Quake II RTX is a 2019 remake of the classic first-person shooter, Quake II. Although the original game was developed by id Software, the remake was handled by Lightspeed Studios and published by NVIDIA itself. The game was created and released for free as a proof-of-concept for NVIDIA’s ray-tracing technology, and was intended as a tech demo more than anything else. Because of this, it remains a PC exclusive, despite the original game being released on plenty of platforms.
Quake II RTX was well-received by gamers overall. After all, it doesn’t shake up the gameplay of the original Quake II and is just a fresh coat of paint for the 1997 game. It currently holds a “Very Positive” rating among gamers on Steam, indicating it was worth the endeavor for Lightspeed Studios and NVIDIA.
Quake II RTX Premise
©NVIDIA – Original
In Quake II RTX, you follow along the single-player campaign of the original Quake II. If you download the game for free, you’ll be treated to the first three levels, while owning and installing the original game will allow you to download the full ray-traced version in all its glory.
The gameplay itself is nearly identical to the original Quake II. Movement is still the name of the game, as you switch between multiple weapons in fast-paced combat. Each mission sees you complete various objectives to progress through the story, with wider-open levels than were first seen in Quake. If you have the original game installed, you can even access the multiplayer portion of the game.
Ultimately, the main purpose of the game, was to test various graphical features on an older title. Improving on the textures of the original game, Quake II RTX uses ray-tracing technology to make a 1997 game look like it was released today, with realistic reflections, shadows, ambient occlusion, and global illumination all touted as selling points. As a result of this, you’ll need quite the PC to get a stable frame rate in this game.
Quake II RTX Main Characters
©NVIDIA – Original
While Quake II RTX follows the plot of the original game, we’re not going to lie – there isn’t much to speak of, even in terms of characters. The plot and characters are a means to an end of constant violent action, with a generic sci-fi story in place to give a reason for each set piece and level to occur.
We’re not saying it’s bad. Not every game needs deep lore. But if that’s what you’ve come to Quake II RTX for, it might be worth looking elsewhere.
Here are the only two characters that you need to know before going into the game.
- Bitterman: Bitterman is the protagonist of Quake II RTX, a human Marine who is part of Operation Alien Overlord. He is sent to the alien planet Stroggos to end the war between humanity and the Strogg.
- Makron: Makron is the codename of the leader of the Strogg, the alien race threatening humanity’s existence. He leads from his orbital base, before eventually coming face-to-face with Bitterman.
Quake II RTX Titles in the Series
©NVIDIA – Original
When the original Quake was first released back in 1996, first-person shooters were changed forever. The series redefined the genre with its fast-paced gameplay, joining the list of instant classics of the ’90s such as Doom and Duke Nukem 3D.
Looking back, it’s fair to say the Quake series peaked in those early years. Iconic game developer John Carmack was still involved in the early years, bringing his unique brand of magic to the series. As time passed, the series became less popular, with major releases becoming less frequent. Even lately, the franchise has exclusively been releasing new episodes for the older games, instead of developing a new title.
In the modern era, the Quake name still has a ton of value among gamers. While we’re not certain if it’ll ever come back in a big way, we’ve got no doubt that players will give it a fair shot if it tries. Titles like Doom Eternal give us hope that it can be done right.
- Quake (1996)
- Quake II (1997)
- Quake III Arena (1999)
- Quake III: Team Arena (2000)
- Quake 4 (2005)
- Enemy Territory: Quake Wars (2007)
- Quake Live (2010)
- Quake: Dimensions of the Past (2016)
- Quake Champions (2017)
- Quake II RTX (2019)
- Quake: Dimension of the Machine (2021)
- Quake II: Call of the Machine (2023)
Quake II RTX Cheat Codes
©NVIDIA – Original
If you’re looking for Quake II RTX cheats, you’re in luck. Most of the cheats for the original game actually work here, just as you remember them. We’ve tested every single one of these cheats to ensure they work as intended in Quake II RTX.
To use the following cheats, open the in-game console by pressing the tilde (~) key. From here, all you need to do is enter the respective codes!
Quake II RTX Console Commands
| Cheat Code | Cheat Effect |
|---|---|
| give body armor | Gives you Body Armor. |
| give combat armor | Gives you Combat Armor. |
| give jacket armor | Gives you Jacket Armor. |
| give armor | Gives you 200 Body Armor. |
| give all | Gives you all the weapons in the game with full ammo. |
| sv_gravity XXX | Allows you to change the gravity level – 850 is normal gravity, while 0 is no gravity at all. |
| hand # | Switches the hand you shoot with – either 0 or 1 for left or right. |
| notarget | Enemies can no longer see you. |
| give rockets XXX | Gives you rockets with a set number of ammo. |
| give (ammo) XXX | Gives you ammo for a specified gun, as well as a set number of ammo. |
| give bfg10k | Gives you all the items in the game. |
| give chaingun | Gives you the Chaingun. |
| give grenade launcher | Gives you the Grenade Launcher. |
| give hyperblaster | Gives you the Hyperblaster. |
| give (item) XXX | Gives you the entered item, as well as the specified quantity. |
| give machinegun | Gives you the Machinegun. |
| give railgun | Gives you the Railgun. |
| give rocket launcher | Gives you the Rocket Launcher. |
| give shotgun | Gives you the Shotgun. |
| give super shotgun | Gives you the Super Shotgun. |
| give cells XXX | Gives you the specified number of cells. |
| god | Enables God Mode, making you invincible. |
| dmflags 8192 | Gives you infinite ammo. |
| noclip | Turns on noclip, allowing you to fly around the map and walk through walls. |
| sun_animate XXX | Allows you to set the speed of the sun’s movement – a value of 20 equals one whole circle in around a minute. |
| nomonsters 1 newgame | It allows you to set the speed of the sun’s movement – a value of 20 equals one whole circle in around a minute. |
Quake II RTX Cheat Code FAQ
©NVIDIA – Original
Do the Original Game’s Cheats Work in Quake II RTX?
Yes. For the most part, the cheats that you can find in the original Quake II continue to work in the ray-traced remake. There are a couple that we found didn’t work as normal, for example, the “give BFG” code. However, the “give bfg10k” cheat can still be used, so it isn’t too big of a deal.
What is the Quake II RTX Invincibility Cheat?
To use the invincibility cheat in Quake II RTX, open the console using the tilde (~) key as normal, and enter “god“. As you may be able to guess, this enables God Mode, which essentially makes you invincible and unable to be killed by enemies.
It makes the game easier, sure. But you’ll feel like a killing machine.
How Do I Fly in Quake II RTX?
To fly in Quake II RTX, enter the command “noclip“. This will allow you to move in any direction, completely ignoring the rules of gravity. However, this command also allows you to phase through walls, so it may not be exactly what you’re looking for.
In that case, you should use the “sv_gravity XXX” command instead. This will give you full control of the gravity in-game, which you can tweak until you reach your desired setting. With this command, you won’t be running through walls, either.
The image featured at the top of this post is ©NVIDIA.