Freezing to the point of being unplayable

[Jakotens]

Specs:

-i7 10700k
-RTX 3080
-32GB DDR4 RAM
-1TB SSD

Just downloaded the game over the holidays and tried to play it, but as I've been playing through the game's opening act, I constantly (and I mean CONSTANTLY) run into stuttering and freezing so bad that the game becomes unplayable.

The game never outright crashes, but it isn't just the FPS that hitches, the audio seems to freeze too. All of it for seconds at a time and once it starts during a cutscene or combat section it doesn't let up until I can somehow finish it or wait for it to register my controller inputs to return to the main menu. It's made it impossible to play the game at all.

I've tried diagnosing it myself, but I can't see anything that would indicate it's a problem with my hardware. No CPU usage spikes during freezes or the like. I've also uninstalled and reinstalled and verified the game files each time. I know UE4 is known to have performance issues but I've never heard about anything THIS bad, especially not about this game in particular. If the game was THIS unplayable for others I imagine it wouldn't have gotten as popular as it has.

I'd really appreciate if anyone has any ideas. I can't find any genuine help anywhere else online. I'd hate to have to get the game refunded, especially for a problem that I can't seem to find anyone else experiencing.

[xXMagnusXx]

Maybe try updating your graphics card drivers?

[Jakotens]

Originally posted by xXMagnusXx:

Maybe try updating your graphics card drivers?

Yes, all my drivers are up to date. I forgot to mention it but it was the first thing I checked.

[0oJMMo0]

Lagging and stutter is expected in denuvo games.
you're not going to eliminate it all but if your audio is freezing there may be other factors. remember that this is a rhythm game and things only move when the music tack position is moving forward.
if your audio driver is dropping out or causing the track to freeze, it will freeze basically everything in the game too. before you start messing with your graphics card, try different audio devices or update your audio driver, different ports, headphones slots, whatever you have.

[Jakotens]

Originally posted by 0oJMMo0:

Lagging and stutter is expected in denuvo games.
you're not going to eliminate it all but if your audio is freezing there may be other factors. remember that this is a rhythm game and things only move when the music tack position is moving forward.
if your audio driver is dropping out or causing the track to freeze, it will freeze basically everything in the game too. before you start messing with your graphics card, try different audio devices or update your audio driver, different ports, headphones slots, whatever you have.

I know it's a rhythm game. Rhythm games should not freeze completely to the point that cutscenes don't play and the audio glitches and cuts out and the fps drops to 0 for 5-10 seconds at a time over and over. And no, it's not my audio driver cutting out. I've only ever experienced issues like this with THIS game. I've run more demanding games off these specs multiple times and I've never seen anything like this. If it really is a Denuvo issue I haven't seen anyone report anything THIS bad.

[xXMagnusXx]

Originally posted by Jakotens:

I know it's a rhythm game. Rhythm games should not freeze completely to the point that cutscenes don't play and the audio glitches and cuts out and the fps drops to 0 for 5-10 seconds at a time over and over. And no, it's not my audio driver cutting out. I've only ever experienced issues like this with THIS game. I've run more demanding games off these specs multiple times and I've never seen anything like this. If it really is a Denuvo issue I haven't seen anyone report anything THIS bad.

Tbh I was suspicious about it being Denuvo, but I didn't wanna be the one to bring it up considering how often I bash denuvo.

In this case, it *could* be denuvo, but I kinda doubt it (still F denuvo tho). I was gonna ask how your internet connection is. From what I understand, if the devs have micro-weenies and calibrate denuvo to 'phone home' every half a second or so, it can cause mad stutter if your internet connection can't keep up with it.

Most devs don't because they understand how overkill it is to do that when having it phone home on the loading screens is perfectly sufficient to ensure copies are valid without nuking performance, but.... You know how insecure and paranoid some suits can get when an echo of the forbidden word "piracy" is whispered deep in the bowels of their gold bullion vaults.

So... If your internet is strong, then it shouldn't be denuvo causing the issue. (still F denuvo tho).

[Jakotens]

Originally posted by xXMagnusXx:

Tbh I was suspicious about it being Denuvo, but I didn't wanna be the one to bring it up considering how often I bash denuvo.

In this case, it *could* be denuvo, but I kinda doubt it (still F denuvo tho). I was gonna ask how your internet connection is. From what I understand, if the devs have micro-weenies and calibrate denuvo to 'phone home' every half a second or so, it can cause mad stutter if your internet connection can't keep up with it.

Most devs don't because they understand how overkill it is to do that when having it phone home on the loading screens is perfectly sufficient to ensure copies are valid without nuking performance, but.... You know how insecure and paranoid some suits can get when an echo of the forbidden word "piracy" is whispered deep in the bowels of their gold bullion vaults.

So... If your internet is strong, then it shouldn't be denuvo causing the issue. (still F denuvo tho).

I haven't really been having any internet issues lately, and the first time I tried to play the game I was also streaming it through OBS. That was the very first thing I thought could be the culprit, in case streaming it and the game itself were too much for my PC. But I've played through the same section of the game offline twice since then with the exact same results, so I'm not sure anymore.

I'm really not that versed on Denuvo so I can't really say what difference that makes, but from the way you describe it I wouldn't expect to keep running into the same issues even when my internet is perfectly fine.