot to like, and I ultimately purchased a copy, as it occasionally happens in situations like this. Two, in fact 😅. When I decided to play for myself, the most affordable way was on the PlayStation 5, and this is where I finished the base game. After that, I wanted to play the DLCs and their story, and at that point, the Epic Games Store offered a deal for the Legendary Edition (base game plus Season Pass), which turned out to be as much as the Season Pass on the PlayStation store. With a 25% coupon Epic randomly threw my way as part of a Mega Sale, I obtained the Legendary Edition on PC for just under 38€. I think that is a perfectly acceptable deal 😁. It also allowed me to compare the console and PC versions in terms of performance and visuals, as I noticed a few things on the PS5 that I found curious.

(Three emoji in one paragraph 🙀. What’s my age again?)

Marvel’s Midnight Suns captivated me in a way such that it became an evening routine after work, workout, and dinner. It does have its flaws, as expected. However, the positive elements outperform the downsides, and since you seem interested, I will tell you about it.

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Gamers Do Not Want to Buy AMD and NVIDIA GPUs

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It is June 2023, and gamers are still waiting for NVIDIA or AMD to release a GPU that is a no-brainer for any of the different price points of the mainstream market. I accept that the RTX 4090 and the RX 7900 XTX are halo products with an accordingly high price tag. Especially the RTX 4090 is impressive in all aspects. But what about the people who do not have over 1000 Orens to burn or do not want to spend that much? The controversy and discussions about NVIDIA’s sub-1k lineup down to the RTX 4060 Ti got me thinking. These cards would be a significant or even gigantic performance upgrade for me, yet I am not interested in them. What about AMD? Seriously, what about AMD? When are they moving their butts and joining the fray?

I am aware that it is about maintaining margins and keeping all their Scrooge McDucks happy. I also know that gaming products do not sell for as much as professional workstation- or enterprise products, with AI being the new hotness.

(Let’s hope it turns out to be more useful compared to the mining energy waste.)

How much time did NVIDIA dedicate to gaming hardware at Computex 2023? But is this really worth antagonizing a vast and vocal audience that has enabled AMD and NVIDIA to get where they are? From the looks of it: Yes. When considering a younger Jensen Huang’s statements, NVIDIA’s position is especially curious.

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Horizon Forbidden West: Burning Shores DLC Review – More Great Horizon (PS5)

Robert Lohr3 Comments

Of all the games I played last year, Horizon Forbidden West was my absolute favorite. I love the lore, the lead character and supporting cast, the storytelling, and the combination of action combat and adventure-like exploration and exposition. It should come as no surprise that I was very excited about the Burning Shores DLC when it was announced last year.

With that being said, expansions are usually not my thing. Most spin their own standalone tale within the framework of the main game but do not extend it or move it forward. Unless the gameplay is outstanding and the sole driver of the experience, DLCs face an uphill battle trying to convince me. And even in those gameplay-is-king cases, like Control, the expansions failed to entertain. I want more lead protagonist, more main story. Random side content that may or may not have ties to the main events rarely tickles my fancy. The issue comes down to the importance and meaningfulness of the new adventure. What could be significant enough to jump back into a game when the main objective is completed and the big bad boss is defeated?

(Rhymin’ and stealin’)

Horizon Zero Dawn’s expansion, The Frozen Wilds, was a new adventure, yet it also laid some groundwork for what would come in Horizon Forbidden West. Together with the fact that I just really enjoyed Zero Dawn, I happily played it. Forbidden West was an even better game, and I expected something similar from its DLC. In fact, it was my most anticipated “game” in 2023.

Burning Shores did not disappoint and delivered more of what made the base game an extraordinary experience: gorgeous visuals, entertaining combat, a couple of new machines, new skills, another Zenith threat, and a new side to Aloy’s character.

I immensely enjoyed my time in the destroyed and flooded future Los Angeles, and I want more Horizon because of that.

(Tomorrow, if possible. Kthxbye)

I think I can keep this review relatively short since the game’s core is still the same. We’ll see how it went when I write my famous last words 😉.

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Detroit: Become Human Review – The AI Game (PS5 + PC)

Robert Lohr1 Comment

Yes, this is a controversial title, and I am definitely playing the clickbait game. Yet, I also believe that it is not that far off the truth. Depending on your viewpoint, you can interpret “The AI Game” as a game generated by AI or as a game whose core idea revolves around artificial intelligence. Detroit: Become Human falls into the latter category.

Broadly speaking, our contemporary understanding of AI focuses on generating text or images, and attempts at creating music also exist. The results are truly astonishing and also frightening. Imagine the political damage a convincing AI-generated deep fake could cause. Leaving this discussion aside, Detroit: Become Human takes AI further and introduces Androids into a not-so-distant future version of Detroit. These Androids look and behave like human beings and are supposed to follow a specific programming for given tasks. Still, circumstances enable some to break free of their restrictions and start thinking and feeling like living beings. And at that point, the question becomes: are they living beings?

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Ratchet & Clank: Rift Apart – A Technical Showpiece I Recommend (PS5)

Robert Lohr1 Comment

Ratchet & Clank: Rift Apart is my first Ratchet & Clank ever. I did not even know this franchise existed until I saw it being part of the early PlayStation 5 launch titles. As a Digital Foundry subscriber, I received all my information, especially what made it a technical showcase, from their excellent coverage and discussions. I was interested in the tech, but impressive visuals or other technical prowess alone do not make for a good game. The gameplay looked fun, however, and I stored that title on my maybe-if-I-ever-get-a-PS5-I-might-play-it list.

That day has come, and my recent test of Sony’s version of Game Pass afforded me a 50% discount on that title. Considering Sony still charges 80€ on their digital store, it was quite the price reduction. Amazon isn’t any better, either.

I called Kena Bridge of Spirits “essentially an interactive animated Pixar movie “. Ratchet & Clank falls even more so in this category. Kena focuses more on gameplay and combat, whereas Ratchet & Clank: Rift Apart strongly concentrates on characters, the narrative, and cinematic storytelling. If you string together all cutscenes and in-game conversations, you essentially get an entertaining, family-friendly animated movie. And all that is wrapped in a visually stunning real-time package.

Let’s get into it and look at a few nice pictures, shall we?

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Pentiment Review – I Recommend 66% Of It (PC & Xbox Series X)

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It may come to you as a shocker, but I have never played a point & click adventure game, like the well-known Monkey Island series, for example. It is something I know exists and is beloved, yet I never touched it, despite several releases of the franchise being of my time. Pentiment falls into the same game category, and the coverage I follow had high praise for that title.

So, when I got sick recently, I figured this would be a chill game to pass the time while trying to recover.

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My Year in Gaming 2022 – Game of the Year and Others

Robert Lohr1 Comment

Last year, I wrote a summary of all the games I played in 2021. It was one of the ways of coping with the stress I deal with at work. And I like games. And writing. And writing about games. And digressing.

Two does not yet make for a series, but I’d like to continue the idea, and maybe I can turn it into one. So, here is my gaming year 2022 in review. I am not yet confident that I have nailed the format, so this blog post will differ in style from the inaugural version. I will start with a bit of story mode, as I am wont to do. Afterward, I’ll present the games in the order I started (or finished?) them. We’ll see. Lastly, I’ll reveal my Game of the Year in 2022.

AND DON’T YOU DARE JUMP AHEAD WITHOUT READING THE REST!

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Uncharted – The Nathan Drake Collection Review (PS4 Pro)

Robert Lohr2 Comments

If I were to explain to someone how Uncharted plays, I would say that it is like Tomb Raider, only with more shooting, more linear, and a lot more character-building and interaction.

I guess I’m done here. See ya next time. Thank you for reading.

Yeah, no. I am incapable of being that brief. It is 2022, and I am enjoying a game franchise developed initially for the PlayStation 3. The first entry in the series was released fifteen (15!) years ago by Naughty Dog, nowadays of The Last of Us fame. Uncharted 1 Drake’s Fortune debuted in 2007, was followed up in 2009 with Among Thieves, and the trilogy (yes, I am aware there is a part four) was completed in 2011 with Drake’s Deception. I am not really one for nostalgic trips, so I picked up the remastered version instead of the originals (and I do not have a PS3). Bluepoint, now a part of PlayStation Studios, enhanced these three games for the PlayStation 4 and splashed out 60 fps gameplay. Note, though, that the remaster itself is also already seven years old. It was released in 2015.

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Kena Bridge of Spirits Review (PC)

Robert Lohr3 Comments

I do not recall when I first became aware of Kena Bridge of Spirits. According to this announcement trailer, it must have been sometime in 2020. I was immediately hooked, but I did not jump in right away when it launched in 2021. I do not even remember why. It was a tough year for me personally, so maybe that was one of the reasons. Whatever it was, I am rarely on time with game releases, so why would Kena Bridge of Spirits be any different?

It is a different game, though (horrible segue *cough*), and one that I think stands out among all the others I have played in the past decade. Kena Bridge of Spirits is a PlayStation and PC exclusive, and it is the first title I played after building a gaming PC after just one year of abstinence. I haven’t heard much of this game after its release. Still, it apparently did well enough for Ember Lab to warrant a free anniversary upgrade at the end of September 2022.

Close combat games aren’t usually my jam. That is not because I do not like them. It has more to do with my inability to master the combat for an enjoyable experience. I must often resort to the Easy difficulty to complete challenging sections or bosses, and in the majority of times, the Easy mode is so accessible that it is borderline boring. Despite that, I went into the game with an open mind, and I am glad I did. I still had trouble with some of the bosses, but for the most part, I fought my way through the game on the normal difficulty. Let me tell you about it.

As always, I begin by discussing the game’s technology.

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MacBook Air M1 Apple Silicon Sleep High Power Consumption?

Robert Lohr3 Comments

When I first got the MacBook and put it to sleep on battery, as one does, I wondered why the energy store had lost a surprisingly high amount of charge after just a couple of days of sitting on a shelf untouched, lid closed. Now that I have a power meter (almost a year later), I was curious and hooked up the plugged-in computer to it. As you can see from the title image, the result was 2.3 frigging watts. But why?

Given this number, I wanted to open this blog post with the following statements.

Here is an interesting fact for you. The most power-efficient computer of the past decade allows itself over 2W of power while it sleeps. Yes, two frigging watts. Sleeping.

Being a curious nut, I did some more digging and then overhauled this blog post accordingly. But first, let me continue with my original vision of this little rant.

This is time travel, my friends.

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Cyberpunk 2077 Ending Review

Robert Lohr1 Comment

When I published my Cyberpunk 2077 review last month, I had not yet finished the game. Based on what I had played until that point, I still felt confident in my opinion – hence the review. I beat the game a couple of weeks later and have watched all possible endings on YouTube (no, I did not play them all myself). My general stance on the game has not changed, but I am even more convinced that Cyberpunk is a character and narrative-driven game, first and foremost.

Before I go on, beware that I use this blog post to talk freely, something I avoid in my usual reviews. I will drop a few spoilers, and although I try to stay as vague as possible, there will be a few hints here and there. With a little more knowledge and research under my belt, I will also briefly return to gameplay and the technical aspects of CD Projekt Red’s ambitious creation.

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