Duke Nukem Forever Review

Verdict: Average Game

Release Date: 6/14/2011
Developer: Gearbox Software
Publisher: 2K Games
Genre: First Person Shooter, Sci-fi
Rating: M
Platform: PC, PS3, 360
Players: 1 Offline/ 2-8 Online Competitive

    It took twelve years but Duke is finally back and ready for action. Let's see how Gearbox Software handled this highly anticipated sequel to the classic Duke Nukem 3D.

Story/Atmosphere

    Just as the game took twelve years to release, the story of the game also picks up twelve years after the events of Duke Nukem 3D. After fending off the alien invasion from the previous title Duke transcended to stardom and has been living a life of booze, babes and luxury. Now of course the aliens have returned and are once again trying to take over the Earth and turn our women into octobabies, the latter of which being unacceptable by Duke. Since the rest of man-kind seems to be entirely incompetent its once again up to Duke to save the day. That's really all the depth there is to this story, but then again that's all a Duke Nukem game really needs. The Duke himself is just as cocky as ever and is once again voiced by Jon St. John which is a relief because duke just wouldn't be duke without him. Duke's still got plenty on one-liners to throw at his alien foes and he even takes a few cracks at some other gaming icons.
    As far as the game environment goes, the designers could have done a little better. Some of the areas look good but others are almost as bland as Duke 3D! It might have been safer for them to stick to small spaces and corridors as they seem to do a better job with them.

Gameplay

    Though there are a couple of spots that you might get hung up on, Duke Nukem Forever is not extremely difficult once you get the hang of things. On the other hand, I'd put the learning curve at about 30 - 45 minutes, which is a little steeper than usual because the game does not play like a typical shooter. In a market dominated by military shooters, Duke Nukem Forever still plays and feels a lot like it's 90's counterpart. You'll spend a lot of time side strafing, ducking behind corners and just plain running and gunning. It did throw me off a little at first, but once I got my bearings my frustration was replaced by a welcome sense of nostalgia. However, if you've never played a 90's shooter its probably just going to feel like a step backward from modern standards. For all of its old school style though, there are still a few modern features that made their way into the game. Among these are regenerating health and being limited to carrying only two weapons at a time. Though I miss my health packs, I'm glad I don't have to cycle through a dozen weapons to find what I'm looking for. I cannot say if the PC version allows hotkeys or not because I played on the PS3.
    The game definitely earns its Mature rating. When Duke's not getting drunk in his strip club he's looking at porn, going on roid rages, and making crude jokes. Most of these actions have positive effects. Steroids and beer are power items that give you added strength and endurance while interacting with the environment, such as gambling and urinating, gives duke a permanent boost to his ego which is effectively his health. Its everything you would expect from a duke game and not something you should be buying for the kids. Of course there are plenty of illiterate parents who will.

Tech

    Duke Nukem Forever uses the Unreal Engine. For the most part, the game really doesn't look impressive graphically. For a game that has been in development for so long, there is much that seems rushed and under developed. The thing that stood out the most was the lack of consistency. Some areas were well developed and looked fine, while others didn't even seem finished. At times I felt like I was playing two different games that had been pieced together.
    Even though it didn't always look pretty, the game played smoothly. There were some choppy shadows and the water disappeared on me once, but other than that I didn't have any problems.

Multiplayer

    There isn't much good to say about the multiplayer in this game. The maps are dull and boring, the gameplay is frantic and most of the weapons just don't seem to be very useful. The ability to customize your character is always a plus and unlocking decorations for your apartment suite is a cool idea but I couldn't stomach more than a few matches. I can't recommend the multiplayer when there are so many better options available for a fraction of the price.

Verdict

    Despite the horrid multiplayer and a few technical drawbacks in the campaign, I enjoyed my time with Duke Nukem Forever. In the end it truly feels like a classic duke game on a modern engine and that's all I was really hoping for. The game won't be turning people's heads by any means, but if you're a duke fan its definitely worth a play through.