An ambitious mod for the original Quake has just been released and overhauls the graphics with ray tracing.
If you’re unfamiliar, ray tracing is a graphic rendering technique that makes lighting and shadows much more realistic. There’s a little more to it than that, but in short, it makes the graphics extra pretty.
It’s a GPU-intensive process which is why you don’t see it in every game, but this mod proves it can even make a 26-year-old shooter look gorgeous.
Obviously, ‘gorgeous’ is subjective, but with projectiles lighting up every corridor and casting moody shadows over each arena, it’s hard not to be impressed with Quake’s new makeover.
I’m forever in awe of the tasks modders set themselves in the retro gaming space. The modder in question, Sultim_t has even given other FPS classics the ray tracing treatment, including a personal favourite, Serious Sam: The First Encounter.
If you want to see a showcase of their work, check out their YouTube page
If you’ve got the Steam version of Quake, you can try this mod out yourself. It’s easy to install, and you can find the link and instructions on GitHub.
Quake never looked terrible to begin with, but if you want to experience the game in a new light (literally!), now is the time to do it!
Anthony is a freelance writer and has worked in the industry for three years. He’s furiously competitive and is always looking for the next big multiplayer hit. Anthony is a passionate PS1 collector and firmly believes in playing games in his collection rather than letting them collect dust on a shelf. He is also passionate about speedrunning and always looks forward to the next GDQ and ESA events.