Tag: Linux Gaming

Stellar Blade Demo: Linux Performance Analysis (Bazzite vs. Windows 11) | RX 9070 XT

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Stellar Blade’s first signs of life appear to come from a Tech Trailer in 2019, when it was revealed as „Project EVE“. Sony showed a first real trailer in a 2021 PlayStation showcase, and in 2022, a story trailer revealed the name: Stellar Blade.

What initially looked like a dress-up meme game with a bit of fistycuffs turned out to be a top-notch action game with a compelling, deep combat system. What also helped, of course, were the generally attractive visuals and female charms of the game’s heroine. The latter is an endless source of click-baity thumbnails (😉).

A PC demo was released in May 2025, and about one year later, I actually noticed that. The final version for PC followed in June of 2025.

And with that, hello and welcome to another Linux Performance Analysis. We’re taking a look at the Stellar Blade demo on PC on Bazzite Linux. Since it’s only a demo, access to levels is limited, and as such, so is what I can test and show.

We all know about Eve’s virtues, but how does she do on a Linux PC? Let me already put one fear to rest: the many… physics effects run without NVIDIA’s PhysX, so RTX-5000 users can relax now. And yes, AMD users, too. It’s just more fun to mock NVIDIA right now. AMD isn’t any better, I know. Back to the topic.

The more important questions we want to answer are how many FPS we can get and whether typical Unreal 4 issues intrude on the fun.

As always, I’ll briefly go over the hardware and software, and we’ll look at the game launch and main menu before we dive into the performance.

I also have a German version of this video.

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Replaced Demo: Performance Analysis & First Impressions (CachyOS Linux & Windows) | RX 9070 XT

Robert Lohr1 Comment

When the game was revealed way back at E3 in 2021, the art style immediately stood out to me. I like cyberpunk-style settings and design, and the combination of 2D side-scrolling pixel art with modern-looking, artistic lighting caught my eye. And it’s not all 2D. Elements in the background, although layered, appear very three-dimensional. It’s kinda like the Dragon Quest HD-2D Remakes, only as a side-scroller.

When I decided to test the game, I didn’t quite know what to expect on the performance side, so I stuck with my 1440p monitor, as I usually do for all my performance analysis blog posts. Exceptions exist, of course, and this could actually have been one. Performance is so good that running at native 4K is easily doable. But in doing so, I wouldn’t have found any odd technical issues that make this post an analysis rather than just a report of my impressions.

Spoiler: you don’t want to play at insanely high framerates.

Welcome to another Linux performance analysis with a bit of personal impressions sprinkled on top.

Replaced is about an AI being transferred into a person, but we do things the human way here. So, disengage your analytical brain, give the video game portion all the performance, and enjoy some action gameplay plus a bit of rambling.

I also have a German version of this video.

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The Callisto Protocol Revisited: How “Tango-Dance Combat” Saved the Experience for Me

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I can already hear the Pristine Decoder rattling in your heads, constructing the question “Of all games, why are you creating a review for this one?”

The simple answer is: because I’ve been trying to create a review for every game I finish since before this channel was a thing.

Your response to that is most likely: “Okay, let me rephrase that. Why’d you play this game in the first place?”

To which I’ll respond with: ‘cause it didn’t cost me anything.

But let’s be serious for a moment, since this is a dark game. Callisto Protocol was a free game in the Epic Games Store on Christmas 2025, and I’m sure you know the adage about the gift horse. Sharp tongues might say that a gift like this is the reason why nobody likes Tim Sweeney’s game store, but that’s besides the point. And believe me, I was also surprised that this commercial flop was presented as the December 24th Mystery Game.

But I didn’t care in that moment because it was undoubtedly a visual treat, even if it had disgusting ingredients. However, this wasn’t stopping me from taking a closer look at it for a Linux Gameplay Performance analysis. After all, Linux supposedly is immune to dangerous viruses and their mutations.

So I attempted a brief Let’s Play series on my German channel, as I need to play a game for testing anyway. One to two hours are usually required to get a sense of the expected performance profile, ideally a bit longer. And despite its flaws, or maybe because of them, it didn’t let me go. As it turns out, I completed the Let’s Play, and now I’ll tell you about my experience. Unsolicited, of course.

If you like or not, you’re now locked in my Gameslinger Prison, and I can perform all sorts of experime… Ey, ey, ey… just… a moment. Closing the tab doesn’t count.

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StarRupture: Linux Performance Analysis & First Impressions (CachyOS | Bazzite) | RX 9070 XT

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It’s time to look at yet another Unreal Engine 5 Game. And once more, it’s an Early Access title: StarRupture. As with any first look at unfinished games like this, we must keep that in mind. A lot can change over the course of the Early Access Period – content-wise and on the technical side.

But before we get into all of that, let me welcome you to another Linux Gameplay Performance Analysis.

I spent a bit over 15 hours in StarRupture, and what I found was a combination of factory automation, a first-person shooter, and open-world exploration, with some lore to find. Whether there’s actually a meaningful story in the game is not yet clear to me. In any case, as the player you’r a puppet of large corporations that continuously vie for more and more resources. Sounds familiar, doesn’t it?

Regarding performance, the question is whether StarRupture is a typical Unreal 5 heavyweight. Does this game burn down your system, like the fiery in-game eruptions every hour? Or like all the Skynet AI data centers our world at some point?

Let’s find out.

I also have a German version of this video.

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Now with CachyOS: 4 Open-World Titles In Linux vs Windows Benchmark Battle | RX 9070 XT

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I recently took a look at four Open-World games in a benchmark battle between Bazzite Linux and Windows 11. Fifty percent of the results were as expected, and the other fifty percent turned out to be suboptimal for Linux. Since viewers often comment on my videos that they get better performance with a different distro, or ask whether I have checked out this or that distro, they eventually wore me down. I installed CachyOS and benchmarked the four titles from the previous blog post again, and we’ll briefly take a look at the results.

Three quarters are business as usual, and one quarter is actually interesting.

This is going to be a short affair without much fanfare, so let’s get to it.

I also have a German version of the video.

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Nioh 3 Linux Performance Analysis: Can CachyOS git gud? | RX 9070 XT

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Nioh 3 is highly anticipated by many gamers, and it looks like Koei Tecmo and Team Ninja are confident in the game’s quality, as they have released a demo on Steam and PlayStation. Kudos for doing that. I’m primarily interested for technical reasons. Team Ninja games usually have a, let’s call it, interesting performance-to-visuals ratio.

To save you time, let me say right up front that you can easily achieve 100 FPS or more with hardware similar to mine if you stick to the default presets. Let me repeat that because it’s an important detail: if you stick to the default presets. As you can see in the background, the FPS counter is essentially stuck at the 120 mark.

The visuals are attractive and serve their purpose, although nothing to write home about. More important in a fast-paced, combat-oriented Team Ninja game is how it feels to play. If you enjoy games like this, I think you won’t be disappointed.

But Nioh 3 is not without its idiosyncrasies. And I’m not talking about how quickly the story turns batshit crazy like a Jim Carrey performance.

If you’re interested, stay tuned.

I also have a German version of the video.

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Marvel Rivals Benchmarks: AI Super Villain or Open Source Hero | Windows vs. Linux | RX 9070 XT

Robert LohrLeave a comment

Marvel Rivals is published by NetEase, the same company that also publishes Where Winds Meet. Unlike its sibling, Marvel Rivals uses Unreal Engine 5. And as we all know, this piece of software can be as volatile as Deadpool. So, let’s have a look at how the hero-shooter performs on Linux and Windows.

Welcome back to a new benchmark battle between these two operating systems. Today, we answer the question of whether the proprietary AI-Super Villain or the Open-Source hero comes out victorious.

As I’ve done more often recently, I compared the beloved 🤭 Windows 11 to Bazzite’s Steam Gaming Mode and its KDE-Wayland session. Let’s go and find out which operating system has a field day in Marvel Rivals.

To do that, we grab Thor’s Hammer – don’t worry, no sleezy jokes today – and hope we can prevent Windows from sprinting ahead with a few well-placed lightning strikes.

I actually have no idea if Thor’s even in this game, but let’s just ignore that.

I also have a German version of this video.

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4 Open-World Titles In Linux vs Windows Benchmark Battle (ACShadows, BLands4, HFW, WWM) | RX 9070 XT

Robert LohrLeave a comment

I had a few games in my sweaty grasp this year that ran rather meh on Linux. In the last game I analyzed, I found out that the Mangohud performance overlay can negatively impact a game’s performance. Hogwarts Legacy stuttered heavily in my first test when I explored the world. This is a behavior that you wouldn’t encounter when just playing the game. I only ran into this issue because I always show the Mangohud performance metrics for my analysis videos.

That sparked a desire to retest a few games. I was already planning to benchmark Borderlands 4 a second time since Gearbox supposedly tuned the transmission for better performance. It so turned out that Borderlands 4 was joined by the robo-dinosaur-tamer Aloy, the two mass murderers Naoe and Yasuke, and the dude who fights with a baby in his arms.

And with that, I welcome you to another Linux versus Windows benchmark battle. This time, with four games instead of just one.

I don’t want to waste any more time beating around the FPS, so let’s get right to it.

I also have a German version of this video.

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Pragmata: The RE Engine Delivers! | RX 9070 XT Linux Performance & Impressions (Bazzite 43)

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(World Premiere)

Alright, alright. I admit, I’m exaggerating here. It is true for me, however. The unique thing about Pragmata is its use of the RE-Engine, which is like venturing into new territory for me. I have avoided the Resident Evil games and, by extension, the RE Engine because I’m officially in the scaredy-cat camp when it comes to horror games. As a result, Pragmata shines among the many Unreal-based stars in outer space.

And with that, hello and welcome to a Linux Gameplay Performance blog post.

The Pragmata demo was announced at The Game Awards 2025, and the game is slated for release in April 2026.

Will Pragmata’s launch into the Linux universe be soft, or will the trek to orbit be a rocky one?

Here’s a German version of the video.

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Total War: Three Kingdoms Benchmark-Battle Linux & Windows | RX 9070 XT (Bazzite 43)

Robert LohrLeave a comment

If you regularly watch Gamers Nexus benchmark videos or are just a strategy game enthusiast, Total War may be a name you recognize. It has been quiet as far as “Mystery Games” go in the Epic Games Store, but at the end of the year, Tim Sweeney handed out a household name in the strategy space for free. I took this opportunity by the hand to check out Total War for myself and, of course, also benchmark it.

And with that, I welcome you back to another Linux versus Windows benchmark battle.

I usually prefer to do a Gameplay Performance first, before diving into the benchmarks. However, I’m sad to say that Total War: Three Kingdoms just isn’t my cup of tea. Therefore, I spent only as much time in the game as I needed to record some B-roll and get the testing done.

But enough foreplay. Let’s get to the climax and the question of who’s packing more heat.

Yes, you heard that right. And there’s plenty more where that came from.

(German version of the video)

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South of Midnight Benchmarks & Critique (Linux vs. Windows)

Robert Lohr1 Comment

Compulsion Games and striking art might as well be synonyms in dictionaries. South of Midnight’s visual identity is unmistakable, but it does not stop there. The game is more than just artsy graphics.

But before I briefly share my opinion on the game, let me talk about the technical side of things, which is central to this blog post. The primary focus is how South of Midnight performs on Linux and Windows, how difficult it was to get working, and things I noticed while playing on both platforms.

The Nerdy Bits

I purchased the game on Steam, and as one has come to expect, it just worked. I did not force any Proton version and let Steam do its thing instead. Throughout my playtime, I did not have any issues whatsoever. South of Midnight felt like it belonged.

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Star Wars Outlaws Benchmarks & Critique (Linux vs. Windows)

Robert Lohr1 Comment

Star Wars Outlaws is Ubisoft’s take on a Star Wars game working within the framework of their established Open-World formula. Although Massive Entertainment worked to avoid the checklist-like map design full of question marks, it still ended up being a checklist, just not on the map. And underneath all that busywork is a heist story along the lines of Ocean’s 11. With a twist.

But before I briefly share my opinions on the game itself, let me talk about the technical side of things, which is at the center of this blog post. The main focus is how Star Wars Outlaws performs on Linux and Windows, how difficult it was to get working, and things I noticed while playing on both platforms.

The Nerdy Bits

Let me start with the installation. I purchased the game on Ubisoft’s platform instead of Steam, so I had to resort to Lutris for the first step. After I installed the Ubisoft Connect launcher via this handy script, the procedure was the same as on Windows: select the game to install, the install location, and start the download.

In Lutris’ settings, I chose Proton-GE as the runtime, but I also tried Wine and Proton Experimental. Since I noticed no differences, I stuck with what I tested last, which was Proton-GE.

Benchmarking Preamble

I tested on my AMD Ryzen 7600 with 32 GB of DDR5 6000 Mt/s memory and an AMD Radeon RX 7900 XT. Windows 11 was on version 24H2 as of the end of March. My Linux installation was a regular Fedora 41 Workstation with Gnome Shell on Wayland running kernel version 6.13.8. Since I play at 1440p, that was the only resolution I tested. For graphics settings, I limited myself to Ultra and High, each at native resolution and upscaling with FSR Ultra Quality.

I ran every benchmark pass three times in one go instead of performing three separate runs and averaging the numbers. I am lazy, and I also assume that the result would be the same.

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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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Linux Gaming: Middle Earth – Shadow of Mordor; Get it to run, and run it fast

Robert LohrLeave a comment

Gaming on Linux is a challenge because only a few companies take the time to create native Linux ports of their games. It is even more challenging when those natively ported games do not run at all or do not run well. One of them is Middle Earth: Shadow of Mordor. I have bought this game specifically because it has a native Linux version – and because I remember that it was well received by media and players.

This game has two issues:

  • It refuses to start in full-screen mode.
  • The performance is terrible.

Let’s go through these two issues and see how they manifest and how to fix them.

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