Finally after almost 15 years in production the steroid popping, booze-guzzling misogynist Duke Nukem is finally released to its adoring fans. The production of the game has one hell of a history behind it going from one design team to the next and then finally landing in the laps of 2K Games and Gearbox. But have they given Duke Nukem all it deserves? Is this the game fans have been waiting for? Well let’s see.
Duke has two goals, to save the world and save the babes. Playing as Duke you battle the alien hordes, this involves first person shooter action with over the top weapons, massive aliens and lots of ‘arse whooping’. How about Dukes love for the ladies? Well playing as Duke his need for them is revealed in a level called ‘Titty City’. Duke takes a detour to a strip club, followed by a number of raunchy sexual scenes; these scenes are part of engaging lifestyle that is Duke Nukem.
Before the action can commence, the game offers you the opportunity to feel like you’re stepping into the shoes of Duke himself. You are permitted to stroll around Duke’s 69th floor penthouse suite, where you can do a number of different things. If bench-pressing 600 pounds isn’t your thing try a little pool or stare at some pictures of the man himself. After a long segment of doing f**k all, except shooting related activities, you finally get the chance to kick some alien a**e. Not long into the mutilation of aliens and their blood covering the base of your foot, Duke is shrunk down and made to drive a radio-controlled dune buggy round the casino.
The difficulty level holds things back. The FPS genre has changed considerably while this game was in production. Unfortunately, it is plain to see the plastic surgery scars where the circle-strafing trigger holding of old has been augmented to more closely resemble today’s shooters.
Even on normal difficulty, enemies hit hard and are often able to kill you in a few seconds. It’s a game that demands nimble movement and heavy firepower where ever you turn. The bulging weapon inventory of old has been replaced by a Halo-style two-weapon limit, often leaving you without the right tool for the job, was this the right choice? This depends on the gamer.
Duke’s persona ended up in the game, but traditional Duke game play did not. There is no multiple ways to finish the same level, no hidden health packs (because you don’t need them anymore) and no hidden weapons. Weapons are given on an as need bases. Duke Nukem games used to revolve around killing the aliens with what you wanted to use. Now with the 2 weapon limit you are left needing to drop weapons for the conveniently placed ones just before the next fight.
The game is linear; you slowly walk from fight to fight before being thrown into a boss fight or turret section. The weapons from previous games are there, yet there are no new designs, so many years in development and not a single developer could come up with a new gun or a new creature, which is a pity.
Graphics in Duke Nukem would have been ahead of its time more than a decade ago, however for a 2011 release they seem very out dated. With its harsh jagged edges on all the in-game objects, For some reason the graphics do not look nearly as good as the high Quality screenshots provided by 2K Games. Although considering such releases as Mine Craft, are graphics such a big thing now these vintage designs are becoming popular?
The game takes approx 17 hours to complete and as with all Duke Nukem games they try to put the ‘fun’ back in shooter games, but unfortunately it somewhat misses the mark. It looks and feels dated due to the long loading times, out dated graphics and retro-style gameplay. If this game had been released anything close to on time, it would have been significantly more impressive.
Overall
The game may have Duke in its story line, but it is out dated and leaves disappointment for what it could have been. On the other hand even with the outdated graphics and the linear design of the levels, I still enjoyed playing dukes latest adventure. It’s not a must buy, but those of you who love the vintage/retro style games and remember the first time Duke Nukem hit the streets it’s defiantly one for the shelf.
Disclaimer:All scores given within our reviews are based on the artist’s personal opinion; this should in no way impede your decision to purchase the game.
