First
MESA_VK_WSI_PRESENT_MODE=fifo ./desolation.x86_64 -force-vulkan
does essentially nothing, does not start, no error message, nothing.

After taking a deep dive into the vulkan driver topic and installing the package
"mesa-vulkan-drivers"
the game does start with the above options but this has no effect on the issue. It is just "slower" from my impression.
No Codex Pages to be seen either.
I recently played the windows version and to me it's clear that there is more missing in the linux version than just the codex pages. Most of the environment markers that try to describe things on the map are not there in the linux version.

This is not a "Mint-only" bug. See also:

www.gog.com/forum/beautiful_desolation/linux_codex_and_pda_elements_content_not_showing
[Linux] Codex and pda elements content not showing
(Sorry, I cannot post links, GOG's forum software refuses that.)

It is true that other things are missing: many descriptions of the environment, at least one thereof is not missing, only misplaced; normal items like gold at the beach, woman's purse, for example.
[I might sumply have overlooked those.]

This is an issue with OpenGL and can happen in any distribution. Older Debian/Devuan here.

I've got the same bug.

The workaround is here:


LANG=C ./start.sh

or add line with LANG=C in start.sh on new line just after the "# Initialization" line.

If your saved game is look weird after that, call Buffalo and return to location.

Thank you so much for this very simple solution, it did the trick for my Debian 11 installation !

Works here as well.

Thanks a laot, mate!

Works like a charm on my Ubuntu system