Modder gebdag has developed 'GTA2 RTX Remix,' a modification that introduces full path tracing, dynamic time-of-day lighting, and 60 FPS frame generation to 'Grand Theft Auto 2,' a 1999 top-down game. The update also enables widescreen 16:9 support, expanding the game's original 4:3 aspect ratio.
The mod circumvents the game's use of legacy graphics APIs, such as DirectDraw and early Direct3D, by employing a custom Direct3D 9 wrapper built with two DLLs. This allows RTX Remix to process the game's rendering calls, enabling features like real-time path-traced lighting for explosions, car fires, and neon signs.
The mod is open source on GitHub and requires 64-bit Windows 10 or 11 alongside the RTX Remix runtime. It was tested on the 2004 free version of the game, version 9.6. While niche, it joins other RTX Remix projects for titles like 'Max Payne' and 'Morrowind,' which similarly modernize older games with advanced graphics features.