3D Realms
Duke Nukem Forever

LA RECENSIONE

"Duke Nukem Forever" was released with a slight delay of about 14 years, which in video game terms is equivalent to the time between the death of Jesus and the rise to power of Hitler. Setting aside the delays, the title was much anticipated, especially by longtime gamers who fondly remember the 2D Dukes and the legendary Duke Nukem 3D, which at the time of its release was considered technically superior to the first Doom.

Coming to the game in question without rehashing the past, Duke Nukem Forever puts us in the shoes of the ultimate stereotype of a steroid-fueled, pure and hard chauvinist. Duke is so stereotypical and egocentric that he’s funny just for that reason, and there’s no shortage of gags during the missions.

Thanks to the extraordinary Unreal Engine, the graphics and physics engine are up to date; on the contrary, the gameplay proves to be retro and ultra-linear. Throughout the game, you will always have to move forward through the levels, killing aliens and overcoming obstacles. Adding to that frequent loading times for relatively small portions of scenarios, one can understand the reasons why it was panned by critics.

No matter what is said, the last episode of the Duke (pardon the pun) is not at all bad, but after 14 years one expected something more, especially in terms of longevity, given that the total duration is about 15 hours. For those who appreciate foul language, a rocking soundtrack, often vulgar gags, and a sort of satire of the Supermacho where the word narcissism becomes an understatement, there is no lack of fun.

The plot can be summarized in four lines: after having defeated extraterrestrials in the past and saved the earth, Duke enjoys a sort of retirement and lives like a superstar until the day the aliens return to earth to take revenge on our hero. They even steal his two floozies... um, twin girls, thus proving it is a personal matter.

There are no lack of cocky battles against bosses, such as killing a cyclops on a football field and then kicking its eye for a goal.

Duke can take as many hits as his ego bar allows, which works a bit like a protective shield that recharges either after a certain amount of time without taking damage or by giving the coup de grâce to a neutralized alien. This bar increases permanently with each boss defeated, but during the levels, there are many ways to boost it, from weightlifting, to peeing, to winning a minigame, to simply looking at oneself in the mirror.

For the series of women and engines, there will be no shortage of a sequence aboard a powerful vehicle with which to perform feats (a toy car).

If you like the character and want to turn off your brain by "kicking alien asses," to use a Duke expression, you might consider it. However, if you can't stomach excessive linearity and are looking for a deep gaming experience, look elsewhere.