Painkiller RTX Edition has a free path-traced demo that includes 15 levels

Q: Which parts of Painkiller are included in the free RTX demo and how many levels does it cover?

The free Painkiller RTX demo includes the game's first 15 levels. It lets you play through those opening 15 levels with full path-tracing and overhauled visuals.

Q: Does the Painkiller RTX mod change gameplay or add new abilities compared with the original?

Yes. The article says Painkiller RTX uses RTX Remix Logic, which lets modders change gameplay or add features, and that the mod adds new abilities that were not possible in the original game.

Q: How much disk space does the Painkiller RTX mod require after RTX IO compression versus the original size mentioned?

The Painkiller RTX mod is reduced from around 57 GB down to 45 GB after RTX IO compression.

Q: What visual improvements or asset overhauls are included in Painkiller RTX (textures, materials, rebuilt assets)?

Painkiller RTX includes remastered and rebuilt assets, textures, and materials. It also adds path-traced lighting, a dynamic particle system, RTX volumetrics for cinematic fog and smoke effects, and uses RTX Neural Radiance Cache to enhance lighting.

With the mod available for free over on GOG, Painkiller RTX Edition's demo lets you play through the game's first 15 levels with full path-tracing.

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Kosta Andreadis

Senior Editor

Published Aug 25, 2026 11:14 AM CDT

1 minute & 15 seconds read time

TL;DR: NVIDIA's RTX Remix now supports nearly 250 classic games and has led to over 3.8 million Remix mods downloaded; Merry Pencil Studios' Painkiller RTX mod for GOG remasters the original's first 15 levels with path-traced lighting, remade assets, RTX volumetrics, dynamic particles, RTX Neural Radiance Cache, RTX IO size reductions, and new abilities.

Voice: Kosta AndreadisSpeed

0:00 / 2:23

NVIDIA's RTX Remix tool for modders, which opens the door to remastering, modding, and even remaking classic games with modern ray-traced visuals, continues to grow. At Gamescom 2026, NVIDIA has confirmed that RTX Remix now supports close to 250 classic games and that it has worked with hundreds of modders and various members of the RTX Remix community to fix bugs, add features, and more.

With over 100 of the almost 250 classic games supported by RTX Remix added in 2026, NVIDIA also confirms that over 3.8 million RTX Remix mods for classic games have been downloaded so far over at ModDB. And this week, owners of the original Painkiller on GOG will get access to a free Painkiller RTX mod that brings path-traced lighting and overhauled visuals to the classic shooter's first 15 levels.

Built by Merry Pencil Studios, this impressive RTX Remix mod looks like a full ray-traced remake of the original, with the project making its official debut after winning the NVIDIA and ModDB RTX Remix Mod Contest last year. Painkiller RTX takes full advantage of RTX Remix's advanced features, including its new dynamic particle system, RTX volumetrics for cinematic fog and smoke effects, and RTX Neural Radiance Cache for enhancing lighting. This is on top of remastered and rebuilt assets, textures, and materials.

Read more: NVIDIA RTX Remix Mod Contest winners include path-traced Painkiller, Call of Duty, and more

Painkiller RTX Edition has a free path-traced demo that includes 15 levels 1

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Frequently Asked Questions

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Question #1

Which parts of Painkiller are included in the free RTX demo and how many levels does it cover?

Question #2

Does the Painkiller RTX mod change gameplay or add new abilities compared with the original?

Question #3

How much disk space does the Painkiller RTX mod require after RTX IO compression versus the original size mentioned?

Question #4

What visual improvements or asset overhauls are included in Painkiller RTX (textures, materials, rebuilt assets)?

Have a question about this content not listed here? Ask below and TweakBot will answer it.

Painkiller RTX also uses RTX Remix Logic, which lets modders and developers change gameplay or add features like dynamic weather. Here, it adds new abilities that weren't possible in the original game. Painkiller RTX also takes advantage of RTX IO to reduce the size of the game from around 57 GB down to 45 GB. As the trailer shows, the result is a transformative experience that showcases RTX Remix's power. Here are some comparison shots.