My collectors edition arrived today and i tried to install it and the cd key doesn't work.

Oh joy.

Okay i've completed the game, i will give my two cents on it.

The game was okay and at parts quite challenging.

I will focus on the negative points first. To appreciate this game you really have to look at its development. It's nothing new to anyone here that the game was in development hell. Here's the thing, when you finish the game - this isn't really a spoiler... you unlock extras such as classic game cheats like big head mode and stuff, but you also unlock a development timeline and a series of screenshots.

The game in 2001 is exactly the same (based on screenshots) as the game that was released today - albeit the graphics were poorer. The screenshots even matched exact locations in the game to the extent that all that seems to have been done to the game since 2001 was an upgrade of graphics.

Graphics is something that does not really WOW me in a game. As long as i can make out what i am looking at it doesn't really bother me how good they are. The graphics in the game for a game released today are subpar. They are kinda blocky in places - imagine sort of Doom 3 graphics but slightly better. Like i said the graphics mean nothing to me so i am not that bothered. I assure you that any machine running modern games today should be able to run the game on ultra graphics.

In terms of gameplay this is were the game sort of disappoints. Two of the big protests when the demo was previewed at pax and people played the demo for themselves was the "ego" system and the two weapon limit. I will address the two weapon system first.

The general consensus when people saw it was two weapons was a backlash that the game was trying to cater to the modern gamers. This is true but the two weapon system i found wasn't as bad as i thought it was going to be. The guns are lying about everywhere so you just need to pick them up when you need them which basically means the weapons are readily available anyway, the only difference is that you need to run over and lift them.

I found the best thing to do was to carry one bullet based weapon and the other an explosive based weapon. That way you can counter almost anything. The problem is that the weapons also run out of ammo pretty quickly.

When i played the demo there was a section were you had to go down into the mines in a puzzle-esque style gameplay of pushing minecarts and using them to get over gaps. In that section there were no guns and i had no ammo and had to resort to punching my enemies to death.

As well as the two weapons, trip mines and remote detonated bombs are bound to keys meaning you can throw them as you will. Overall the two gun system was a hinderance but the game was still playable.

The biggest problem i found with the game and this let me down so much - the ego system. To be fair the ego system was in the game since 2001 as indicated by screenshots, so regen health was always 3d realms idea to put in the game.

The problem with regen health as compared to CoD is that they are two different types of games. Although i don't like regenerating health it makes sense with the CoD series. It doesn't within Duke Nukem. It is not a cover based game. There are large areas with no cover in which you will constantly get pummeled by enemies. There is no wall for you to hide behind and regenerate your health - especially problematic when in some cases the enemies have melee attacks and will run up to you, so even if you are behind a wall you are gonna get killed.

This system is such a game breaker. To be fair you can still play DNF like an old school shooter but your old school shooter skills better be dusted off. Towards the end of the game when you get used to the ego system you can basically strafe like a mofo around everything.

The basic point i try to make about the health system is that Duke Nukem is not a cover/tactical based shooter and therefore it should not be a part of the game. The game does not flow well with Duke gunning then getting hit and then running off to stand behind a wall.

I should explain the ego system more. Basically the start of the game is borderline infuriatingly difficult because of it. The ego health bar can be upgraded by doing actions in the game - interacting with the environment like i dunno, slapping a pair of tits gives you +1 to max ego.

At the start of the game your ego is extremely low and nearly everything kills you in 1 hit. One of the reasons why strafing around in the late game works is because you have more health to do so. No longer does two hits from a pig cop obliterate you instantly.

Now for some general problems. I found myself getting stuck in the scenery a lot - especially in the driving sections. The vehicle tended to get stuck in walls and even at one point when i went over a jump i stuck between two platforms which i laughed hard at. Also the vehicle steering is quite bad. I never got used to it by the end of the game.

Also the enemies and the game environments. The pig cops weren't cops - not a major gripe but still they weren't cops. I won't spoil anything here but the environments weren't that varied. There are basically two main areas in the game - that's it.

Now for the good parts.

Although the game i mentioned had problems with the ego system. Eventually you learn to ignore that and the game becomes fun - also when your ego bar is increased. There are parts of the game which have nothing to do with shooting and there are a number of "chapters" based on basically being Duke Nukem - one at the start of the game and one in transistion between the two major areas of the game - these areas are quite hilarious and adult orientated.

In these areas there are also lots of minigames which are achievement/trophy based. Like get a highscore in pinball or beat whack-a-mole or something of that kin. These are actually frustratingly hard and i didn't bother with them really.

The music in the game is really really really good. Theres your basic metal chugging songs - as you all know the theme and then there are the orchestrated parts and dance tunes - it has it all really! Sadly i can't the soundtrack anywhere online but it's really really really good and fits well with the game.

I'll also mention there is a fair bit of nudity in the game - nothing more to say other than that - if you get off to 3d titties good for you lol.

The story is basically the typical Duke has to save the world caper. It's a bit more in depth than that and i won't reveal anything e.g. one of the things it mentions on the back of the game box is that they are stealing earths women - its revealed in a chapter why they are doing that.

I wasn't expecting an award winning story or anything so basically it's what you should expect from a Duke game.

The sound effects are good with the usual Duke taunts when he kills something -
"EAT SHIT AND DIE". There is enough variation in them that it doesn't become repetitive.

As for the guns there is a good variation in them. The typical human tech - pistol, shotgun, machine gun, rpg and then the alien technology - plasma based guns and then the sort of trademark Duke weapons - freeze gun and shrink ray. There is a slight problem with these weapons since you can only carry two weapons it's often not viable to even carry them.

The best parts of the game and the sort of "gimmick" is the: (i've put in spoilers though you've probably seen it in the screenshots)

[SPOILER:fc134d501b]parts were you get shrunken down by the alien slime. Basically in these parts you are shrunk down to the size of a rat and you have to traverse the area. This gives a unique perspective on the game as you can play in the area as a normal sized Duke and then get shrunk down and access areas/interact with stuff you couldn't interact with before. The level is Duke Burger is a great example of this were you have to traverse the shelving and cooking appliances to turn off the electricity effecting the water [/SPOILER:fc134d501b]

Overall the game has it's pros and cons and it's an okay game - a bit disappointing with respect to a few design choices but overall not a horrible game.

username wrote:

nice review alowishus heres the metacritic lineup for the xbox360 version (im sure its the same as the PS3) http://www.metacritic.com/game/xbox-360/duke-nukem-forever/critic-reviews

Haha thanks, it was just meant to be short then it became that.

Honestly i would give the game a 6/10.