Suggestions appear as you type. Use the up and down arrows to choose one and Enter to open it.

This page's audience our own tag's counts — open to see them
–Visits
–Page views
–Clicks to vendors
–Time on page
–Reading now
Clicks to vendors, by tool
  • –
Top countries
  • –
Devices
  • –

– · visits, page views and clicks counted by our own tag, which counts more than our checked analytics; every figure rounded down · how we count

Head-to-head · Game Modding Tools

WolvenKit vs DarkRadiant

  • Updated Oct 2026
  • Both researched from official sources
  • 4 checks side by side
Higher score WolvenKit #5 in Game Modding Tools 8.5/10 Free plan Free plan✓ 3 of 4 features Visit WolvenKit
DarkRadiant #8 in Game Modding Tools 8.2/10 Open source ✓ 1 of 4 features Visit DarkRadiant

WolvenKit leads on 0 checks, DarkRadiant on 0, and 4 are even. Who comes out ahead on the 4 yes/no, price and count checks where we have data for both products. The editor score weighs everything else too.

Our verdict

  • Highest scoreWolvenKit · 8.5/10
  • Free planonly WolvenKit
  • Most featuresWolvenKit · 3 of 4

WolvenKit scores higher on our rubric for game modding tools: 8.5 against 8.2 out of 10; our editors rank them #5 and #8.

WolvenKit is the better fit for cyberpunk 2077 asset and archive modding. DarkRadiant is the better fit for dark Mod level and gameplay authoring.

  • WolvenKit fits best

    Cyberpunk 2077 asset and archive modding

  • DarkRadiant fits best

    Dark Mod level and gameplay authoring

Advertiser disclosure: iTechGuides is reader-supported. Vendors can pay for top positions in our rankings and for a place on other products' pages, and we may earn a commission when you click some links. Bought places stand at the number bought; this page and our disclosure say so. Paying vendors may get a fuller, more detailed review from our editors, and that review can change their score. How we rank.

Side by side

Feature WolvenKit 8.5/10 Visit ↗ DarkRadiant 8.2/10 Visit ↗
At a glance
Editor score 8.5 8.2
Ranking #5 in Game Modding Tools #8 in Game Modding Tools
Best for Cyberpunk 2077 asset and archive modding Dark Mod level and gameplay authoring
Pricing model Free Free
Starting price Free plan Open source
Free plan ✓ (best) Not checked yet
Free trial — —
Deployment Desktop Desktop
Platforms Windows, Linux Windows, macOS, Linux
Support Community, Docs Community, Docs
Built for Solo, Small business Solo, Small business
Features WolvenKit 3/4 · DarkRadiant 1/4
Archive extraction ✓ ✓
Mod packaging ✓ (best) Not checked yet
Plugin editing Not checked yet Not checked yet
Script editing ✓ (best) Not checked yet
Specs
Supported formats .archive, CR2W, mesh, xbm, mlmask, wem, morphtarget, anims, glb, glTF, png, tga, dds, jpg, bmp, tiff, wav, mp3, .wscript, .reds, .yaml, .lua MAP, PK4, ASE, LWO, OBJ, PFB, PROC
Supported platforms Windows 10/11 (64-bit), Linux via compatibility tooling Windows, Linux, macOS
Our review
Pros
  • Extracts, previews, edits, and packs REDengine archive content
  • Converts meshes, textures, audio, animations, and morph targets
  • Supports JavaScript automation, CLI workflows, and Blender integration
  • Specialized editors for objectives, AI, conversation, and Stim/Response
  • Combines 2D/3D mapping with lighting, media, models, and prefab tools
  • Open-source and available on Windows, Linux, and macOS
Cons
  • Focused primarily on Cyberpunk 2077 and REDengine workflows
  • Linux support depends on compatibility tooling and has known limitations
  • Current 9.0.1 release targets Windows 11 and requires .NET 10
  • Its focus is limited to Doom 3-based games and The Dark Mod
  • The feature set may be more than needed for simple map edits
  • Gameplay authoring is centered on The Dark Mod's systems
Our verdict

WolvenKit is a free, open-source desktop modding tool for REDengine games, focused primarily on Cyberpunk 2077. It is designed for modders who need to inspect game archives, work with extracted assets, edit REDengine files, organize…

Read the review →

DarkRadiant is an open-source level editor for The Dark Mod and Doom 3-based games. It is aimed at game mappers and fan-mission creators who need to build and edit maps while also authoring gameplay. The editor provides 2D and 3D map…

Read the review →
  1. WolvenKitGame Modding Tools 8.5Free plan
  2. DarkRadiantGame Modding Tools 8.2Open source

Strengths and trade-offs

  • WolvenKit — where it wins

    • Extracts, previews, edits, and packs REDengine archive content
    • Converts meshes, textures, audio, animations, and morph targets
    • Supports JavaScript automation, CLI workflows, and Blender integration

    Where it doesn't

    • Focused primarily on Cyberpunk 2077 and REDengine workflows
    • Linux support depends on compatibility tooling and has known limitations
    • Current 9.0.1 release targets Windows 11 and requires .NET 10

  • DarkRadiant — where it wins

    • Specialized editors for objectives, AI, conversation, and Stim/Response
    • Combines 2D/3D mapping with lighting, media, models, and prefab tools
    • Open-source and available on Windows, Linux, and macOS

    Where it doesn't

    • Its focus is limited to Doom 3-based games and The Dark Mod
    • The feature set may be more than needed for simple map edits
    • Gameplay authoring is centered on The Dark Mod's systems

More comparisons

All game modding tools comparisons → · Full ranking →

Reviewed by iTechGuides Editors · Editorial team · Updated Oct 2026

Last updated · How we research and update