Duke Nukem Forever
Overview -
It’s been a long, winding road, for Duke Nukem Forever. Beginning development approximately a decade and a half ago, it was thought that the much talked-about first-person shooter was never going to see the light of day. In fact, the project became a running joke in the video game industry, as rumors constantly swirled about new developments regarding its status. In the end, Duke spent more time on the shelf, watching bad made for TV movies, than he seemingly did in development. Unfortunately, the final product is evidence of this, delivering a game, which certainly wasn’t worth the wait.
Video Review
The last thing to expect with this game is a high-definition spectacle. Considering how long it’s been in development, its dated visual assets are to be expected. At best, Duke Nukem Forever resembles a title released last generation. No aspect of its visual presentation can compete with modern shooters, but that isn’t a surprise. The included texture work is relatively basic and repetitive, with bland-looking environments.
From the first frame to the last, it’s incredibly easy to tell what franchise this release belongs to. The over-the-top content and violent art style remains the same as it was back when kicking ass and chewing bubble gum was a popular thing to do in virtual space. Granted, things do look better than they did then. Alien monstrosities and human non-playable characters all look better than they ever have in one of this series’ releases, but that’s still not saying a lot. Of course, most of the women in the game are exaggerated in certain, sexually explicit areas.
Audio Review
Not surprisingly, this one’s audio is about as dated as its visuals. Most of the time, you’ll hear repetitive bullet sounds, explosive effects or laughably bad one-liners. While the sound effects aren’t terrible, they’re ultimately forgettable. Forever’s voice acting and writing, on the other hand, are borderline terrible. For that reason alone, you’re not going to forget either. It’s not a good way to be remembered.
Throughout the story-driven campaign, you’ll hear a mix of rock and orchestral music. It fits in quite well, promoting the gruff machismo hero as the greatest man alive, which is also what the game’s storyline tries to do. Some of the music isn’t too bad, but it’s ultimately forgettable as well.
Although I applaud Gearbox Software for trying to please fans by bringing this project out of its developmental coma, the final product just isn’t that memorable or interesting. Fans of the series may enjoy parts of this title but, those who are new to the whole shebang, might as well avoid it and spend their time with something else. There are a couple of likeable elements here, but they’re over-shadowed by mediocre mechanics and terrible platforming sections. In the end, it’s hard to recommend this relatively poor shooter to any group other than the series’ hardcore fans.
