The Darkness Recomp

A native Windows x64 port of The Darkness (Xbox 360). The original executable is translated to C++ ahead of time and built into DarkRecomp.exe with a D3D11 renderer. The Windows build can also run through Proton on Linux.

Download for Windows · Controls · Linux & Steam Deck · Build from source · Troubleshooting

Bring your own game dump. Original game code, assets, and binaries are not included. You need the extracted files from a supported Xbox 360 copy, including its original default.xex. An ISO alone will not work.

Download and play

Requirements: 64-bit Windows 10/11 and a Direct3D 11-capable graphics device. The Windows release includes runtime and audio dependencies; no compiler, Python, or separate audio setup is needed to play.

1. Download the Windows release. Under Assets, choose The-Darkness-Recomp-v...-windows-x64.zip, then right-click it and choose Extract All. GitHub's Source code downloads are for building the project yourself.
2. Copy all files and folders from your extracted Xbox 360 dump into the included Darkness/ folder: default.xex, Content, System, and the rest of your dump. No XexTool preparation is required.
3. Double-click Launch.cmd to play with sound, or LaunchWithSettings.cmd to choose settings and language first.

Keep the whole release folder together. See START_HERE.txt for the expected folder layout and help with startup problems.

Features and controls

• Full gameplay with keyboard, mouse, and controller input, XMA audio, saves, and persistent achievement tracking.
• Resolution, FOV, original Xbox gamma calibration and color profiles, bloom, frame cap, VSync, FXAA/SMAA/MSAA antialiasing, and 16x texture filtering.
• Remappable keys and mouse buttons, clickable menus, and adjustable subtitle size.
• Language selection and support for the original disc revision and the Russian localization identified in issue #37.

The mouse captures automatically when keyboard/mouse gameplay starts or resumes after a menu. Click the game window to recapture after a manual release or Alt-Tab. F1 shows controls, F2 toggles capture, and Esc releases it.

Use Options > Video Quality for graphics and Options > Controls > Keyboard bindings to remap inputs. The settings launcher uses the same saved graphics settings. See CONTROLS.md for the full input and settings guide.

<details> <summary>Menu settings, languages, achievements, and developer tools</summary>

Subtitles. Options > Subtitles > Subtitle Size adjusts dialogue subtitles from 50% to 200% and applies immediately in game. The default 100% retains the original text size; the setting is saved for the next launch. Higher-resolution subtitles use scalable Arial glyphs with grayscale antialiasing, while retaining the game's spacing, wrapping, fades and outlines. Original bitmap glyphs remain the fallback when the system font or a character is unavailable. Encoded alphabets require a verified font atlas, independently of the executable's language. Other translations retain their original bitmap subtitles.

Menus and bindings. Click menu choices to select them; the mouse wheel also changes choices and E confirms. Use Options > Controls > Keyboard bindings to remap gameplay keys and mouse buttons. The five-page game menu supports primary/secondary keys, clear, defaults, and Save/Cancel. Page 5 configures dialogue-choice controls independently of weapon switching; the same keys and wheel directions can be used in both contexts. Exit Game in the pause or main menu closes the game after confirmation.

Achievements. Choose Extra Content > Achievements in the main menu to see the original achievement list. Gameplay unlocks persist in saves/achievements.dat. The list uses your game dump's achievement text and selected language; multiplayer achievements require their original gameplay conditions. Xbox Live synchronization is unavailable.

Developer tools. Press F5 for mission selection, player speed, invincibility, noclip, all Darkness abilities, and maximum Darkness level. Enable the F6 resolution shortcut there to allow live 720p/1440p switching; the shortcut starts off. Mission loading and Darkness grants can autosave; see CONTROLS.md before changing progression.

Languages. Choose Language in Options > Video Settings or the settings launcher: System default, English, German, French, Spanish, or Italian. In-game changes take effect after restarting. See CONTROLS.md for language overrides and the full input guide.

The original supported disc executable and the Russian localization identified in issue #37 are recognized automatically. Copy all files from the matching dump, including its own default.xex. The Russian localization uses the game's English content slot: choose English, or System default on Russian Windows. Its translated text, fonts, and audio come from that dump.

The added in-game PC menus also use Russian with that dump: video settings, keyboard and mouse bindings, and Exit Game. Their translation source is assets/localization/native_menu_ru.json. See the translation guide to improve the wording and rebuild the menus.

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Steam and Linux

Add the Windows executable to Steam using the instructions below. On Linux and Steam Deck, the Windows build runs through Proton. Some releases include an AppImage installer; see the Linux and Steam Deck guide for setup. Steam Deck gameplay and performance remain unverified.

<details> <summary>Add the Windows release to Steam</summary>

In Steam, choose Games > Add a Non-Steam Game > Browse and select build_native/Release/DarkRecomp.exe in the extracted release. Set Start In to the extracted release folder and leave Launch Options empty. Sound and normal gameplay are enabled by default. Keep the whole release folder together.

The shortcut must target the game executable so Steam can follow the running game for its overlay, Steam Input, and session status. If you already added Launch.cmd or DarkRecompPreview.exe, edit that shortcut's Properties to use DarkRecomp.exe and remove --sound from Launch Options. The optional tools/add_steam_shortcut.py helper preserves existing shortcuts; it does not retarget them automatically.

</details> <details> <summary>Run the Windows build on Linux through Proton</summary>

For releases that provide a The-Darkness-Recomp-vX.Y.Z-steam-deck-x86_64.AppImage asset, download it from Releases in Steam Deck Desktop Mode. Mark it executable in Dolphin's Properties > Permissions, then open it to select your own extracted game dump and a parent folder for installation. The wizard creates The-Darkness-Recomp there and installs the Windows release with verified UMU and GE-Proton downloads. It requires Python 3.10+, KDialog or Zenity, internet access, and room for another copy of the game and Proton on a Linux filesystem, such as an ext4 SD card. Setup finishes without starting the game. Open Play-The-Darkness.desktop in the chosen installation folder to play in Desktop Mode; see the AppImage instructions for Steam shortcuts, updates, and the FUSE fallback.

The Windows build can run through Proton on Linux. Launch.sh and the file I/O compatibility fixes were tested with GE-Proton11-7 in Ubuntu 24.04 under WSL2. The opening level rendered with audio and created checkpoint saves; memory, file I/O and save-storage tests passed. Visible camera movement and completion of the opening tutorial were not confirmed. Steam Deck gameplay and performance remain unverified; a native Linux build is not available.

For automatic setup from Windows with Ubuntu in WSL2, double-click SetupLinux.cmd, then PlayLinux.cmd. The installer copies the game to Linux storage and preserves that copy's saves and settings on later updates. See STEAM_DECK.md for prerequisites, options, Steam shortcuts and the verified test scope.

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Updating

To update without compiling, close the game and extract a newer Windows release ZIP into your existing game folder, replacing the included program files. Keep Darkness/, saves/, and DarkRecomp.settings.ini to preserve your game files, progress, achievements, and settings. You do not need to rebuild.

To check only published releases with the release updater, run:

powershell -NoProfile -ExecutionPolicy Bypass -File tools\update_release.ps1

When updating from v0.1.5, extract the new ZIP once to install the new launcher; the older updater does not recognize the added Russian menu files.

LaunchWithUpdates.cmd instead builds and installs commits from the official main branch before playing. It requires the build tools below and a complete supported game dump.

<details> <summary>Commit updates and source checkouts</summary>

Close the game before updating. For downloaded installations, the updater keeps a separate source/build copy outside your installation and copies your dump there. Allow space for another game copy and compiler outputs; the first build can take several minutes.

The updater preserves game files, saves, achievements, and settings. It tests the build and verifies the resulting package and files with SHA-256 hashes before installing. Recovery copies and build logs are kept in the folder printed by the updater. Network failures still let you play the installed version; build failures stop the update and leave the previous program files available through Launch.cmd.

LaunchWithUpdates.cmd also updates source checkouts. The checkout must be clean and able to fast-forward to official main; it preserves local edits and commits and refuses divergent histories. It rebuilds and tests the selected commit before marking the installed program current. Alternatively, pull and build manually:

git pull --ff-only
powershell -ExecutionPolicy Bypass -File tools\build.ps1

Keep your game dump and existing build directory. Unchanged generated files retain their timestamps so the native build can reuse previous compilation work.

If an older setup stopped with AOT gate: Generator failed (0), these same commands install the missing generator patches and regenerate the output.

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Build from source

For Windows, install Git, Visual Studio 2022 with the C++ and ClangCL tools, CMake 3.24+, Python 3.11+, MSYS2 MinGW64 GCC and make at C:\msys64, and standalone LLVM at C:\Program Files\LLVM (including llvm-lib.exe for audio). The resource-worker notification helper also requires Rust with the x86_64-pc-windows-msvc target and rustc on PATH (tested with Rust 1.90). It has no Cargo dependencies. Configure -DDARK_RUST_RESOURCE_WAIT=OFF to build the original polling path without Rust. Allow approximately 15 GB free. The first build requires an internet connection.

1. Copy your complete original extracted dump into Darkness/. Keep the included darkness_switch_tables.toml; other game files are not committed.
2. Run the build command below. It sets up dependencies, generates the C++ translation and XMA codec, compiles, and runs the tests.
3. Double-click Launch.cmd. Windows output is in build_native/Release/.

powershell -ExecutionPolicy Bypass -File tools\build.ps1

The build downloads pinned XenonRecomp source and applies the bundled Darkness patches automatically. Checkouts from the older setup instructions are supported.

See CPU capture and resource-wait changes for validation scope, diagnostic comparison modes, and runtime rollback.

<details> <summary>Game-file layout and revision checks</summary>

Copy every file and folder from your dump, including any language content:

Darkness/
  default.xex                  # Original encrypted executable
  Content/                     # Plus all other content folders from your dump
  System/                      # Engine shaders and system data
  darkness_switch_tables.toml   # Already included in the repository

Copy the original extracted files into Darkness, then launch the game. The runtime uses Windows' built-in AES provider to decode default.xex and expand its zero-filled blocks in memory. It checks both the original file and decoded image against an approved pair of SHA-256 hashes before executing game code. The Russian executable shares the same translated code, imports and TLS layout; its localization data remains intact. Startup menu overrides also preserve the dump's cached strings and fonts. The source generator also reads the original default.xex directly. Any approved executable can be used to build the shared translation. Older _uncrypted.xex and basefile.exe files may remain in the folder; they are not read.

The game checks the supported revision automatically at launch; no manual hash check is needed. If it reports default.xex differs from the supported AOT revision, your dump uses a different revision or a modified executable. Include your disc revision and the newest build_native/run/desktop-*/runtime.log when reporting the problem. Do not post game files.

</details> <details> <summary>Launchers and diagnostic recording</summary>

• Launch.cmd — Play with sound
• LaunchWithSettings.cmd — Choose settings and language, then play with sound
• LaunchWithUpdates.cmd — Check for updates, then play with sound
• LaunchStallProfiler.cmd — Play with sound and record runtime stalls in the runtime log
• Launch.cmd mute — Play muted
• Launch.cmd preview — Engine preview build (muted by default)
• Launch.cmd stutter — Play with sound while recording slow-frame timings
• Launch.cmd performance / render-profile / steady-60 — Diagnostic recording runs
• Launch.cmd help — Full usage

Extra arguments reach the game untouched, e.g. Launch.cmd play --fps 120.

Downloaded releases supply LaunchStallProfiler.cmd and LaunchShadowCapture.cmd in a separate optional diagnostic-launchers ZIP. Extract it into the installed game folder, beside Launch.cmd. These launchers are also in source checkouts.

For runtime hitch diagnostics, use LaunchStallProfiler.cmd, reproduce the hitch, then close the game. The newest build_native/run/desktop-*/runtime.log includes [STALL] reports for frames over 16.67 ms and runtime/HLE calls over 2 ms, [WAIT] details, and the largest slow-frame contributors. The launcher uses your saved game settings. Profiling is disabled by default; set DARKRECOMP_STALL_PROFILE=1 to enable it for another launch, or use tools/run_native.py --stall-profile for a bounded development run. Build with -DDARK_STALL_PROFILER=OFF to exclude the profiler completely.

</details> <details> <summary>Tests, release packaging, and project layout</summary>

Tests

The build already runs the full suite. To re-run it later:

ctest --test-dir build_native -C Release --output-on-failure

Release packaging

Maintainers can build, test, and package a Windows ZIP with:

python tools/package_release.py --version v0.1.7

Run from a clean, committed checkout with the build prerequisites installed. The Windows ZIP, optional diagnostic-launchers ZIP, and their SHA-256 checksums land in build_native/releases/. The Windows ZIP includes the normal launchers, runtime dependencies, notices, and audio-library source. Diagnostic launchers are only in the separate ZIP, with instructions for extracting it beside Launch.cmd. Game dumps, saves, settings, build tools, and diagnostic logs are excluded from both packages.

To package the Steam Deck installer on Linux from that Windows ZIP, see the AppImage packaging instructions. The packager validates the release manifest and hashes, bundles the current setup engine with the released Windows payload, and uses locally supplied AppImage tools.

Project layout

• app/ — Windows entry points and display settings
• assets/ — Button prompts and PC menu localization
• cmake/ — CMake helpers
• config/darkness.toml — Translation configuration
• renderer/ — D3D11 backend and engine scene reconstruction
• runtime/ — Native kernel, audio, input, XMA, and filesystem bridges
• tools/ — Translator driver, build.ps1, shader/menu/XMA codegen
• tests/ — Native and contract tests run by CTest

</details>

Troubleshooting

• Missing files or DLLs: extract the whole release and keep the launchers and build_native/ together. Check the folder layout.
• Unsupported revision: if startup reports default.xex differs from the supported AOT revision, your dump uses a different revision or modified executable. Include your disc revision and the newest build_native/run/desktop-*/runtime.log when reporting an issue. Do not post game files.
• Stutters or hitches: use the optional diagnostic launchers described above and include the resulting runtime log.

<details> <summary>Compatibility with other games and title updates</summary>

This executable ports The Darkness, using translated code and engine integration for its supported Xbox 360 revision. It cannot load another Xbox game by replacing the files or changing a hash. Supporting a different title requires its own translation configuration, runtime integration, renderer, and testing; the upstream XenonRecomp toolchain is a starting point for that work. The automatic revision check also applies to The Darkness title updates: an updated executable needs a separate verified translation before it can be used.

</details>

Documentation

• Getting started — release folder layout and startup help.
• Controls and settings — bindings, launcher options, languages, and developer tools.
• Linux and Steam Deck — AppImage installation, Proton setup, diagnostics, and validation scope.
• Rendering — renderer internals and frame pacing.
• Translation guide — edit and rebuild PC menus.
• XWC audio tool — read-only bank inspection, original XMA export and header timing diagnostics
• DDS texture tool — RGBA8 DDS helper and experimental world texture packs; one 2x wall replacement verified in-game
• Video pack tool — imports timed WMV3/Theora replacements for the optional read-only video loader; playback qualification is in progress

License and credits

GPLv3 — see COPYING, matching the upstream UnleashedRecomp / XenonRecomp toolchain this port builds on.

Development includes assistance from OpenAI Codex.