Download Pariah (Windows)

NoCD for Russian version showed few warnings about suspicious/malicious file, but it is safe to use, nothing to worry about

The game with patch 1.03 and NoCD has been tested on Windows 7 64-bit and Windows 10, it works fine. You may experience some small troubles when you play the game on modern systems, check our Guide and Notes for details

Here's also alternative guide by PlayOldPCGames, we recommend to check it too

Install & play guide:

• Mount the disc image of CD1. You will need the utility for mounting disc image files, like WinCDEmu, UltraISO, Alcohol 52%/Alcohol 102% or Daemon Tools Lite
• Launch the installation (if autorun doesn't work - simply launch the installation from RunSetup.exe inside the disc)
• Install game not in default path C:/Program Files/Pariah, but in some non-system folder, like C:/Games/Pariah, otherwise you may have difficulties with NoCD
• When the installation process will ask for CD2 - mount the disc image of CD2. Do the same when the installation process will ask to enter CD1 again. CD2 must be mounted in same virtual drive as CD1, so first un-mount disc image of CD1 and then mount the disc image of CD2. In example, if CD1 was in virtual drive G:, CD2 must be mounted in virtual drive G: as well
• Also it is recommended to install DirectX from the disc (if you're using Windows 10 - enable DirectPlay, read this or this guide how to do it)
• After you installed the game - install patch v1.03
• Then install NoCD, copy all files from the archive and put it in Pariah/System directory, agree to replace original files
• Open Pariah/System directory and Pariah.exe. Right click on Pariah.exe - Properties - Compatibility - Set "Run this app in compatibility mode with Windows 2000" and "Run as administrator"
• Launch the game and play. If the game doesn't work in compatibility mode with Windows 2000 - try to launch it in compatibility mode with other version of Windows (Windows 95, 98, WinXP, etc.)

How to play the game in widescreen:

1. First method is to edit config-file, because like many Unreal Engine 2 games, Pariah can be launched in widescreen and high resolutions by simple edit of config-files. Go to Pariah/System directory, find Pariah.ini, and change resolution and FOV like in this guide or guide on WSGF page. But pay attention that HUD elements will be strected in widescreen resolutions. Also, by edit of config-files you can enable hidden graphics features like anti-aliasing and texture filtering, read this guide for details
2. Second method is simpler and doesn't require much steps - just run the game with dgVoodoo utility. Extract dgVoodoo archive, copy the dll-files from the MS/x86 folder, dgVoodooCpl.exe and dgVoodoo.conf to the Pariah/System directory and run the game from Pariah.exe, dgVoodoo will automatically stretch the game to your display resolution. Optionally, in DirectX tab of dgVoodoo Control Panel (dgVoodooCpl.exe) you can select additional graphics features, such as texture filtration, anti-aliasing, Vsync, etc. After you set the desired settings - click "Apply", close dgVoodoo and run the game from Pariah.exe. The game with dgVoodoo has been tested on Windows 7 64-bit and Windows 10, works with no problem

Notes:

• If the installation doesn't start - try to launch Setup.exe in compatibility mode with old version of Windows (98, 2000 or XP)
• NoCD is required for the launch because the game is using SafeDisc DRM protection, which doesn't work correctly on modern systems. That NoCD "breaks" DRM protection and allows the game to work on modern systems
• It is recommended to install all versions of Microsoft Visual C++ Redistributable for the correct work of the game
• Also it is recommended to install RAD Video Tools and K-Lite Codec Pack for the correct work of the game
• For Windows 7 users: if the game doesn't start after you launched it - open Task Manager (Ctrl+Alt+Del) and close Pariah.exe process, then try to run the game again
• For Windows 10 users: on some revisions of Windows 10 the game may crash on the launch or during random moments, so after you installed the game with patch and NoCD additionally use Windows 10 fix - copy all files from the archive and put it in Pariah/System directory, agree to replace original files. That fix should prevent crashes of the game on Windows 10
• If the game crashes with “LockRect failed: D3DERR_DEVICELOST” error - go to Parian/System folder, open Pariah.ini and edit it: change ReduceMouseLag=True to ReduceMouseLag=False. Save the changes. Now the game should run good
• If you have troubles with black screen on start of the game, or random graphical glitches - disable post render effects, go to Settings -> Performance -> Turn "Disable Post Render FX" to Yes. If you cannot do that in game - go to Parian/System folder, open Pariah.ini and edit it: in section [D3DDrv.D3DRenderDevice] change DisablePostFX=False to DisablePostFX=True, in section [WinDrv.WindowsClient] change EnablePostFX=True to EnablePostFX=False. Save the changes and try to run the game again, now post render effects will be disabled and the game should work fine
• If you have visual glitches during explosions, like flashing screen or broken colors - open Pariah.ini and edit it: in section [D3DDrv.D3DRenderDevice] add HasNVidiaTexM32Tex=1 line (or change it to 1, if that line already exists)
• If you have graphical glitches anyway - select Low graphics in Settings
• The game was using EAX sound system, so you may have sound issues on modern systems. If you have any sound issues - disable "Use Native OpenAL" in Settings, if you still have sound troubles - also disable "3D Sound" in Settings
• However, if your sound card supports EAX - you can enable it with EAX fix or Creative ALchemy tool. Simply add the game to the Creative ALchemy tool as normal (install ALchemy into the system sub folder in the games directory) and then choose “On + EAX AdvancedHD”
• Another solution can be to enable EAX with DSOAL utility: install OpenAL and then DSOAL, that will make DirectSound (and EAX as well) to work through OpenAL sound system. Here's the guide how to install DSOAL (it's on Russian, use translator)
• If you has troubles when you cannot make savegame - re-install the game in non-system folder, like C:/Games/Pariah, or change C:/Program Files folder permissions
• By default the game has 60 FPS lock, but it is possible to run it on more than 60 FPS - in Pariah.ini find DesiredRefreshRate line and change it to your monitor's refresh rate
• If you want to play the game on old Windows (like retro-machine) - for Windows 98/ME and Windows 2000 make sure to use patch 1.03, otherwise the game won't work
• If you plan to play Russian version of the game - make sure to use NoCD by KRBDZSKL, because Russian version has game breaking bug when you cannot continue playing after oil depot level. That NoCD fixes that bug
• Don't forget to check PCGamingWiki page if you have troubles, also check PlayOldPCGames guide