Windows

Duke Nukem Forever

Duke Nukem Forever definitely looks like a game from 2007 and can't match the visuals of modern shooters. Single player is fairly short and multiplayer is mostly a tickbox feature, yet Duke Nukem Forever manages to capture some of the magic of the original and has that spark that seems to be missing from most games these days - it may be rude, shocking and decisively old school, but I had fun!

Don’t expect a miracle. Duke is still the hero we love, but struggles to keep up with modern times. Crude humor and classic weaponry keep him in the game.

Inégal comme jamais aucun jeu ne l'a été avant lui, Duke Nukem Forever porte clairement les stigmates de son développement extrêmement chaotique. Graphismes, animations et level design soufflent en permanence le chaud et le froid, comme si chaque composante du jeu se cherchait encore. Il ne faut donc surtout pas s'attendre à un FPS parfait, ou aussi novateur que le fut Duke Nukem 3D à son époque, sous peine d'être irrémédiablement déçu. Ce jeu doit être pris pour ce qu'il est : du pur fan service, qui sait se montrer diablement efficace en matière d'humour gras et de sexisme. Les adeptes du Duke apprécieront à coup sûr l'ambiance générale, fidèle à la légende. Les autres risquent de rester nettement plus circonspects face à une réalisation irrégulière, parfois correcte, souvent datée.

Bottom line, if you weren’t old enough to play Duke Nukem 3D when it came out, you can probably skip Duke Nukem Forever and not feel too bad about it. If you loved Duke back in the day, this title is for you and you will find enough to appreciate that it’s not a bad title. I’m not afraid to admit that despite the title’s visible age and flaws that I enjoyed Duke Nukem Forever. It’s far from the revolutionary title it might have been if things had been different, but it definitely has quality moments, especially multiplayer since there’s nothing quite like it these days, and satisfies the fan in me who waited this long for the game. Perhaps now that Duke Nukem Forever has finally released, Gearbox will seize the opportunity to build off the notoriety and craft a new entry in the franchise and prove that Duke isn’t dead, he was just waiting. Always bet on Duke!

The game is for better or worse the most direct sequel possible to Duke Nukem 3D in concept, and in execution. Also it’s a PC game. I know it’s been ported to console, but really half of the problems that are plaguing these reviews populating sites like Metacritic and the like, would be eliminated if they played the superior PC build. Which sort of makes sense considering that 90 percent of the game’s original audience was cultivated on the PC. There’s stupid things that keep it from being just like the old days, like the two weapon limit, and Duke’s missing abilities, and inventory, but the rest is there in some way shape or form. So in a very long winded way I’m saying I liked it. And though it was a disappointment, it seems like it’s a lot cooler to say you hated it, instead of being someone like me and admitting the opposite. Ah well. I never did like the cool kids.

In definitiva non si può giudicare un titolo come questo con lo stesso metro di paragone degli altri videogiochi, bensì come una chicca da collezionista, un remake dal sapore anni 90 di un titolo atteso da migliaia di fan per oltre un decennio! Un capolavoro, a modo suo, di comicità trash-demenziale che nonostante i difetti e un comparto tecnico parecchio datato, si lascia giocare e strappa più di un sorriso, oltre allo stupore per i ricordi che riporta alla memoria. Chi non ha mai sentito parlare di Duke Nukem forse non dovrebbe fare la spesa perchè potrebbe trovarsi deluso, ma un consiglio lo dò a tutti indistintamente: giocatevi il capitolo originale e poi...magari pure questo! Questo gioco ha fatto la Storia!

Ich für meinen Teil, und das gebe ich ganz freimütig zu, hatte meinen Spaß mit dem Duke und bin froh, dass er es nach so langer Zeit endlich in mein Laufwerk geschafft hat. Denn obwohl Duke Nukem Forever seine Macken hat und ehrlicherweise tatsächlich meilenweit davon entfernt ist, perfekt zu sein, war es unterhaltsam. Und wem Shooter aus der Call of Duty-Reihe wegen ihrer allzu glatten Art schon lange nicht mehr zusagen, der sollte dem guten, alten Duke die Ehre erweisen.

For mit vedkommende er jeg glad for at Duke Nukem Forever endelig er havnet i mine hænder. Jeg frygtede det værst, at spillet ville være en katastrofe, men nej. Trods dets mangler har jeg været godt underholdt, og hvis spil som Call of Duty hænger dig langt ud af halsen, så er det stadig værd at spille.

On PC, Duke Nukem Forever manages to rise just above average thanks to its lead character, the crude humour and the long lifespan of the singleplayer campaign. There really aren't any true negative points to the game other than the really outdated graphics and oldfashioned gameplay that keep it from competing with current standards.

DNF is na 14 jaar hype uitgedraaid op een shooter die wel enkele plezierige en humoristische momenten bevat maar toch vooral achterhaald aanvoelt. Voer voor Duke-nostalgici, maar meer ook niet.

Duke Nukem Forever verdient wie kein anderes Spiel das Prädikat »Old School«: Im Vergleich zum Vorgänger hat sich spielerisch kaum etwas getan, und auch die Grafik ist längst nicht mehr zeitgemäß. Das Bemerkenswerte an diesem Spiel ist damit eigentlich nur, dass es überhaupt fertig geworden ist. Das ist ungefähr so, als würde ein Einbeiniger einen Profi-Marathon absolvieren: Eine großartige Leistung, die Respekt verdient, aber dass es dafür außerhalb der Paralympics keine Goldmedaille gibt, muss auch jedem klar sein.

Daté, linéaire, bancal, Duke Nukem Forever sort cinq ans trop tard pour espérer séduire le plus grand nombre. Décevant sur PC, le jeu perd encore en intérêt sur consoles à cause d’une visée agaçante et de temps de chargement obèses. Malgré tout, les fans permissifs pourront y trouver leur compte, si pour eux l’humour prime sur le reste, tout le reste.

It was ambitious for Gearbox Studios to try and pick up the slack of 3D Realms vaporware, and while I’m sure it will pan out of them financially, the sheer lack of effort and polish on DNF has put serious doubts in my mind as to whether or not I’m going to be picking up Duke Nukem 3D: Reloaded -- Gearbox’s modern re-release of the classic Duke Nukem 3D. Of course, with no release date in sight, I might be well into my 40s by the time it comes out.

Overall, Duke Nukem Forever is a decidedly average game. It isn’t the unmitigated disaster that some critics claimed upon release and it is certainly more enjoyable now that the dust has settled. However, the crude humour, outdated gameplay mechanics, poor graphics and low production values damage what is at heart a fairly decent shooter. There is fun to be had, but it isn’t exactly abundant and the overall experience is one of disappointment. Worth experiencing at a discount then, but only as a gaming oddity that almost never got made in the first place. I just can’t bring myself to hail to the king when he is in such bad shape…

Difficile de donner un avis définitif sur Duke Nukem Forever. Bourré de bonnes idées, mais décousu, graphiquement inégal, au gameplay bâtard, le résultat s'avèrera forcément indigeste pour quiconque espérerait, à juste titre, avoir droit à un titre en phase avec son époque. Pour quelqu'un prêt à passer quelques heures avec un nanar assumé et décérébré en compagnie du Duke et de sa grande gueule, et même si le jeu ne sera jamais digne de sa légende, l'expérience n'est pas désagréable. Sur PC, tout du moins : sur consoles, les portages au rabais et la maniabilité étrange ne valent pas vraiment le détour.

Duke Nukem Forever es el regreso de un gran personaje, y parece que ha conservado todo su carisma en estos trece años, pero para explotar en un juego cuyo único punto fuerte es la exageración. Por desgracia, todos esos excesos no han sido apoyados correctamente con logros técnicos y jugables. Al revés, los trece años de desarrollo y tantas alteraciones han dejado su marca indeleble y Duke Nukem Forever, al final, no permanecerá para siempre en nuestra memoria.

Duke Nukem Forever est un cas à part dans le monde des jeux vidéo. Aucun titre n'avait à ce point eu besoin de tant d'année de développement, n'avait eu derrière lui une telle communauté de fans toujours présente malgré son absence. A l'époque, il n'avait fallu que d'un seul titre pour que le Duke Nukem devienne une légende. Aujourd'hui, il ne saura pas séduire les jeunes joueurs, mais plutôt ceux qui l'ont attendu, les passionnés, les grand nostalgiques. Et peut-être que de trop grandes attentes apporteront la déception dans les foyers. Mais Duke est de retour et c'est là tout l'évènement.

Throughout the campaign, I rarely found anything outstanding or abhorrent. Duke Nukem Forever feels like an updated version of Duke 3D, and that’s kind of what I was expecting it to be. Judging by the fairly decent sales, this should pave the way for Gearbox to bring a more timely, updated Duke to the table. I’m certainly interested in seeing what a more modern development cycle can do for the King because what they have now isn’t half bad.

While it's easy to highlight the many faults of Duke Nukem Forever, as well as the few areas where the game does seem decent, the game is definitely an interesting experiment. Here is a game that should have appeared back in the 1990s or early 2000s, a relic of the industry, which, if it had appeared at that time, it would've definitely impressed a lot of people. After 14 years, however, Duke Nukem Forever can't live up to the huge expectations we all have, and, perhaps it should've remained unfinished, in order to not tarnish the reputation of the famous character. Hopefully, Gearbox and 2K will bring forth a proper Duke Nukem game in the future, but, until then, Duke Nukem Forever is, sadly, all that remains.

I was pleased to see a huge variety of environments — strip clubs, underwater sections, underground sections — and to see some old styled boss battles back in an FPS was great. The kind where you’ll need to work out a set pattern and perform it without mishap in order to progress. However, the issues that emerge as the game progresses make one of the most anitcipated games of all time a rather average experience overall. Duke Nukem Forever isn’t awful, and those on the right wavelength will have fun, but it isn’t spectacular either — which, let’s face it, we all knew would be the case after all this time.

Duke Nukem Forever est un FPS médiocre doublé d'une amère déception pour ceux qui attendaient cette suite depuis 15 ans. Gearbox a méchamment assuré sur le plan du fan-service en restituant l'esprit de la série, mais c'est bien tout. Emprunté, mal rythmé et affublé d'un level-design catastrophique, Duke Nukem Forever ne parvient jamais à procurer le fun de son ancêtre, que ce soit en solo ou en multi. Amateurs de FPS, passez donc votre chemin. Si vous êtes un fan inconditionnel de Duke, ajoutez 2 ou 3 points à cette note mais n'en attendez pas la lune.

Efter ti timers spil sidder man tilbage med en mærkelig smag i munden (...) Det er ikke rigtigt muligt at være gennemført skuffet, vred eller ked af det.

Продолжительность действа вполне стандартна для нынешних шутеров. Двадцать три главы могут отнять у вас 7-10 часов, в зависимости от сложности. Правда, именно что отнять. Затянувшаяся разработка печально сказалась на целостности игры. Взяв за основу некогда революционную (а сегодня — обычную) интерактивность окружения, 3D Realms/Triptych добавили современных черт: идиотские «чекпойнты» без нормальных сохранений, два слота оружия вместо полноценного арсенала, автоматически восстанавливающееся здоровье (в данном случае «Эго» Дюка) и т. д. Получилось так, что не угодили ни тем «кому за 30», ни молодежи, уже привыкшей к консольным упрощениям, но воротящей нос от «олдскула».

All in all, Duke Nukem Forever is out, which can be seen as an achievement in itself. However, all that development time has not produced the game it should be. DNF feels unfinished, unexciting and not what die hard fans deserved. All we can do is look to the future now, the monkey (so to speak) is off of Gearbox’s back, so lets see what they can REALLY do with the series.

4 | 10 On ne va pas se mentir, on savait que Duke Nukem Forever ne pourrait que nous décevoir. En revanche, on ne savait pas à quel point. Après avoir pondu l'un des meilleurs FPS de tous les temps, 3D Realms a voulu réitérer l'exploit en reprenant les bases de son jeu et en y ajoutant des éléments piqués à d'autres jeux. Pourquoi pas, après tout, sauf que les idées en question ne sont pas vraiment celles qu'on aurait pu espérer retrouver. Plutôt que de jeter dans la marmite les affrontements ultra-nerveux d'un F.E.A.R., la narration d'un Half-Life ou les environnements ouverts d'un Far Cry, on se retrouve avec les couloirs et la vie qui remonte toute seule d'un Call of Duty et les énigmes physiques et les phases en véhicules de Half-Life² (en pire). Le jeu à quelques bonnes idées, mais elles sont globalement mal intégrées à l'ensemble et tombent la plupart du temps comme un poil pubien sur la soupe.

The question „is it worth buying?” only makes sense if you had a pre-order 14 years ago and the faith to keep betting on Duke. For the rest of us, Duke Nukem Forever is an old-fashioned shooter, somehow classic, but with aged mechanics and stupid limitations that tear to shreds the romantic veil of the golden era of gaming, plus the deserted multiplayer and the mix of macho/lines which don’t reall find their place anymore in today’s world. There are other shooters that offer more, but I do know one thing: Gearbox, now free of the DNF burden, will now be free to create a new Duke, a better one we hope. We’ll see in two or three years.

Duke Nukem Forever is a sad mess of a game, but hey, at least it finally came out, right?

Duke Nukem Forever is plagued by many issues. Bad game design, ugly graphics, not being fun, underwhelming shooting mechanics, a story that is without any context and insults the intelligence, scenes that seem to have been included only for the shock value, an absolute lack of a sense of humor, a bad multiplayer mode… the list goes on and on. My point is, stay away from this game. It fails at being a last from the past. It fails at invoking the ’90s era shooters. It fails at being a good game. It fails at being a game. But perhaps most importantly, it fails at being Duke Nukem. That, maybe more than anything else, is what will bitterly hurt longtime fans of the series the most.

Given its storied development history, you might be inclined to grab a copy of this train wreck. Avoid the temptation. While much of Duke Nukem Forever is embarrassingly bad--the kind of game you point and laugh at--its biggest problem is that it's so tedious. Twisting valves, jumping on pipes and alien tentacles, driving through drab canyons, rolling alien spheres along the ground: this is what Duke Nukem Forever is about. It's not about shooting aliens, and it certainly isn't about fun. This game takes an icon and turns him into a laughingstock. Except, no one's laughing.

If not a bit ironic, Duke ends the game with a line about how 'crappy' the ending was. Well Duke, that just about summed up the entire game. There are no redeeming qualities about this game, the shooting, weapons, enemies, gameplay, platforming and driving all combine to be one extremely unrewarding experience. If it were not for the fact this game has had so much hype and been in development for nearly fifteen years, this game would not be receiving any attention, because it does not deserve any. The real question is for Gearbox Software. How could you save a game, stating you could not allow it to just 'die' and then put out something that is so universally unenjoyable on almost every level? Duke Nukem Forever is everything that is wrong with games. Calling this game generic would be a compliment, because that might mean it's like every other shooter out there. It is in fact quite the contrary.

There are few things worth waiting this long for, and so far in the gaming industry, I don't know if we've had even one. This is the Chinese Democracy of our industry: When it finally does see the light of day, everybody mocks it anyway and nobody really cares. But hey, if you haven't played a shooter in a decade and want to slap around some alien boobs, you'll be right at home. For the rest of us, unless you need a game from the past and don't want to dig up your time capsule to play something, this is best left to the vaporware we all thought it was for so long. At least it was legendary then, when we didn't actually know what to expect.

While once a respectable gaming legend, Duke is nothing more than an embarassment now. The game is so behind the times that it’s shameful. It pokes fun at titles that it tries to be and titles that are far better than it. It’s so dull and straightforward that there is just little to no fun. For a game that’s so keen on humor, there’s definitely a big joke here, I just can’t tell whether it’s some kind of self parody, or if the joke is on us?