Listed here are the Worst Optimized PC Video games of 2022

And it’s that point of the 12 months. Earlier than publishing our High 10 Most Optimized PC Video games of 2022 article, we’ve determined to share the worst ones. The next video games actually allow us to down (tech-wise), and we think about them to be the worst optimized video games that got here out on PC in 2022.

In our opinion, a sport that’s not optimized for the PC is one that can’t scale properly on a number of CPU cores, that’s affected by ‘console-ish’ unwanted effects (like actually low FOV, controller-only on-screen indicators, terrible Ok&M controls and mouse acceleration/smoothing points). We additionally have in mind the stuttering points that affected quite a lot of PC video games in 2022. Moreover, a sport that doesn’t justify its GPU necessities can also be a sport that falls on this record.

Do additionally word that we choose the newest model of the video games and never their launch model. And sure, we’ve reinstalled and replayed all the following video games. Lastly, this record is in random order. So, with out additional ado, let’s check out them.

The Witcher 3 Subsequent-Gen

A number of us have been trying ahead to the Subsequent-Gen model of The Witcher 3. Nevertheless, and as we’ve already reported, TW3NG is at present in a extremely terrible state. The sport has main CPU optimization points. Resulting from these points, even high-end CPUs can drop under 60fps when enabling its Ray Tracing results. After which we’ve got the visible/graphical glitches that may happen with RT shadows/reflections. And, let’s be sincere right here. The one noteworthy factor listed here are these Ray Tracing results. In any other case, PC players can persist with the older model (which additionally runs considerably sooner) and mod it to be able to make it look even higher than the DX11 model of The Witcher 3 Subsequent-Gen. CDPR dropped the ball on this, and there may be merely no excuse for this.

The Callisto Protocol Ray Tracing

The Callisto Protocol is one other sport that disillusioned us. When it launched, the sport had MAJOR optimization points on PC. Fortunately, Hanging Distance Studios was in a position to enhance issues and the sport is satisfying with out its Ray Tracing results. Nevertheless, its Ray Tracing results expose the optimization points from which the sport nonetheless suffers. Equally to The Witcher 3 Subsequent-Gen, The Callisto Protocol can’t benefit from a number of CPU cores/threads. As such, the sport regularly drops under 60fps, even on high-end CPUs/GPUs. The sport additionally doesn’t assist DLSS 3, which means that there’s at present no PC system that may run it with fixed 60fps with RT. And once more, that is primarily as a consequence of low CPU utilization.

Gotham Knights

It’s laughable at this level, however right here is one other triple-A sport that can’t benefit from a number of CPU cores/threads. When it launched, Gotham Knights had main stuttering and CPU optimization points. Warner Bros just lately launched a patch that minimized the sport’s stutters, nevertheless, there are nonetheless framerate drops and body pacing points. Nonetheless, this newest model is not less than higher than the stutter-fest launch model. Nevertheless, issues go downhill when you allow its Ray Tracing results. As with The Witcher 3 Subsequent-Gen and The Callisto Protocol, these RT results deliver an extra CPU overhead and expose the sport’s CPU optimization points. And let me be clear right here. We don’t thoughts when a sport is CPU-heavy and might use all obtainable CPU cores/threads at 80%. Nevertheless, we do thoughts when a sport makes use of solely 3-4 CPU cores/threads on modern-day CPUs which are geared up with greater than 12 CPU cores. It’s 2022 and builders needs to be providing correct multicore CPU assist. We’ve criticized up to now Turn10 and Artistic Meeting for this and to their credit score, each of them launched efficiency patches for Forza Horizon 3 and Halo Wars 2 that considerably improved CPU efficiency and scaling on a number of cores/threads. If these builders did it, then there is no such thing as a excuse for CD Projekt RED, Hanging Distance Studios and Warner Bros Montreal/QLOC.

DYNASTY WARRIORS 9 Empires

Nicely, all of us noticed this coming. In any case, that is KOEI Tecmo we’re speaking about. DYNASTY WARRIORS 9 Empires has terrible mouse digicam controls, and is unreasonably demanding at 1440p and 4K resolutions.

Syberia: The World Earlier than

When Syberia: The World Earlier than got here out in March 2020, it had main efficiency points on NVIDIA’s {hardware}. Nevertheless, and after reinstalling the sport, we skilled the very same optimization points. Under yow will discover a screenshot, exhibiting the RTX4090 being pushed to the bounds at 1440p/Max Settings. Take a extremely shut take a look at the GPU utilization and the framerate. This sport runs and appears worse than different open-world video games that use Ray Tracing. The truth that each NVIDIA and Microids left the sport on this state speaks volumes about its terrible post-launch assist.

Stranger of Paradise Closing Fantasy Origin

Stranger of Paradise Closing Fantasy Origin nonetheless suffers from main efficiency and optimization points on PC. The sport has main framerate drops throughout fight, particularly when utilizing the ending strikes. There are additionally quite a few body pacing points. Sure, Crew Ninja has added assist for DLSS 2, nevertheless, it didn’t deal with any of the aforementioned points.

Saints Row

Saints Row is in a mean state proper now. The sport suffers from some unoptimized scenes and the mouse controls really feel actually bizarre. And whereas the sport doesn’t require a high-end CPU, its visuals don’t justify its excessive GPU necessities. There are additionally main shadow pop-in points (that Volition has not addressed but).

Steelrising

Steelrising has main optimization points. Though the sport doesn’t require a high-end CPU, it actually requires a strong GPU, even for gaming at 1080p. Not solely that, however it requires greater than 13GB of VRAM for Extremely Textures at 1080p. And, to be sincere, these Extremely Textures look much like what we’ve seen in different video games that use manner much less VRAM, even at 4K. Not solely that, however there may be nothing on display to justify its excessive GPU necessities. Sure, Spiders is a small workforce so we will’t count on miracles from it. Nevertheless, the workforce ought to merely ditch the Silk Engine if it’s unable to correctly optimize it.

ELEX II

Though ELEX II doesn’t require a high-end CPU, it actually doesn’t justify its large GPU necessities. And, opposite to different video games, ELEX II doesn’t even assist DLSS 2 to be able to not less than one way or the other enhance its general efficiency.

Destroy All People! 2 – Reprobed

Destroy All People! 2 – Reprobed makes use of Unreal Engine 4 and has main stuttering points. Not solely that, however the sport is unable to take full benefit of a number of CPU cores/threads. Yeap, that is Gotham Knights and The Callisto Protocol over again. To its credit score, Black Forest Video games added assist for DLSS 3 which considerably improves CPU efficiency on the RTX40 sequence GPUs. Nevertheless, builders shouldn’t depend on NVIDIA’s DLSS 3 tech and name it a day. As an alternative, they need to be optimizing their video games for everybody, plain and easy.

John Papadopoulos

John is the founder and Editor in Chief at DSOGaming. He’s a PC gaming fan and extremely helps the modding and indie communities. Earlier than creating DSOGaming, John labored on quite a few gaming web sites. Whereas he’s a die-hard PC gamer, his gaming roots may be discovered on consoles. John beloved – and nonetheless does – the 16-bit consoles, and considers SNES to be among the best consoles. Nonetheless, the PC platform received him over consoles. That was primarily as a consequence of 3DFX and its iconic devoted 3D accelerator graphics card, Voodoo 2. John has additionally written a better diploma thesis on the “The Evolution of PC graphics playing cards.”
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