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Ys X: Proud Nordics launches this week on PC from PH3 and NIS America as an enhanced and expanded model of Ys X: Nordics. Ys X: Nordics for PC already scaled fairly a bit above the console variations with a superb port that performed superb on Steam Deck. I used to be curious to see how Ys X: Proud Nordics would construct on it on the subject of the PC options. For this function, I will cowl the PC port of Ys X: Proud Nordics, new options not current in Ys X: Nordics, and extra. For extra in-depth and behind-the-scenes info on the PC port and extra for Ys X: Proud Nordics, I like to recommend studying my interview with PH3’s Durante right here.

Ys X: Proud Nordics PC unique options — HDR assist, soundtrack info, and extra

If you happen to’ve performed latest PH3 PC releases, you’ll really feel proper at residence right here. For many who have not, Ys X: Proud Nordics for PC features a plethora of options not current within the console variations. These embody HDR assist, numerous management choices, autosave interval time adjustment choices, the flexibility to point out the track being performed with soundtrack info, the flexibility to skip startup logos and get to the title display faster, the flexibility to load your most up-to-date save from Steam straight whereas saving much more time, a great deal of graphics and show choices to scale above the console variations, ultrawide assist, 16:10 assist, the flexibility to regulate film quantity along with the audio sliders on console, the flexibility to decide on button prompts, mouse and keyboard choices, gamepad-specific deadzone and different choices, and an Asset Caching choice.

Asset Caching, turned-off by default, enables you to select how a lot reminiscence the sport will use to hurry up load instances. When it’s off, it should lead to barely longer load instances, however you’ll be able to allow it by an computerized setting or bespoke settings for when you could have no less than 24GB of bodily reminiscence. 

The PC model on Steam additionally helps Steam’s Timeline function for recreation recording. What this implies is that once you use Steam’s Recreation Recording function, Ys X: Proud Nordics will robotically set markers on the recording so you’ll be able to see when a battle takes place, when an occasion takes place, and so forth. That is indicated within the recording when seen on Steam and you may see the way it seems to be beneath from my Steam Deck OLED within the recreation’s opening with the battle. 

Ys X: Proud Nordics PC show choices

Ys X: Proud Nordics for PC enables you to regulate show mode (windowed, borderless, fullscreen), the monitor getting used, decision (320×200 to 4K primarily based on my shows and gadgets), refresh price, toggle v-sync, body price restrict (30fps to 360fps), regulate display brightness, and the HDR settings.

Ys X: Proud Nordics PC ultrawide assist

As I’ve began doing not too long ago in my PC port articles, I wished to take a look at Ys X: Proud Nordics on my ultrawide show at 21:9. Barring some 16:9 menus and art work, it’s a nice expertise on my 21:9 monitor with even in-engine cut-scenes adjusting and looking out nice on the broader display.

Ys X: Proud Nordics PC-exclusive HDR settings

Ys X: Proud Nordics on PC has PH3’s ordinary HDR choices for adjusting HDR Peak Brightness and HDR UI Brightness independently. This solely works on a display with HDR assist together with the Steam Deck OLED.

Ys X: Proud Nordics PC graphics presets

As with previous PH3 Falcom video games on PC, Ys X: Proud Nordics ships with just a few graphics presets and detailed graphics choices. The presets are as follows: 

• Efficiency: A performance-focused preset, decreasing settings with out vastly impacting visible high quality. Very best for lower-end laptops or moveable gadgets just like the Steam Deck.
• Default: The default settings. These are near the console variations, with minor enhancements. (Be aware: In previous video games, the default setting 
• Excessive: Permits a number of graphics enhancements which aren’t too performance-intensive. A balanced choice for gaming PCs.
• Extremely: Permits most of the highest-end settings, aside from these with extraordinarily massive efficiency prices. For top-end gaming PCs.

Ys X: Proud Nordics PC graphics choices

Ys X: Proud Nordics’ Graphics menu enables you to select a preset as detailed above or customise many particular person choices. These are break up up into the next classes: Normal, Draw Distance, Shadows, and Rendering High quality. The Normal part has depth of area, Rim Lighting, and Ambient Occlusion. The draw Distance part enables you to regulate Draw Distance (requires reloading) for map objects and characters, Stage-of-detail Distance for static map objects, and Gentle Draw Distance for a way far dynamic lights are seen.

The Shadows part enables you to regulate Shadow Decision (Low, Medium, Excessive, and Extremely) and Shadow Filtering (Primary, Default, Mushy, PCSS). Be aware that PCSS is distance-dependent dynamic penumbra shadow filtering with a excessive GPU impression. This requires excessive or extremely shadow decision.

The Rendering High quality part enables you to regulate decision scale with a sign of the particular rendering decision from 50% to 200%. This may be executed in actual time with out reloading a save. You get to see the efficiency value or penalty with every adjustment right here instantly as properly. If you happen to play on Steam Deck or ROG Ally, you’ll not see the DLSS or XeSS menu, however Ys X: Proud Nordics does assist DLSS and XeSS. In reality, it helps DLSS 3, 4, and 4.5. There is no such thing as a FSR assist as Durante defined in my interview. As for anti-aliasing itself, Ys X: Proud Nordics helps default screen-space anti-aliasing, sharp temporal anti-aliasing, clean temporal anti-aliasing, MSAA (2x, 4x, and 8x), and no AA. It additionally has an choice for multisampling for portraits (off, 2x MSAA, 4x MSAA, and 8x MSAA). 

If you happen to use Portrait Anti-aliasing, you can even allow Sparse Grid supersampling AKA SGSSAA for higher texture anti-aliasing and likewise allow multisampling for clear objects to extend picture high quality utilizing the Transparency Multisampling choice right here. The ultimate two graphics choices below Rendering High quality are Anisotropic Filtering (default, excessive, most) and Volumetric Lighting (off, low, default, excessive, extremely).

It is usually price noting that not solely does PH3 embody the GPU impression for heavy settings, but it surely additionally enables you to preview or reset nearly each graphics choice in Ys X: Proud Nordics on PC.

Ys X: Proud Nordics PC management choices

Ys X: Proud Nordics enables you to regulate what button prompts to show (auto, gamepad, mouse & keyboard), power particular gamepad prompts (auto, Xbox, PlayStation, Steam Deck, Stadia, Nintendo Swap), present major and secondary bindings as button prompts, after which entry the Mouse/Keyboard and Controller enter choices. The previous enables you to configure bindings, regulate horizontal and sensitivity for mouse controls, toggle mouse menu navigation, and toggle the flexibility to flick goal with the mouse when locked on.

On the controller facet, along with configuring controller bindings, you’ll be able to regulate vibration depth, left and proper stick deadzones, and gamepad flick time. Gamepad flick time is the utmost time for gamepad inputs to be thought-about a flick. 

Ys X: Proud Nordics really useful settings for Steam Deck OLED and LCD

In my testing, Ys X: Proud Nordics is a bit heavier than Ys X: Nordics. This is applicable to not simply the brand new areas, but in addition some base recreation areas. Whereas it was straightforward to get 90fps on Steam Deck OLED in Ys X: Nordics through the use of the efficiency preset and turning down shadows, you can be round 75-80fps with that early on. I would not suggest aiming for 90fps on Steam Deck for this one, however you will get an excellent 60fps expertise with HDR utilizing the Efficiency preset and capping the sport to 60fps and 60hz utilizing the Steam Deck OLED Fast Entry Menu. On Steam Deck LCD, simply play it usually and use the 60fps body price restrict in-game. You don’t want to do anything. I did not hassle attempting to optimize for higher visuals and a decrease body price since I do not suppose it’s price taking part in an Ys recreation at beneath 60fps when you have the choice to keep away from it. I’ll possible work on it once I cowl all platforms within the close to future although.

Ys X: Proud Nordics vs Ys X: Nordics PC port variations and efficiency

Along with having the likes of DLSS (together with 4.5) assist and XeSS, Ys X: Proud Nordics on PC additionally helps TAA whereas the unique port solely had MSAA and screen-space reflections. Yet one more factor to notice is that Proud Nordics doesn’t embody the co-op that Ys X shipped with up to now. You may learn extra about this function in my interview with Durante from Ys X’s authentic launch right here.

Ys X: Proud Nordics launches on February 20, 2026 for the West on PS5, Nintendo Swap 2, and PC (Steam, GOG, Epic). It launches on February 19, 2026 in Japan on PS5.