When I maximize the game graphics options (Radeon R9 280x) and relaunch for the settings to take effect, the game will crash when loading (or starting) a new game.

In order to reset the changes you need to browse to C:\Users\<USERNAME>\AppData\Local\Darksiders2 and delete the option.dopt file (which will reset the graphics settings).

Unfortunately this seems to be a bit of a problem:
https://www.reddit.com/r/pcgaming/comments/3ro2zt/darksiders_ii_deathinitive_edition_is_broken_on/

However, I did find a temporary fix all thanks to steam user BioGenx2b:
http://steamcommunity.com/app/388410/discussions/0/496880503064094453/

Basically if you avoid setting shadows to maximum the game will run. This should work for Nvidia users since as an AMD user it fixed the Crash to desktop problems for myself.

In short, until a patch is released to fix this:
Don't maximize the shadow settings!

EDIT: The game shadows can be maximized on my Windows 7 x64 machine (Nvidia GTX750); so it may have something to do with Windows 10 x64 in particular.

EDIT2 Whoops!, I launched the old version of darksiders 2 on the Windows 7 x64 machine. The same crashing happens when shadows is maximized on that one...so it seems to happen regardless of the OS or GPU (from my awesome sample set of 2 :D )

Did work but this is a rather bad remaster

I had awful camera stuttering and was wondering how the older version fares out, turns out they didn't even bothered to make engine changes and works exactly the same, hell i think the Deathinitive Edition on PC uses the same engine just with better textures, aka what we should get as a free patch.

If you are like me and have those weird stutters (and no my computer is perfectly fine) do as follows:

For every user:
Disable V-sync in game since it's terrible in either base or deathinitive

AMD users:

Downlaod RadeonPRO (im surprised it worked under Windows 10)
Create a profile for Darksiders 2 DE
Go into Advanced tab and switch Flip Queue Size to 1
Go into Tweaks tab and set Vsync Control to Always On or whatever you prefer (Always On works for me)
right click on the created profile and use Apply Now
After everything is done click right click and play the game

Nvidia Users:
I don't know if this works the same (it should) because i don't have an Nvidia card available right now
Open nvidia control panel, add darksiders2 to applications profile
Set MAX FRAMES AHEAD to 1
Force enable nvidia control panels form of v-sync (make sure the v-sync option in the game is disabled first)

It seems that the developer has released a hotfix that fixes the shadow problems (though only on steam at the moment):
http://steamcommunity.com/app/388410/discussions/0/496880503067104537/


HOTFIX November 6th 2015
Horsemen!

We are very sorry for the problems that you were experiencing since yesterday when changing the graphic settings. Here is the hotfix for it.

Changelog
6th November 2015
- Fixed crashes with changing the shadow quality
- Added an option set mode as Steam launch option. In case your game or your savegame keeps crashing please use this (through the steam library or as commandline option: reset)

Enjoy

Fingers crossed they release a fix on GOG soon; I also wonder if it fixes the inconsistent frame problems (It isn't a tearing/vsync issue, it just has a weird hitching going on that causes the camera to jump while rotating the view).

Thanks for this. Just what I needed to know so I can play this game.