Duke Nukem Forever
Encyclopedia
Duke Nukem Forever is a 2011 first-person shooter
video game for Microsoft Windows
, Mac OS X
, PlayStation 3
and Xbox 360
developed by 3D Realms
and Triptych Games and finished by Gearbox Software
and Piranha Games
. It is a sequel to the 1996 game Duke Nukem 3D
, as part of the long-running Duke Nukem video game series.
Intended to be groundbreaking, Duke Nukem Forever became a notable example of vaporware
due to its severely-protracted development schedule
; the game was released in 2011 but had been in development since 1996. On June 27, 2011, Aspyr Media
announced that Duke Nukem Forever would be making its way onto Mac OS X
in August 2011. It was made available for pre-order on June 27 via their online game distribution platform GameAgent.
There, he receives a call from The President and General Graves of the Earth Defense Force (EDF). The president orders him not to harm the invaders, and adds that he is in diplomatic talks with the alien overlord. Duke obliges this request, but remains uneasy about the whole situation. However, before he can leave his chambers, he is attacked by hostile aliens. Duke is forced to disobey the president's orders and fight his way through the alien hordes in an effort to save Earth. Whilst fighting through his casino, Duke witnesses the aliens abducting women including his two live-in pop star girlfriends. Graves tells Duke that the women are being held in the Duke Dome, and that the aliens have a vendetta to settle with Duke. He also warns Duke that the aliens are using the Hoover Dam
to power a wormhole so more aliens can come through. Nukem travels to the Duke Dome, using a wrecking ball to damage the building to gain access. Inside, he finds swarms of Octabrains and the missing women, who have been impregnated with alien spawn; Duke's girlfriends die after giving "birth" to alien babies. Duke finds the Alien Queen in control of the Dome and kills her, but is wounded in process and blacks out.
After regaining consciousness, Duke battles Pigcops and aliens in through the Duke Burger. Soon he travels to the Hoover Dam in his monster truck
; after battling through the dam, he finds his old friend Dylan, mortally wounded. He tells Duke that the Cycloid Emperor is at the dam, and that the only way to shut down the portal is to completely destroy the dam. Before dying, he gives Duke his demolition charges and wishes him luck. Duke places the explosives and destroys the dam, but the currents nearly drown him. Duke is revived after an EDF soldier performs CPR on him; he awakens to find the portal gone. The President, who was also at the dam, rages at Duke for ruining his plans to work with the Cycloid Emperor and that he has ordered a nuclear strike at the site of the dam to wipe out the remaining aliens, intending to leave Duke there to die. However, the Cycloid Emperor emerges and kills the President and his security detail. Duke kills the Cycloid Emperor and is rescued by Graves just as the nuclear bomb explodes.
The game ends with a satellite surveying the detonation area and listing Duke Nukem as killed in action
, to which Duke replies off-screen "What kind of shit ending is that? I ain't dead, I'm coming back for more!". A short scene after the ending credits depicts a press conference, where Duke announces his intent to run for the 69th President of the United States
.
. Players take control of Nukem as they navigate through a series of levels which take place on Earth and beyond. The game allows players to interact with various in-game objects, including urinals, water coolers and whiteboards which allow players to draw their own images. The gameplay is similar in some respects to the first-person shooter games of the late 1990s and early 2000s, with each level culminating in a boss battle in which Nukem has to fight and kill a large, significant alien.
Unlike in the previous games, Nukem can only hold two weapons at any one time in a manner similar to the Halo series
, although pipe bombs and laser tripwires are considered inventory items and as such are not limited by this restriction. Items that have an effect on Nukem can be picked up by the player; these items are steroids, beer, and the "holoduke". Steroids increase the strength of Nukem's melee attacks by a great deal for a limited time. Beer makes Nukem much more resistant to damage, but blurs the screen. A holoduke creates a hologram of Duke Nukem that looks and acts in a very similar way to Duke, but often says slightly twisted versions of his one-liners. Whilst the holoduke is in effect, Nukem becomes invisible and the AI characters do not recognize his presence. The jetpack also returns, but only in multiplayer.
Instead of the health system featured in the previous Duke Nukem game, in which health would be depleted when Nukem was injured and would only increase upon finding a health pack, drinking water from fountains/broken fire hydrants, urinating or using the portable medkit special item, Duke Nukem Forever employs a system involving an "ego bar". The ego bar depletes when Nukem is attacked; once it is fully depleted, Nukem becomes susceptible to damage, dying and causing the game to reload the last checkpoint. If the player avoids further damage the ego bar is restored, as is Nukem's health. The player can increase the size of the ego bar (thus increasing the amount of damage Nukem can take) by interacting with certain items throughout the game (for example, a mirror), and by defeating bosses. The game employs a saving system that is solely based on checkpoints.
, director George Broussard
, one of the creators of the original Duke Nukem game, first announced the title's development in April 1997, and various promotional information for the game was released between 1997 and 1998. After repeatedly announcing and deferring release dates, 3D Realms announced in 2001 that it would be released simply "when it's done". No official video of the game was shown for almost 8 years, until 3D Realms released a new teaser trailer in December 2007, but the game "submerged" yet again soon afterwards.
In May 2009, 3D Realms was downsized for financial reasons, resulting in the loss of the game's development team. Statements by the company indicated that the project was due to go gold soon with pictures of final development. Take-Two Interactive
, which owns the publishing rights to the game, filed a lawsuit in 2009 against 3D Realms over their failure to finish development. 3D Realms retorted that Take-Two's legal interest in the game is limited to their publishing right. The case was settled with prejudice and details undisclosed in May 2010.
On September 3, 2010, after 14 years, Duke Nukem Forever was officially reported by 2K Games
to be in development at Gearbox Software
. It was originally confirmed to be released on May 3, 2011 in North America, with a worldwide release following on May 6, 2011. This was, however, delayed by a month to June 10 internationally, with a North American release on June 14.
On May 24, 2011, it was announced that Duke Nukem Forever finally "went gold
" after 15 years. After going gold the launch trailer for Duke Nukem Forever was released on June 2, 2011.
, or Borderlands on Steam (if bought before the club was announced), on the Duke Nukem Forever website. Members are granted access to wallpapers, the demo, concept art, artwork, podcasts (which are added often), the theme song, and screenshots.
E-mails were sent asking members to "please help [Gearbox] obtain the most accurate up to date information for your First Access profile." Members were then prompted to choose their preferred platform of choice for the Duke Nukem Forever demo by May 15, 2011. It then stated that "users that currently live in a territory where the demo may not be supported on console will automatically be defaulted to the PC Steam option." Gearbox sent a second e-mail to First Access Members in conjunction with a video showing that the Duke Nukem Forever demo was released on June 3, 2011.
A special limited Collector's Edition was available upon release called "Balls of Steel Edition" for all platforms. This version includes a five-inch bust of Duke Nukem,
a 100-page hardcover artbook following the development of the game, postcards, sticker, a comic book, playing cards, dice, poker chips and foldable papercraft, and with every item being marked with the Duke Nukem Forever logo. Another edition called the "King Edition" was made available exclusively for pre-order from EB Games in Australia and New Zealand. It comes with the bonus "Ego Boost", Duke Playing Cards and Duke Bubblegum.
Two themes, avatar items, and a gamerpic pack are available for download for the Xbox 360 and PlayStation 3 systems. The premium theme for the Xbox 360 showcases the inside of Duke Burger during the alien invasion. The avatar items for said system include Duke's outfit, his throne, the Freeze Ray, a Pigcop mask, and a pet Octabrain whilst the gamerpic pack features "babes, aliens, and the King himself." The official Duke Nukem Forever website hosts the free PlayStation 3 theme, which includes three wallpapers and an icon set.
2K Games launched a website titled "Boob Tube" to promote the game. The website features videos and features to download. On May 19, 2011, a flash game was released via the website titled Duke Nudem where players have to shoot targets against a CPU bot "woman" of their choice, and if successful will have a piece of clothing taken off the girl until she is topless. However, if the player loses, the actress will act as though Duke has stripped naked. Additionally 2K released for iOS a Duke Nukem Forever Soundboard which includes a number of Duke Nukem's phrases to be played back.
Originally set for release in Australia on June 10, 2011, the game was made available for sale a day early on June 9 from all retailers due to street date
being broken.
promised exclusive in-game content for customers pre-ordering Duke Nukem Forever. The exclusive content, known as "Duke's Big Package" allowed the player from the start of the game to access "Big Heads," and "Ego Boost," and custom in-game T-Shirts. A code printed on the final receipt could, at the time of release, be activated over Xbox Live, The PlayStation Network, and Steam.
calculated the PlayStation 3
version to be 49.21% and 51/100, the Xbox 360
version 49.15% and 49/100, and the PC version 48.52% and 54/100.
Many critics took issue with the level design and shooting mechanics, particularly when compared to both the original Duke Nukem 3D and those of other modern-day shooters. Kevin VanOrd of GameSpot
felt that the "joy of that game's shooting has been flattened" with "little sense of impact", finding the overall design to be "tedious", and ended his video review by calling Duke Nukem Forever a "bad, boring, bargain bin kind of game". Eurogamer
commented that "few of the locations [inspired] the sort of exploration and excitement that made Duke 3D such a memorable experience. Duke Nukem Forever is linear to a fault, and huge chunks of the game are spent simply walking from one fight to another through uninspired corridors." IGN
criticized "the frequent first-person platforming segments that make up an unnecessarily large percentage of the story mode", although they stated the "shooting sections are simple fun". Games Radar concluded that "Duke Nukem Forever’s world-record development time has produced an ugly, buggy shooter that veers back and forth between enjoyably average and outright boring, with occasional surges of greatness along the way." GamePro
felt that "Unexpected moments ... are really the game's biggest strengths. But they're few and far between."
Many reviewers questioned the design choices in comparison to Duke Nukem 3D, with Kotaku
stating that "Old-school shooters, and this is definitely trying to be one of those with its basic AI and lack of cover mechanics, always had two great things going for them: speed and a ridiculous arsenal of weapons... Forever eschews this in favour of a plodding pace and two guns." Noting its negative mix with modern shooter conventions, The Escapist
agreed: "having been almost cryo-frozen for more than a decade, then awoken and peppered with modern touches, feels so out of place."
Another common criticism was with the game's technical prowess (or lack thereof), including inconsistent graphics and overly long loading times, which Game Trailers called "unholy;" GameSpy
found the console versions took up to 40 seconds to load a level. Edge commented that "the myriad technical shortcomings – particularly prevalent on the console ports – only get worse the further you progress into the campaign", a view echoed by Game Revolution
: "when they started on the design, that tech was already outdated". The PC version has since been patched to greatly decrease loading times and add two optional inventory slots.
The use of the series' trademark humor received a mixed response. In one regard, some critics such as Team Xbox praised the voice work of Jon St. John
, who did an "excellent job as always with Duke’s persona", whilst others like Machinima.com
appreciated the comedic gameplay tips and pop culture references; however, the same critic also noted that "parts of the narrative and dialogue show clear evidence of the game’s elongated development. Many pop culture references seem so 2002, with one-liners co-opted from 'guy' movies like Old School, Highlander, and Commando, which in itself could cause blank stares from most of the current potential audience." Australian gaming website PALGN
felt the game was "saved only by its humor and nostalgic value." Official Xbox Magazine
UK thought that the humor "isn't so much offensive or misogynistic as just suffering from an adolescent fixation with boobs and crowbarred-in innuendo." Joystiq
noted that the game's multiplayer mode "Capture the babe" capture the flag
, involving "spanking a woman into submission," "really is as painful as it sounds." Many critics conversely criticized the characterization of Duke Nukem, declaring his decidedly one-dimensional personality juvenile and outdated in comparison to more recent video game heroes.
One particular section that received considerable criticism is the hive level, in which Duke encounters abducted women who have been forcibly impregnated with aliens, having to kill them before the alien's birth does so. Both the level itself and the inclusion of disembodied, slappable "wall boobs" were listed in GamesRadar's "8 worst moments in Duke Nukem Forever". OXM noted that it "doesn't mesh with the rest of the game's tone at all", and the fact that Duke remains unfazed and continues to crack jokes about the situation was considered "outright revolting," which led to labelling Duke a "thoroughly detestable psychopath" by 1UP
and Destructoid
respectively. Zero Punctuation
noted that the level is "as jarring a shift of tone as you can get without splicing five minutes of The Human Centipede into the middle of Mallrats
".
Many critics cited the long and fragmented development time as a major factor in the finished product. In a positive review PC Gamer
noted that "years of anticipation will spoil Duke Nukem Forever for some," adding, "There’s no reinvention of the genre here, no real attempt at grandeur... Check unrealistic expectations at the door and forget the ancient, hyperbolic promises of self-deluded developers," and concluded, "Don’t expect a miracle. Duke is still the hero we love, but struggles to keep up with modern times." Game Informer
, whilst disappointed in the game concluded "I’m glad Gearbox stepped up and finished this game, but after hearing about it for 12 years, I have no desire to relive any of it again. I’m now satisfied in my knowledge of what Duke Nukem Forever is and ready to never talk about it again. Welcome back, Duke. I hope your next game (which is teased after the credits) goes off without a hitch." GiantBomb however concluded that for those "part of that faction that finds yourself so fascinated by this whole project that you need to know how it ends, I recommend you play Duke Nukem Forever for yourself. But I'd practically insist that you do so on the PC and try to wait for a sale. If you're not willing to play a sloppy, cobbled together first-person shooter just because it has some kind of weird historical meaning, though, just forget this ever happened and move on."
, the parent company of 2K Games
, revealed in July 2011 that the game sales were half of their initial expectations. However, in an earnings call on August 8, 2011, Take-Two stated that Duke Nukem Forever would prove to be profitable for the company.
First-person shooter
First-person shooter is a video game genre that centers the gameplay on gun and projectile weapon-based combat through first-person perspective; i.e., the player experiences the action through the eyes of a protagonist. Generally speaking, the first-person shooter shares common traits with other...
video game for Microsoft Windows
Microsoft Windows
Microsoft Windows is a series of operating systems produced by Microsoft.Microsoft introduced an operating environment named Windows on November 20, 1985 as an add-on to MS-DOS in response to the growing interest in graphical user interfaces . Microsoft Windows came to dominate the world's personal...
, Mac OS X
Mac OS X
Mac OS X is a series of Unix-based operating systems and graphical user interfaces developed, marketed, and sold by Apple Inc. Since 2002, has been included with all new Macintosh computer systems...
, PlayStation 3
PlayStation 3
The is the third home video game console produced by Sony Computer Entertainment and the successor to the PlayStation 2 as part of the PlayStation series. The PlayStation 3 competes with Microsoft's Xbox 360 and Nintendo's Wii as part of the seventh generation of video game consoles...
and Xbox 360
Xbox 360
The Xbox 360 is the second video game console produced by Microsoft and the successor to the Xbox. The Xbox 360 competes with Sony's PlayStation 3 and Nintendo's Wii as part of the seventh generation of video game consoles...
developed by 3D Realms
3D Realms
3D Realms is a current video game publisher and former video game developer based in Garland, Texas, United States, established in 1987...
and Triptych Games and finished by Gearbox Software
Gearbox Software
Gearbox Software, LLC is an American video game development company based in Plano, Texas.-History:Gearbox Software was founded in January 1999 by five members of the content team from the defunct developer Rebel Boat Rocker: Randy Pitchford, Brian Martel, Stephen Bahl, Landon Montgomery, and Rob...
and Piranha Games
Piranha Games
Piranha Games Inc. is a Canadian computer game developer based in Vancouver, British Columbia. The company was founded by two members Russ Bullock President and Executive Producer and Bryan Ekman, VP and Creative Director...
. It is a sequel to the 1996 game Duke Nukem 3D
Duke Nukem 3D
Duke Nukem 3D is a first-person shooter computer game developed by 3D Realms and published by GT Interactive Software. The full version was released for the PC . It is a sequel to the platform games Duke Nukem and Duke Nukem II published by Apogee...
, as part of the long-running Duke Nukem video game series.
Intended to be groundbreaking, Duke Nukem Forever became a notable example of vaporware
Vaporware
Vaporware is a term in the computer industry that describes a product, typically computer hardware or software, that is announced to the general public but is never actually released nor officially canceled. Vaporware is also a term sometimes used to describe events that are announced or predicted,...
due to its severely-protracted development schedule
Development hell
In the jargon of the media-industry, "development hell" is a period during which a film or other project is trapped in development...
; the game was released in 2011 but had been in development since 1996. On June 27, 2011, Aspyr Media
Aspyr Media
Aspyr Media, Inc. is an Austin, Texas based company that specializes in porting Windows games to Mac OS. It has been in business since 1996, and as of 2003 owns 60 percent of the Mac entertainment market...
announced that Duke Nukem Forever would be making its way onto Mac OS X
Mac OS X
Mac OS X is a series of Unix-based operating systems and graphical user interfaces developed, marketed, and sold by Apple Inc. Since 2002, has been included with all new Macintosh computer systems...
in August 2011. It was made available for pre-order on June 27 via their online game distribution platform GameAgent.
Plot
The game takes place about twelve years after the events of Duke Nukem 3D. Duke is now a worldwide icon, and has achieved great fame from his heroic deeds. After sampling a video game based on his past heroics (the game Duke plays is a revamped version of the final level of the third episode of Duke Nukem 3D), he arrives on the set of a talk show for an interview. On his way to the show, Duke witnesses a news broadcast on a nearby television screen announcing that aliens have once again invaded. Unlike previous encounters, the aliens initially appear peaceful and at first seem to pose no harm to the humans of Earth. Duke's talk show appearance is cancelled to allow television stations to cover the alien invasion, and he retires to the "Duke Cave".There, he receives a call from The President and General Graves of the Earth Defense Force (EDF). The president orders him not to harm the invaders, and adds that he is in diplomatic talks with the alien overlord. Duke obliges this request, but remains uneasy about the whole situation. However, before he can leave his chambers, he is attacked by hostile aliens. Duke is forced to disobey the president's orders and fight his way through the alien hordes in an effort to save Earth. Whilst fighting through his casino, Duke witnesses the aliens abducting women including his two live-in pop star girlfriends. Graves tells Duke that the women are being held in the Duke Dome, and that the aliens have a vendetta to settle with Duke. He also warns Duke that the aliens are using the Hoover Dam
Hoover Dam
Hoover Dam, once known as Boulder Dam, is a concrete arch-gravity dam in the Black Canyon of the Colorado River, on the border between the US states of Arizona and Nevada. It was constructed between 1931 and 1936 during the Great Depression and was dedicated on September 30, 1935, by President...
to power a wormhole so more aliens can come through. Nukem travels to the Duke Dome, using a wrecking ball to damage the building to gain access. Inside, he finds swarms of Octabrains and the missing women, who have been impregnated with alien spawn; Duke's girlfriends die after giving "birth" to alien babies. Duke finds the Alien Queen in control of the Dome and kills her, but is wounded in process and blacks out.
After regaining consciousness, Duke battles Pigcops and aliens in through the Duke Burger. Soon he travels to the Hoover Dam in his monster truck
Monster truck
A monster truck is a pickup truck, typically styled after pickup trucks' bodies, modified or purposely built with extremely large wheels and suspension...
; after battling through the dam, he finds his old friend Dylan, mortally wounded. He tells Duke that the Cycloid Emperor is at the dam, and that the only way to shut down the portal is to completely destroy the dam. Before dying, he gives Duke his demolition charges and wishes him luck. Duke places the explosives and destroys the dam, but the currents nearly drown him. Duke is revived after an EDF soldier performs CPR on him; he awakens to find the portal gone. The President, who was also at the dam, rages at Duke for ruining his plans to work with the Cycloid Emperor and that he has ordered a nuclear strike at the site of the dam to wipe out the remaining aliens, intending to leave Duke there to die. However, the Cycloid Emperor emerges and kills the President and his security detail. Duke kills the Cycloid Emperor and is rescued by Graves just as the nuclear bomb explodes.
The game ends with a satellite surveying the detonation area and listing Duke Nukem as killed in action
Killed in action
Killed in action is a casualty classification generally used by militaries to describe the deaths of their own forces at the hands of hostile forces. The United States Department of Defense, for example, says that those declared KIA need not have fired their weapons but have been killed due to...
, to which Duke replies off-screen "What kind of shit ending is that? I ain't dead, I'm coming back for more!". A short scene after the ending credits depicts a press conference, where Duke announces his intent to run for the 69th President of the United States
President of the United States
The President of the United States of America is the head of state and head of government of the United States. The president leads the executive branch of the federal government and is the commander-in-chief of the United States Armed Forces....
.
Gameplay
Duke Nukem Forever is an action-oriented first-person shooterFirst-person shooter
First-person shooter is a video game genre that centers the gameplay on gun and projectile weapon-based combat through first-person perspective; i.e., the player experiences the action through the eyes of a protagonist. Generally speaking, the first-person shooter shares common traits with other...
. Players take control of Nukem as they navigate through a series of levels which take place on Earth and beyond. The game allows players to interact with various in-game objects, including urinals, water coolers and whiteboards which allow players to draw their own images. The gameplay is similar in some respects to the first-person shooter games of the late 1990s and early 2000s, with each level culminating in a boss battle in which Nukem has to fight and kill a large, significant alien.
Unlike in the previous games, Nukem can only hold two weapons at any one time in a manner similar to the Halo series
Halo (series)
Halo is a multi-million dollar science fiction video game franchise created by Bungie and now managed by 343 Industries and owned by Microsoft Studios. The series centers on an interstellar war between humanity and a theocratic alliance of aliens known as the Covenant...
, although pipe bombs and laser tripwires are considered inventory items and as such are not limited by this restriction. Items that have an effect on Nukem can be picked up by the player; these items are steroids, beer, and the "holoduke". Steroids increase the strength of Nukem's melee attacks by a great deal for a limited time. Beer makes Nukem much more resistant to damage, but blurs the screen. A holoduke creates a hologram of Duke Nukem that looks and acts in a very similar way to Duke, but often says slightly twisted versions of his one-liners. Whilst the holoduke is in effect, Nukem becomes invisible and the AI characters do not recognize his presence. The jetpack also returns, but only in multiplayer.
Instead of the health system featured in the previous Duke Nukem game, in which health would be depleted when Nukem was injured and would only increase upon finding a health pack, drinking water from fountains/broken fire hydrants, urinating or using the portable medkit special item, Duke Nukem Forever employs a system involving an "ego bar". The ego bar depletes when Nukem is attacked; once it is fully depleted, Nukem becomes susceptible to damage, dying and causing the game to reload the last checkpoint. If the player avoids further damage the ego bar is restored, as is Nukem's health. The player can increase the size of the ego bar (thus increasing the amount of damage Nukem can take) by interacting with certain items throughout the game (for example, a mirror), and by defeating bosses. The game employs a saving system that is solely based on checkpoints.
Development
Originally in development under 3D Realms3D Realms
3D Realms is a current video game publisher and former video game developer based in Garland, Texas, United States, established in 1987...
, director George Broussard
George Broussard
George Broussard is a game producer and designer known in the PC game community as one of the creators of the Duke Nukem series ....
, one of the creators of the original Duke Nukem game, first announced the title's development in April 1997, and various promotional information for the game was released between 1997 and 1998. After repeatedly announcing and deferring release dates, 3D Realms announced in 2001 that it would be released simply "when it's done". No official video of the game was shown for almost 8 years, until 3D Realms released a new teaser trailer in December 2007, but the game "submerged" yet again soon afterwards.
In May 2009, 3D Realms was downsized for financial reasons, resulting in the loss of the game's development team. Statements by the company indicated that the project was due to go gold soon with pictures of final development. Take-Two Interactive
Take-Two Interactive
Take-Two Interactive Software, Inc. is a major American publisher, developer, and distributor of video games and video game peripherals. Take-Two wholly owns 2K Games and Rockstar Games. The company's headquarters are in New York City, with international headquarters in Windsor, United Kingdom...
, which owns the publishing rights to the game, filed a lawsuit in 2009 against 3D Realms over their failure to finish development. 3D Realms retorted that Take-Two's legal interest in the game is limited to their publishing right. The case was settled with prejudice and details undisclosed in May 2010.
On September 3, 2010, after 14 years, Duke Nukem Forever was officially reported by 2K Games
2K Games
2K is a global developer, marketer, distributor and publisher of interactive entertainment software games. 2K Games is a subsidiary of Take-Two Interactive, which also owns Rockstar Games notable for the Grand Theft Auto series...
to be in development at Gearbox Software
Gearbox Software
Gearbox Software, LLC is an American video game development company based in Plano, Texas.-History:Gearbox Software was founded in January 1999 by five members of the content team from the defunct developer Rebel Boat Rocker: Randy Pitchford, Brian Martel, Stephen Bahl, Landon Montgomery, and Rob...
. It was originally confirmed to be released on May 3, 2011 in North America, with a worldwide release following on May 6, 2011. This was, however, delayed by a month to June 10 internationally, with a North American release on June 14.
On May 24, 2011, it was announced that Duke Nukem Forever finally "went gold
Golden master
In hardware and software development, a golden master is the reference model from which copies are mass-produced. An analogy is made to the production of certain types of physical media...
" after 15 years. After going gold the launch trailer for Duke Nukem Forever was released on June 2, 2011.
Marketing
Duke's First Access Club is joined by using a code, obtained from either the pre-order of the game, the Borderlands Game of the Year EditionBorderlands (video game)
Borderlands is a science fiction based first-person shooter with RPG elements that was developed by Gearbox Software for PlayStation 3, Xbox 360, Microsoft Windows and Mac OS X. It was first revealed in the September 2007 issue of Game Informer magazine...
, or Borderlands on Steam (if bought before the club was announced), on the Duke Nukem Forever website. Members are granted access to wallpapers, the demo, concept art, artwork, podcasts (which are added often), the theme song, and screenshots.
E-mails were sent asking members to "please help [Gearbox] obtain the most accurate up to date information for your First Access profile." Members were then prompted to choose their preferred platform of choice for the Duke Nukem Forever demo by May 15, 2011. It then stated that "users that currently live in a territory where the demo may not be supported on console will automatically be defaulted to the PC Steam option." Gearbox sent a second e-mail to First Access Members in conjunction with a video showing that the Duke Nukem Forever demo was released on June 3, 2011.
A special limited Collector's Edition was available upon release called "Balls of Steel Edition" for all platforms. This version includes a five-inch bust of Duke Nukem,
a 100-page hardcover artbook following the development of the game, postcards, sticker, a comic book, playing cards, dice, poker chips and foldable papercraft, and with every item being marked with the Duke Nukem Forever logo. Another edition called the "King Edition" was made available exclusively for pre-order from EB Games in Australia and New Zealand. It comes with the bonus "Ego Boost", Duke Playing Cards and Duke Bubblegum.
Two themes, avatar items, and a gamerpic pack are available for download for the Xbox 360 and PlayStation 3 systems. The premium theme for the Xbox 360 showcases the inside of Duke Burger during the alien invasion. The avatar items for said system include Duke's outfit, his throne, the Freeze Ray, a Pigcop mask, and a pet Octabrain whilst the gamerpic pack features "babes, aliens, and the King himself." The official Duke Nukem Forever website hosts the free PlayStation 3 theme, which includes three wallpapers and an icon set.
2K Games launched a website titled "Boob Tube" to promote the game. The website features videos and features to download. On May 19, 2011, a flash game was released via the website titled Duke Nudem where players have to shoot targets against a CPU bot "woman" of their choice, and if successful will have a piece of clothing taken off the girl until she is topless. However, if the player loses, the actress will act as though Duke has stripped naked. Additionally 2K released for iOS a Duke Nukem Forever Soundboard which includes a number of Duke Nukem's phrases to be played back.
Originally set for release in Australia on June 10, 2011, the game was made available for sale a day early on June 9 from all retailers due to street date
Street date
In business, a street date is the date a particular product is to be released for sale to the general public.Typically, retailers receive shipments of stock prior to its street date release, so that the product can be placed on display shelves for store opening that day...
being broken.
"Duke's Big Package"
In North America, video game retailer GameStopGameStop
GameStop Corporation is an American video game and entertainment software retailer. The company, whose headquarters is in Grapevine, Texas, United States, operates 6,500 retail stores throughout the United States, Canada, Australia, Austria, Denmark, Finland, France, Germany, Ireland, Italy, New...
promised exclusive in-game content for customers pre-ordering Duke Nukem Forever. The exclusive content, known as "Duke's Big Package" allowed the player from the start of the game to access "Big Heads," and "Ego Boost," and custom in-game T-Shirts. A code printed on the final receipt could, at the time of release, be activated over Xbox Live, The PlayStation Network, and Steam.
Hail To the Icons Parody Pack
Duke Nukem Forever: Hail to the Icons Parody Pack, contains three new game modes, and four new multiplayer maps, each with new weapons. It is a downloadable content pack available on Xbox LIVE for 800 Microsoft Points and on Steam and Playstation Store for $10.00. It was released on October 11, 2011.Reception
Duke Nukem Forever received a mixed to negative reception upon release, with most of the criticism directed towards the game's clunky controls (on consoles), very long loading times, and overall aging and dated design. Aggregating review websites GameRankings and MetacriticMetacritic
Metacritic.com is a website that collates reviews of music albums, games, movies, TV shows and DVDs. For each product, a numerical score from each review is obtained and the total is averaged. An excerpt of each review is provided along with a hyperlink to the source. Three colour codes of Green,...
calculated the PlayStation 3
PlayStation 3
The is the third home video game console produced by Sony Computer Entertainment and the successor to the PlayStation 2 as part of the PlayStation series. The PlayStation 3 competes with Microsoft's Xbox 360 and Nintendo's Wii as part of the seventh generation of video game consoles...
version to be 49.21% and 51/100, the Xbox 360
Xbox 360
The Xbox 360 is the second video game console produced by Microsoft and the successor to the Xbox. The Xbox 360 competes with Sony's PlayStation 3 and Nintendo's Wii as part of the seventh generation of video game consoles...
version 49.15% and 49/100, and the PC version 48.52% and 54/100.
Many critics took issue with the level design and shooting mechanics, particularly when compared to both the original Duke Nukem 3D and those of other modern-day shooters. Kevin VanOrd of GameSpot
GameSpot
GameSpot is a video gaming website that provides news, reviews, previews, downloads, and other information. The site was launched in May 1, 1996 by Pete Deemer, Vince Broady and Jon Epstein. It was purchased by ZDNet, a brand which was later purchased by CNET Networks. CBS Interactive, which...
felt that the "joy of that game's shooting has been flattened" with "little sense of impact", finding the overall design to be "tedious", and ended his video review by calling Duke Nukem Forever a "bad, boring, bargain bin kind of game". Eurogamer
Eurogamer
Eurogamer is a Brighton-based website focused on video games news, reviews, previews and interviews. It is operated by Eurogamer Network Ltd., which was formed in 1999 by brothers Rupert and Nick Loman. Eurogamer has grown to become one of the most important European-based websites focused on...
commented that "few of the locations [inspired] the sort of exploration and excitement that made Duke 3D such a memorable experience. Duke Nukem Forever is linear to a fault, and huge chunks of the game are spent simply walking from one fight to another through uninspired corridors." IGN
IGN
IGN is an entertainment website that focuses on video games, films, music and other media. IGN's main website comprises several specialty sites or "channels", each occupying a subdomain and covering a specific area of entertainment...
criticized "the frequent first-person platforming segments that make up an unnecessarily large percentage of the story mode", although they stated the "shooting sections are simple fun". Games Radar concluded that "Duke Nukem Forever’s world-record development time has produced an ugly, buggy shooter that veers back and forth between enjoyably average and outright boring, with occasional surges of greatness along the way." GamePro
GamePro
GamePro Media was a United States gaming media company publishing online and print content on the video game industry, video game hardware, and video game software developed for a video game console , a computer, and/or a mobile device . GamePro Media properties include GamePro magazine and...
felt that "Unexpected moments ... are really the game's biggest strengths. But they're few and far between."
Many reviewers questioned the design choices in comparison to Duke Nukem 3D, with Kotaku
Kotaku
Kotaku is a video games-focused blog. It is part of Gawker Media's "Gawker" network of sites, which also includes Gizmodo, Deadspin, Lifehacker, io9 and Jezebel. Named to CNET News' Blog 100, Kotaku is consistently listed in the top 40 of Technorati's Top 100...
stating that "Old-school shooters, and this is definitely trying to be one of those with its basic AI and lack of cover mechanics, always had two great things going for them: speed and a ridiculous arsenal of weapons... Forever eschews this in favour of a plodding pace and two guns." Noting its negative mix with modern shooter conventions, The Escapist
The Escapist (magazine)
The Escapist is an online magazine covering video games, gamers, the gaming industry, and gaming culture. Published by the Themis Group, it was edited by Julianne Greer up to June 30, 2009, then by Russ Pitts through September 2011, and is currently edited by Steve Butts. The Escapist was first...
agreed: "having been almost cryo-frozen for more than a decade, then awoken and peppered with modern touches, feels so out of place."
Another common criticism was with the game's technical prowess (or lack thereof), including inconsistent graphics and overly long loading times, which Game Trailers called "unholy;" GameSpy
GameSpy
GameSpy Industries, Inc., known simply as GameSpy, is a division of IGN Entertainment, which operates a network of game websites and provides online video game-related services and software. GameSpy dates back to the 1996 release of an internet Quake server search program named QSpy. The current...
found the console versions took up to 40 seconds to load a level. Edge commented that "the myriad technical shortcomings – particularly prevalent on the console ports – only get worse the further you progress into the campaign", a view echoed by Game Revolution
Game Revolution
Game Revolution or GR is a gaming website created in 1996. Based in Berkeley, California, the site includes reviews, previews, a gaming download area, cheats, and a merchandise store, as well as webcomics, screenshots, and videos...
: "when they started on the design, that tech was already outdated". The PC version has since been patched to greatly decrease loading times and add two optional inventory slots.
The use of the series' trademark humor received a mixed response. In one regard, some critics such as Team Xbox praised the voice work of Jon St. John
Jon St. John
Jon St. John is an American voice actor and singer. He started his career in voice work in 1975, when he was a Top 40 radio DJ in North Carolina. Because of his vocal talent and technical skills, he was hired as a production director for several US radio stations in cities including: Norfolk, New...
, who did an "excellent job as always with Duke’s persona", whilst others like Machinima.com
Machinima.com
Machinima.com is a gaming and media streaming website, that aims to be a hub for machinima, the art of creating animated videos in real-time virtual 3-D environments. The site features machinima-related articles, and news. Machinima productions can be submitted for possible redistribution after...
appreciated the comedic gameplay tips and pop culture references; however, the same critic also noted that "parts of the narrative and dialogue show clear evidence of the game’s elongated development. Many pop culture references seem so 2002, with one-liners co-opted from 'guy' movies like Old School, Highlander, and Commando, which in itself could cause blank stares from most of the current potential audience." Australian gaming website PALGN
PALGN
The PAL Gaming Network is an Australian based video game news and reviews website that focuses on the videogame industry and culture in PAL territories, particularly Australia and the UK. It was launched in 2003 by a group of PAL forum members on the IGN message boards who were disenfranchised by...
felt the game was "saved only by its humor and nostalgic value." Official Xbox Magazine
Official Xbox Magazine
Official Xbox Magazine is a monthly video game magazine which started in November 2001 around the launch of the original Xbox. A preview issue was released for E3 2001, with another preview issue for November 2001. The magazine is bundled with a disc that includes game demos, preview videos and...
UK thought that the humor "isn't so much offensive or misogynistic as just suffering from an adolescent fixation with boobs and crowbarred-in innuendo." Joystiq
Joystiq
Joystiq is a video gaming blog founded in June 2004 that has since become one of the most successful sites within the Weblogs, Inc. family of weblogs. It is the centerpiece of WIN's own network of video gaming blogs, which also includes a blog dealing specifically with the popular MMORPG World of...
noted that the game's multiplayer mode "Capture the babe" capture the flag
Capture the flag
Capture the Flag is a traditional outdoor sport generally played by children, where two teams each have a flag and the objective is to capture the other team's flag, located at the team's "base," and bring it safely back to their own base...
, involving "spanking a woman into submission," "really is as painful as it sounds." Many critics conversely criticized the characterization of Duke Nukem, declaring his decidedly one-dimensional personality juvenile and outdated in comparison to more recent video game heroes.
One particular section that received considerable criticism is the hive level, in which Duke encounters abducted women who have been forcibly impregnated with aliens, having to kill them before the alien's birth does so. Both the level itself and the inclusion of disembodied, slappable "wall boobs" were listed in GamesRadar's "8 worst moments in Duke Nukem Forever". OXM noted that it "doesn't mesh with the rest of the game's tone at all", and the fact that Duke remains unfazed and continues to crack jokes about the situation was considered "outright revolting," which led to labelling Duke a "thoroughly detestable psychopath" by 1UP
1UP.com
1UP.com is a video game website owned by IGN Entertainment, a division of News Corporation. Previously, the site was owned by Ziff Davis before being sold to UGO Entertainment in 2009....
and Destructoid
Destructoid
Destructoid is an independent video game-focused blog based in San Francisco, California that was founded in March 2006. It has since grown into one of the most widely read video game sites on the Internet, reaching more than 3 million unique visitors per month...
respectively. Zero Punctuation
Zero Punctuation
Zero Punctuation is an ongoing video game review series created by comedy writer and video game journalist Ben "Yahtzee" Croshaw and published by the online magazine The Escapist.-Background:...
noted that the level is "as jarring a shift of tone as you can get without splicing five minutes of The Human Centipede into the middle of Mallrats
Mallrats
Mallrats is a 1995 film written and directed by Kevin Smith. It is the second to be set in Smith's View Askewniverse series of interlocking films set mostly in New Jersey, although the movie was filmed in Eden Prairie Center and Osowski's Flea Market which are located in Minnesota...
".
Many critics cited the long and fragmented development time as a major factor in the finished product. In a positive review PC Gamer
PC Gamer
PC Gamer is a magazine founded in Britain in 1993 devoted to PC gaming and published monthly by Future Publishing. The magazine has several regional editions, with the UK and US editions becoming the best selling PC games magazines in their respective countries...
noted that "years of anticipation will spoil Duke Nukem Forever for some," adding, "There’s no reinvention of the genre here, no real attempt at grandeur... Check unrealistic expectations at the door and forget the ancient, hyperbolic promises of self-deluded developers," and concluded, "Don’t expect a miracle. Duke is still the hero we love, but struggles to keep up with modern times." Game Informer
Game Informer
Game Informer is an American-based monthly magazine featuring articles, news, strategy, and reviews of popular video games and associated consoles. It was formed in August 1991, when FuncoLand started publishing a six-page magazine, free in all its retail locations...
, whilst disappointed in the game concluded "I’m glad Gearbox stepped up and finished this game, but after hearing about it for 12 years, I have no desire to relive any of it again. I’m now satisfied in my knowledge of what Duke Nukem Forever is and ready to never talk about it again. Welcome back, Duke. I hope your next game (which is teased after the credits) goes off without a hitch." GiantBomb however concluded that for those "part of that faction that finds yourself so fascinated by this whole project that you need to know how it ends, I recommend you play Duke Nukem Forever for yourself. But I'd practically insist that you do so on the PC and try to wait for a sale. If you're not willing to play a sloppy, cobbled together first-person shooter just because it has some kind of weird historical meaning, though, just forget this ever happened and move on."
Sales
According to research firm NPD, Duke Nukem Forever sold 376,300 units in its first month (sales results do not include digital copies). Take-Two InteractiveTake-Two Interactive
Take-Two Interactive Software, Inc. is a major American publisher, developer, and distributor of video games and video game peripherals. Take-Two wholly owns 2K Games and Rockstar Games. The company's headquarters are in New York City, with international headquarters in Windsor, United Kingdom...
, the parent company of 2K Games
2K Games
2K is a global developer, marketer, distributor and publisher of interactive entertainment software games. 2K Games is a subsidiary of Take-Two Interactive, which also owns Rockstar Games notable for the Grand Theft Auto series...
, revealed in July 2011 that the game sales were half of their initial expectations. However, in an earnings call on August 8, 2011, Take-Two stated that Duke Nukem Forever would prove to be profitable for the company.
External links
- Duke Nukem Forever News Archive at 3D Realms3D Realms3D Realms is a current video game publisher and former video game developer based in Garland, Texas, United States, established in 1987...
web site - Silverman, Dwight. "Sure sign of the apocalypse: Duke Nukem Forever is completed." Houston ChronicleHouston ChronicleThe Houston Chronicle is the largest daily newspaper in Texas, USA, headquartered in the Houston Chronicle Building in Downtown Houston. , it is the ninth-largest newspaper by circulation in the United States...
. May 25, 2011.