diff --git a/CMakeLists.txt b/CMakeLists.txt
index 48b93c1..33169b6 100644
--- a/CMakeLists.txt
+++ b/CMakeLists.txt
@@ -9,8 +9,15 @@ set(PSXRECOMP_ROOT "${CMAKE_CURRENT_SOURCE_DIR}/psxrecomp-v4" CACHE PATH
 
 include("${PSXRECOMP_ROOT}/runtime/runtime.cmake")
 
-set(GAME_GENERATED_FULL
-    "${CMAKE_CURRENT_SOURCE_DIR}/generated/SCUS_944.23_full.c")
+# Current psxrecomp emits the large game translation unit as numbered shards.
+# Keep the monolithic fallback for older/generated source drops.
+file(GLOB GAME_GENERATED_FULL CONFIGURE_DEPENDS
+    "${CMAKE_CURRENT_SOURCE_DIR}/generated/SCUS_944.23_full_[0-9][0-9].c")
+list(SORT GAME_GENERATED_FULL)
+if(NOT GAME_GENERATED_FULL)
+    set(GAME_GENERATED_FULL
+        "${CMAKE_CURRENT_SOURCE_DIR}/generated/SCUS_944.23_full.c")
+endif()
 set(GAME_GENERATED_DISPATCH
     "${CMAKE_CURRENT_SOURCE_DIR}/generated/SCUS_944.23_dispatch.c")
 
@@ -21,33 +28,8 @@ psxrecomp_add_runtime_target(psx-runtime
     WINDOW_TITLE "ApeEscapeRecomp"
     DEFAULT_BIOS_PATH "${PSXRECOMP_ROOT}/bios/SCPH1001.BIN"
     DEFAULT_GAME_CONFIG_PATH "game.toml"
+    LAUNCHER_BOXART "${CMAKE_SOURCE_DIR}/recomp/launcher/boxart.tga"
     # Per-game executable name so each title's process is distinct (killing/
     # launching one title by name never hits another's running instance).
     EXE_NAME "ApeEscapeRecomp"
 )
-
-# Shared recomp-ui Dear ImGui launcher. Wires in the PSX-themed launcher UI
-# (see main.cpp RECOMP_LAUNCHER gate) instead of the framework's default RmlUi
-# launcher. recomp-ui is a real git submodule (github.com/mstan/recomp-ui,
-# pinned via the recomp-ui gitlink); locally it is a directory junction to the
-# working checkout so builds stay offline and reproducible like everything else.
-include("${CMAKE_SOURCE_DIR}/recomp-ui/recomp_ui.cmake")
-recomp_target_launcher_ui(psx-runtime
-    BOXART "${CMAKE_SOURCE_DIR}/recomp/launcher/boxart.tga"
-    PAD    "${CMAKE_SOURCE_DIR}/recomp/launcher/pad.tga"
-    BRAND  "${CMAKE_SOURCE_DIR}/recomp/launcher/brand.tga"   # PlayStation shapes, not the SNES mark
-)
-
-# Per-game launcher art override. The framework copies its shared launcher assets
-# (img/disc.png etc. — the default is Tomba's disc) next to the exe inside
-# psxrecomp_add_runtime_target above; this copies this repo's launcher_art/ on top
-# AFTERWARD (POST_BUILD commands run in add order) so the launcher shows Ape
-# Escape's disc. img/disc.png is a generated PLACEHOLDER — drop official box/disc
-# art into launcher_art/img/ to replace it.
-if(EXISTS "${CMAKE_CURRENT_SOURCE_DIR}/launcher_art")
-    add_custom_command(TARGET psx-runtime POST_BUILD
-        COMMAND ${CMAKE_COMMAND} -E copy_directory
-            "${CMAKE_CURRENT_SOURCE_DIR}/launcher_art"
-            "$<TARGET_FILE_DIR:psx-runtime>"
-        COMMENT "Overriding launcher art with ApeEscapeRecomp/launcher_art")
-endif()
diff --git a/ISSUES.md b/ISSUES.md
index 278961c..89226d9 100644
--- a/ISSUES.md
+++ b/ISSUES.md
@@ -81,7 +81,7 @@ and Tomba (1).
 
 ---
 
-## #5 — Widescreen: HUD / UI elements are stretched — OPEN (root-caused)
+## #5 — Widescreen: HUD / UI elements are stretched — OPEN
 
 On the projection-and-stretch widescreen path, 3D geometry is squashed at GTE
 projection time so the final frame stretch restores its proportions. Screen-space
@@ -112,17 +112,12 @@ widescreen build.
   `0x8001A3xx` store loops) are **shared with world object rendering** — the
   HUD/world discrimination point is the orchestrator subtree, not the builders.
 
-**Fix design (framework class mechanism + per-game config, enhancement tier):**
-`[widescreen] hud_bracket_funcs` — (1) recompiler emits `psx_ws_hud_enter(cpu)`
-at entry of listed funcs (same emission pattern as `sprite_tag_funcs` /
-`unsquash_funcs`; regen required); (2) runtime bracket records guest (sp, ra)
-and the dispatcher closes it when pc==ra with sp restored (the existing
-(ra,sp)-contract pattern); (3) while bracketed, guest RAM stores mark a
-frame-stamped HUD packet-address hash (same table shape as the sprite tag);
-(4) gpu.c squashes tagged prims — polys and rects — around the existing
-`ws_hud_pivot` thirds-anchor; identity at 4:3 / unconfigured. Ape config:
-bracket `0x8005BF70` (verify pause-menu coverage at implementation time; add
-`0x80060780` if its screens need it).
+**Failed validation 2026-07-19.** Function-bracketing and packet-writer guesses
+did not cover the title screen, the four-button gadget UI, or all character
+draw paths. A 21:9 gameplay capture also showed squashed Spike and unacceptable
+scene gaps. Those per-game hooks are disabled. The replacement must distinguish
+GTE-projected geometry from screen-space UI at the submitted packet itself and
+must pass paired 4:3 / 16:9 / 21:9 image checks before this issue is closed.
 
 ---
 
diff --git a/README.md b/README.md
index 78d1261..9ef7663 100644
--- a/README.md
+++ b/README.md
@@ -62,11 +62,20 @@ so treat it as a very playable preview rather than a certified full playthrough.
 
 An **experimental 16:9 / 21:9 mode** is available in the launcher (off by
 default; the game ships authentic 4:3). It uses the stable GTE
-projection-and-stretch path for a wider 3D field of view. The title sky and
-ferris-wheel cabin regressions are fixed; the remaining very-wide draw-distance
-limitation is tracked in [`ISSUES.md`](ISSUES.md). Regular 4:3 play is
+projection-and-stretch path for a wider 3D field of view. UI proportion,
+character projection, and scene-culling regressions are still under active
+validation and are tracked in [`ISSUES.md`](ISSUES.md). Regular 4:3 play is
 byte-for-byte the original presentation and is unaffected.
 
+The launcher's Video page exposes **Supersampling (1x-4x)**,
+**Antialiasing**, and **Texture filtering**. On OpenGL, supersampling is true
+ordered-grid SSAA: geometry and shading are rasterized at a higher internal
+resolution and resolved to the window, while native PSX VRAM remains the
+authoritative game-visible buffer. Antialiasing controls the linear SSAA resolve
+and final presentation filtering; it is not RT64-style MSAA. Try **2x** first on
+a discrete GPU, keep texture filtering at **Nearest** for the authored PSX look,
+and return to 1x if a demanding scene misses full speed.
+
 ## Playing
 
 1. Run `ApeEscapeRecomp.exe`. A launcher window opens.
diff --git a/RELEASE_NOTES.md b/RELEASE_NOTES.md
index e274981..9a235e7 100644
--- a/RELEASE_NOTES.md
+++ b/RELEASE_NOTES.md
@@ -19,8 +19,9 @@ behind TombaRecomp and MegaManX6Recomp.
     interpolation, and more.
   - **Controllers** — analog / digital / hybrid pad modes and full keyboard
     rebinding (all 24 inputs, including the analog-stick directions).
-- **Widescreen fixes.** The 16:9 / 21:9 path is back on Ape's stable projection
-  and the title-screen sky no longer tears. Widescreen remains experimental.
+- **Widescreen remains experimental.** UI proportion, character projection,
+  and scene-culling regressions are being image-validated before this work is
+  promoted as a fix.
 
 ## 🕹️ New in v0.0.5 — controls fix (phantom camera rotation)
 
diff --git a/game.toml b/game.toml
index 4ddb079..5eecd04 100644
--- a/game.toml
+++ b/game.toml
@@ -18,6 +18,9 @@ strict = true
 debug_port = 4480
 window_title = "ApeEscapeRecomp"
 controller = "dualshock"
+# Ship the play-free AOT overlay cache beside the executable and keep runtime
+# capture/compilation enabled as a fail-safe for any producer the cache misses.
+overlay_cache = true
 memcard_dir = "saves"
 # HLE kernel-service tier + boot shell-skip (skip the BIOS boot animation and
 # jump straight into the game). LLE stays linked as the fallback/oracle for any
@@ -36,6 +39,15 @@ auto_skip_fmv = true
 # GL compositor perf fix). The launcher's Renderer setting still offers Software.
 renderer = "opengl"
 
+# Ship 2x SSAA with present antialiasing enabled. Aligned RTX/OpenGL testing
+# found 2x and 4x stayed within the 59.94 Hz budget in the sampled attract
+# scene, but that is not yet a full-playthrough guarantee. 3x/4x SSAA and
+# bilinear texture filtering (which changes the authored PSX texture look)
+# remain opt-in.
+supersampling = 2
+antialiasing = true
+texture_filtering = "nearest"
+
 # Widescreen ships OFF (authentic 4:3); the launcher's experimental Widescreen
 # toggle / settings.toml opts into 16:9 native-wide at runtime.
 aspect_ratio = "4:3"
@@ -53,6 +65,11 @@ gte_game_mode = true
 # produces severe geometry wedges here, so do not opt Ape into that path.
 native_wide = false
 
+# Correct small textured screen-space quads/rectangles before the final wide
+# presentation stretch. Large backdrop planes and projected/non-axis-aligned
+# world geometry are excluded; repeating glyph/icon rows share one anchor.
+auto_ui_squash = true
+
 [widescreen.dome]
 # The title sky is a finite 16x16 curved mesh. This is the exact JAL that
 # projects its grid vertices in the title overlay (return address 0x80136614).
@@ -60,6 +77,22 @@ native_wide = false
 # stretch, without touching Spike or any other attract-demo geometry.
 call_sites = ["0x8013660C"]
 
+[widescreen.cull]
+# Ape's GTE render funnel uses 385x241 extent signatures. Widen only functions
+# containing both the horizontal and vertical signature; isolated compares are
+# left untouched.
+auto_screen_x = true
+screen_w_imms = ["0x181"]
+screen_h_imms = ["0xF1"]
+slti_sites = ["0x8004AB64"]
+
+# Object-level screen bounds used after the shared vertex funnel. These exact
+# guarded pairs were identified in the boot EXE; the hooks are identity at 4:3.
+bias_sites  = ["0x80059d28", "0x800699f4", "0x8006ae04", "0x8006d87c",
+               "0x8006de40", "0x8006f14c", "0x8006f538", "0x80084430"]
+range_sites = ["0x80059d30", "0x800699fc", "0x8006ae0c", "0x8006d884",
+               "0x8006de44", "0x8006f150", "0x8006f540", "0x80084434"]
+
 # Controller defaults. Ape Escape is a dual-analog title — the whole monkey-net /
 # movement scheme is built around the DualShock's two analog sticks, so the game
 # expects an analog-capable pad (id 0x73) to be present. Present a DualShock by
diff --git a/launcher_art/img/disc.png b/launcher_art/img/disc.png
deleted file mode 100644
index 73256c8..0000000
Binary files a/launcher_art/img/disc.png and /dev/null differ
diff --git a/psxrecomp-v4 b/psxrecomp-v4
index 647b817..f86087a 160000
--- a/psxrecomp-v4
+++ b/psxrecomp-v4
@@ -1 +1 @@
-Subproject commit 647b81752ffd83a88e541ace90cf692bb461f17a
+Subproject commit f86087ad94e53fba5ec0bb146ae94f789c60803a
diff --git a/recomp-ui b/recomp-ui
index aead5ee..44f549c 160000
--- a/recomp-ui
+++ b/recomp-ui
@@ -1 +1 @@
-Subproject commit aead5eefc03282971cebb999cf6bc3bdeb5fc1c9
+Subproject commit 44f549c0f159df343cba9d8c3842dbc7e592eb08
diff --git a/tools/package_release.ps1 b/tools/package_release.ps1
index 01fb4e9..29130dd 100644
--- a/tools/package_release.ps1
+++ b/tools/package_release.ps1
@@ -40,7 +40,7 @@ function Invoke-Native {
 
 # Build: Release, debug tools OFF, launcher ON. PSX_STATIC_RUNTIME defaults ON
 # for MinGW Release so the exe imports only system DLLs (self-contained).
-Invoke-Native { cmake -S $Root -B $BuildPath -G Ninja -DCMAKE_BUILD_TYPE=Release -DPSX_DEBUG_TOOLS=OFF -DPSX_LAUNCHER=ON } "cmake configure"
+Invoke-Native { cmake -S $Root -B $BuildPath -G Ninja -DCMAKE_BUILD_TYPE=Release -DPSX_DEBUG_TOOLS=OFF } "cmake configure"
 Invoke-Native { cmake --build $BuildPath -j $env:NUMBER_OF_PROCESSORS } "cmake build"
 
 if (Test-Path $StageRoot) { Remove-Item -Recurse -Force $StageRoot }
@@ -60,7 +60,7 @@ if (Test-Path (Join-Path $Root "RELEASE_NOTES.md"))  { Copy-Item (Join-Path $Roo
 # Launcher assets: this build ships the shared recomp-ui Dear ImGui launcher
 # (RECOMP_LAUNCHER; see main.cpp + recomp-ui/recomp_ui.cmake), which loads from
 # <exe>/assets/ (fonts + img TGAs) staged next to the exe by
-# recomp_target_launcher_ui's POST_BUILD -- NOT the legacy RmlUi launcher.rml.
+# recomp_target_launcher_ui's POST_BUILD.
 $AssetsSrc = Join-Path $BuildPath "assets"
 if (-not (Test-Path (Join-Path $AssetsSrc "img"))) {
     throw "recomp-ui launcher assets missing at $AssetsSrc -- was the recomp-ui launcher built (recomp-ui junction present)?"