My 'Two Pence' on Duke Nukem
Disclaimer: The views expressed in this review are representative of my own and not necessarily those of The Escapist. Be warned that there will be spoilers in this article. Read at your own warning!
At a Glance
Duke Nukem Forever ? three words that, just last month, made fans of the series giddy with glee, confident in the knowledge that now, in the year 2011, after countless cancellations, reboots, changing developers and release date push backs, they would finally get to play as their favourite one-liner spouting, womanizing action hero one more time; eagerly awaiting that definitive moment when they got to 'kick ass and chew bubblegum' (I wonder how many die-hard fans still don?t know the origin of the phrase?)
But then it happened. June 14th broke. Gamers everywhere tore at cellophane packaging, installed game data and finally got to hit start after a textbook opening of rock metal and explosions. What followed next was unanticipated. Those same fans who had built up 12 years of anticipation about how Duke Nukem Forever would turn out were left disappointed, feeling that, after all that time of devotion, the product they had before them was just not worth it. Duke Nukem was no longer fun.
Critics panned the game for being repetitive and immature, panning the jokes that 'nobody found funny anymore'; that Forever just couldn?t cut it in the 21st century. It was, to many, as though they felt betrayed by Gearbox and 2K.
Sure, Duke Nukem Forever has its flaws. After all the changes that the game was subjected, it was only natural that the game itself would change from original expectations. With the graphical limitations of the Unreal Engine, which is rapidly showing signs of aging against its more up-to-date competitors, there's only so far DNF can go. But honestly, did anyone go out to buy this game thinking "Boy, I sure hope this game is a work of art. I hope I'm blown away by the scenery and the intrecate detail of the level design. I want a game that will be memorable for the vast landscapes and endless open-frontiers.? I say no.
Instead, they bought the game hoping to recapture that same experience they had all those years ago, in the simpler times of Duke Nukem 3D; the game that really helped the series to hit home, a game that many would place among their top ranking games of all time. Fans were looking for that one game that bravely dared to go where so few others would tread, hoping that Forever would be able to deliver upon its promises of being just as obnoxious as its predecessor. This is where Forever delivers.
The Synopsis:
Not much needs to be explained at the formula for the plot for a Duke Nukem game by now - you play as the games title character, Duke Nukem, all-round action hero from Las Vegas, who, once again, is thrown in to the action against the alien races that have invaded Earth. By this stage, Duke is recognized as an all-round hero, capitalizing on his victory of the invaders of the last game. Forever opens with Duke playing through his own game, with the played fighting the (original) final boss of Duke Nukem 3D. This is followed immediately by Duke commenting on his own performance, followed by a tongue-in-cheek comment at the development team. From here on, the game kicks off, with Duke ultimately pissing off the aliens, who this time round seem to be much more peaceful. Duke is then blamed for kicking off another classic round of Humans vs Aliens, and is left to pick up the pieces of the mess he made. Along the way Duke faces old foes, fights a triple breasted alien mother, gets driven around in a kids RC car, an even has time to visit a strip joint (which is, admittedly, all in his head.)
Forever goes out of its way to poke fun at just about every aspect of popular culture from the past decade; Master Chiefs armour turns up, only to be mocked for making the owner a ?pussy?, Duke comments on the effectiveness of a certain crowbar, and a certain ?companion barrel? turns up at one stage, along with a blatant reference to whether or not there is cake, and theres even a nice little parody of the original Donkey Kong games in there. Even Inceptions spin top shows up in the dream sequence. Hell, even having Duke sing the Team America theme tune was a great little touch ? a double whammy of satire and self-reference. That?s a nice little touch.
It?s reasons like this that make Duke Nukem Forever an enjoyable and very playable game, because it sticks to the values that made it so iconic all those years ago. Sure, the references are only a minor part of the game that may easily be missed or ignored by the player, but the context and the ideology remain the same as they always were. Duke himself has hardly changed a bit - the only thing difference is that he seems to have picked up a few more not-so-subtle one-liners along the way. Everything else is remains almost completely untouched, and that?s the way it should be.
The Gameplay
Duke Nukem Forever sticks to its roots of the traditional first person shooter game with puzzle/platform elements thrown in to mix things up, the standard bread-and-butter structure of the previous games. This is a breed in a serious decline in todays games - modern games all seem too tied down with linear, hectic shootouts with not a lot in between them to split things up. Duke Nukem Forever's puzzle elements are reminiscent of those of Half Life ? physics puzzles, pipe puzzles, switch puzzles, they're all in there, and it's refreshing to see them. Sure, they could be a little more complex at times, but, again, this isn't a game to be taken too seriously, and not one that strives itself on these elements, whilst these elements instead help to make level progression flow a little easier.
One of the large (pardon the pun) aspects of the game involves playing as Mini-Duke, a shrunken version of the former, playing in miniture form in regular sized environments, a combination that works well, and, while not being completely original, again help to add variety to the game and make it more enjoyable for doing so. These Mini-Duke levels usually combine the aforementioned platforming and puzzle sections, having you navigate around areas you would not normally think to do so in, in order to help continue along in the story line. It?s also a neat little experience trying to run away from a full-sized, fully equipped enemy whilst being only the size of the generic bottles of Duke brand foods that little these environments. Punching a rat in the face is pretty swell, too.
Another feature in the game is the the driving levels, which, unfortunately seems to be a weak point. The environments in these levels is very bland and generic, and pretty repetitive, having the player have to rinse and repeat the same ?find gas, use gas, drive on? formula a few times, but manages to span short enough to not break the game in any way, and, again, feels like a last-minute device to aid the level progression, as evident in the comparison between these mechanics and those featured in the publisher?s previous title, Borderlands, which had a heavier focus on the driving in it.
The weapons in the game are as classic as ever, ranging from standard shotguns to the more eccentric shrink and freeze guns. Nothing is more satisfying that shrinking and curb-stomping an enemy that has previously given you grief. Alternatively, you could pop a few pills and run up to the Pig Cops and punch them square in the jaw. Very badass.
Multiplayer
I was sceptical to even play the multiplayer at first, but figured it would not be a fair review if I ignored it completely and, credit due, I was actually surprised for the experience. As a child I grew up playing Quake and Unreal Mods, and Forever was definitely a blast-to-the-past experience very similar to these. Sure, games can quickly become unbalanced with the previously-mentioned weapons, but nobody seems to really be alive long enough to completely unbalance the matches. Trying all the game modes with give the player a few good hours worth of play and, coupled with a unique reward system (in terms of the Duke Pad ? allowing the user to unlock collectables to ?pimp out? their ideal Duke Nukem-styled room,) as well as character avatar unlocks will keep players coming back for more long after the player has beaten the single player. Sure, it?s nothing that?s going to ever make a lasting impression on the multiplayer community ? after all the matches are restricted to just 8 players,) but passing on the whole experience completely will mean you?re missing out on a large portion of the experience.
?Summa Sumaram?
All-in-all, Duke Nukem Forever is a really enjoyable game. The humour within certainly will not be everybodies cup of tea, and players who have built up 12 years of expectation may have a hard time trying to meet those expectations, but that does not mean the player should just ignore forever completely. It has stood the test of time, and is ultimately one large nostalgia trip to the good old days where Duke Nukem truely reigned as king.
Disclaimer: The views expressed in this review are representative of my own and not necessarily those of The Escapist. Be warned that there will be spoilers in this article. Read at your own warning!
At a Glance
Duke Nukem Forever ? three words that, just last month, made fans of the series giddy with glee, confident in the knowledge that now, in the year 2011, after countless cancellations, reboots, changing developers and release date push backs, they would finally get to play as their favourite one-liner spouting, womanizing action hero one more time; eagerly awaiting that definitive moment when they got to 'kick ass and chew bubblegum' (I wonder how many die-hard fans still don?t know the origin of the phrase?)
But then it happened. June 14th broke. Gamers everywhere tore at cellophane packaging, installed game data and finally got to hit start after a textbook opening of rock metal and explosions. What followed next was unanticipated. Those same fans who had built up 12 years of anticipation about how Duke Nukem Forever would turn out were left disappointed, feeling that, after all that time of devotion, the product they had before them was just not worth it. Duke Nukem was no longer fun.
Critics panned the game for being repetitive and immature, panning the jokes that 'nobody found funny anymore'; that Forever just couldn?t cut it in the 21st century. It was, to many, as though they felt betrayed by Gearbox and 2K.
Sure, Duke Nukem Forever has its flaws. After all the changes that the game was subjected, it was only natural that the game itself would change from original expectations. With the graphical limitations of the Unreal Engine, which is rapidly showing signs of aging against its more up-to-date competitors, there's only so far DNF can go. But honestly, did anyone go out to buy this game thinking "Boy, I sure hope this game is a work of art. I hope I'm blown away by the scenery and the intrecate detail of the level design. I want a game that will be memorable for the vast landscapes and endless open-frontiers.? I say no.
Instead, they bought the game hoping to recapture that same experience they had all those years ago, in the simpler times of Duke Nukem 3D; the game that really helped the series to hit home, a game that many would place among their top ranking games of all time. Fans were looking for that one game that bravely dared to go where so few others would tread, hoping that Forever would be able to deliver upon its promises of being just as obnoxious as its predecessor. This is where Forever delivers.
The Synopsis:
Not much needs to be explained at the formula for the plot for a Duke Nukem game by now - you play as the games title character, Duke Nukem, all-round action hero from Las Vegas, who, once again, is thrown in to the action against the alien races that have invaded Earth. By this stage, Duke is recognized as an all-round hero, capitalizing on his victory of the invaders of the last game. Forever opens with Duke playing through his own game, with the played fighting the (original) final boss of Duke Nukem 3D. This is followed immediately by Duke commenting on his own performance, followed by a tongue-in-cheek comment at the development team. From here on, the game kicks off, with Duke ultimately pissing off the aliens, who this time round seem to be much more peaceful. Duke is then blamed for kicking off another classic round of Humans vs Aliens, and is left to pick up the pieces of the mess he made. Along the way Duke faces old foes, fights a triple breasted alien mother, gets driven around in a kids RC car, an even has time to visit a strip joint (which is, admittedly, all in his head.)
Forever goes out of its way to poke fun at just about every aspect of popular culture from the past decade; Master Chiefs armour turns up, only to be mocked for making the owner a ?pussy?, Duke comments on the effectiveness of a certain crowbar, and a certain ?companion barrel? turns up at one stage, along with a blatant reference to whether or not there is cake, and theres even a nice little parody of the original Donkey Kong games in there. Even Inceptions spin top shows up in the dream sequence. Hell, even having Duke sing the Team America theme tune was a great little touch ? a double whammy of satire and self-reference. That?s a nice little touch.
It?s reasons like this that make Duke Nukem Forever an enjoyable and very playable game, because it sticks to the values that made it so iconic all those years ago. Sure, the references are only a minor part of the game that may easily be missed or ignored by the player, but the context and the ideology remain the same as they always were. Duke himself has hardly changed a bit - the only thing difference is that he seems to have picked up a few more not-so-subtle one-liners along the way. Everything else is remains almost completely untouched, and that?s the way it should be.
The Gameplay
Duke Nukem Forever sticks to its roots of the traditional first person shooter game with puzzle/platform elements thrown in to mix things up, the standard bread-and-butter structure of the previous games. This is a breed in a serious decline in todays games - modern games all seem too tied down with linear, hectic shootouts with not a lot in between them to split things up. Duke Nukem Forever's puzzle elements are reminiscent of those of Half Life ? physics puzzles, pipe puzzles, switch puzzles, they're all in there, and it's refreshing to see them. Sure, they could be a little more complex at times, but, again, this isn't a game to be taken too seriously, and not one that strives itself on these elements, whilst these elements instead help to make level progression flow a little easier.
One of the large (pardon the pun) aspects of the game involves playing as Mini-Duke, a shrunken version of the former, playing in miniture form in regular sized environments, a combination that works well, and, while not being completely original, again help to add variety to the game and make it more enjoyable for doing so. These Mini-Duke levels usually combine the aforementioned platforming and puzzle sections, having you navigate around areas you would not normally think to do so in, in order to help continue along in the story line. It?s also a neat little experience trying to run away from a full-sized, fully equipped enemy whilst being only the size of the generic bottles of Duke brand foods that little these environments. Punching a rat in the face is pretty swell, too.
Another feature in the game is the the driving levels, which, unfortunately seems to be a weak point. The environments in these levels is very bland and generic, and pretty repetitive, having the player have to rinse and repeat the same ?find gas, use gas, drive on? formula a few times, but manages to span short enough to not break the game in any way, and, again, feels like a last-minute device to aid the level progression, as evident in the comparison between these mechanics and those featured in the publisher?s previous title, Borderlands, which had a heavier focus on the driving in it.
The weapons in the game are as classic as ever, ranging from standard shotguns to the more eccentric shrink and freeze guns. Nothing is more satisfying that shrinking and curb-stomping an enemy that has previously given you grief. Alternatively, you could pop a few pills and run up to the Pig Cops and punch them square in the jaw. Very badass.
Multiplayer
I was sceptical to even play the multiplayer at first, but figured it would not be a fair review if I ignored it completely and, credit due, I was actually surprised for the experience. As a child I grew up playing Quake and Unreal Mods, and Forever was definitely a blast-to-the-past experience very similar to these. Sure, games can quickly become unbalanced with the previously-mentioned weapons, but nobody seems to really be alive long enough to completely unbalance the matches. Trying all the game modes with give the player a few good hours worth of play and, coupled with a unique reward system (in terms of the Duke Pad ? allowing the user to unlock collectables to ?pimp out? their ideal Duke Nukem-styled room,) as well as character avatar unlocks will keep players coming back for more long after the player has beaten the single player. Sure, it?s nothing that?s going to ever make a lasting impression on the multiplayer community ? after all the matches are restricted to just 8 players,) but passing on the whole experience completely will mean you?re missing out on a large portion of the experience.
?Summa Sumaram?
All-in-all, Duke Nukem Forever is a really enjoyable game. The humour within certainly will not be everybodies cup of tea, and players who have built up 12 years of expectation may have a hard time trying to meet those expectations, but that does not mean the player should just ignore forever completely. It has stood the test of time, and is ultimately one large nostalgia trip to the good old days where Duke Nukem truely reigned as king.