Game:

Shadow of Memories (2001)

Duration: 26:53

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Shadow of Destiny (USA) aka Shadow of Memories (Japan, Europe). Originally released for the PS2 in 2001 and then for PC and XBox. It was re-issued for the PSP in 2009 (Japan) and 2010 (USA). No European version for the PSP was ever released.

Running on a Windows 10 64bit PC via emulation. I'm using CXBX-Reloaded instead of XEMU for its performance. The issue with the bottom part of the letterbox frame is present in both emulators.

CXBX-R settings
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1. Unlike XEMU, this emulator requires the ISO to be in XBE format. I used XDVDMulleter for the conversion and followed this tutorial:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=94MI1laf0P4
2. Video settings:
a) Render resolution 2x (1280x960). A lower resolution will make this game look blurrier, no matter what res. you choose on dgVoodoo, as it happened with PC version.
b) Use Exclusive Fullscreen Mode: ON
c) Force VSync: ON/OFF (let dgVoodoo handle that or not, as you prefer)
d) Maintain Aspect Ratio: If you set this to ON, make sure you don't set a 4:3 res. in dgVoodoo ir picture will look squeezed. Select or type in a resolution with your display's native aspect ratio. However, if you set it to OFF on the emulator, you'll need to type in a 4:3 resolution on dgVoodoo (e.g. 3840x2880). Again, as it happens with the PC version, there's no PROPER widescreen fix for the XBOX version as of yet (that I know of).

dgVoodoo settings
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This emulator uses DirectX 9.0c renderer. dgVoodoo will wrap it to DX11, allowing us to run the game in pretty much any resolution with Anisotropic and Anti-aliasing all maxed out. It'll also let us use ReShade. Download latest dgVoodoo stable version from http://dege.freeweb.hu/dgVoodoo2/dgVoodoo2/

Open the zip and place the following files into the game's folder:
- dgVoodooCpl.exe
- dgVoodoo.conf
- MS\x86\D3D9.dll

Run dgVoodoCpl.exe. Leave everything as it is by default, except:
- "General" tab\Appearance-- Full Screen + "Stretched, keep Aspect Ratio"
- "General" tab\Miscellaneous-- Keep window aspect ratio: ON
- "General" tab\Miscellaneous-- Capture mouse: OFF
- "DirectX" tab\Texturing-- Filtering: Force anisotropic 16x
- "DirectX" tab\Resolution-- If you set "Maintain Aspect Ratio" to ON on the emulator, choose a resolution that fits your display's native aspect ratio or type it in. IHowever, if you set it to OFF, then choose a 4:3 resolution or type it in. In my case, 3840x2880 it is.
- "DirectX" tab\Antialiasing (MSAA)-- 2x up to 8x (if you have a beefy enough rig)
- "DirectX" tab\Miscellaneous-- Force vSync ON if you set it to OFF on the emulator.

XBOX version displays the blurriest textures of the bunch. Game data in the game's disc partition (XBE format) is roughly 800 megs. Apart from that, some graphics and/or effects look worse. Just look at the flags waving at 23:53. Theye move at a lower framerate than the rest of the game, and certainly lower than the other versions.

ReShade tip: When installing it into the game's folder make sure you select the right exe file: Forget about "cxbx.exe". Select "cxbxr-ldr.exe" instead.

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