Duke Nukem Forever review

The Duke Nukem series has courted controversy ever since it first appeared and DNF is no exception. As is to be expected, Duke spouts a constant stream of foul-mouthed quips that are only occasionally funny, but the real offense comes from the game’s portrayal of female characters. If Duke’s sexist ranting wasn’t enough, an entirely pointless dream sequence set in a strip club serves no merit whatsoever, unless you find the allure of virtual flesh remotely titillating.

DNF isn’t a bad looking game, but in places it’s clear to see the legacy of several different game engines. Textures are reasonably sharp but the basic lighting and character models are far from cutting edge. The completely static NPC hair models in particular look more suited to Playmobil figures than videogame characters in 2011. Equally frustrating is the amount of time spent waiting for the game to load, even on a high-end PC; levels are often broken up by multiple loading screens, which provide blatantly obvious and unhelpful gameplay tips such as “When being shot at, try to avoid bullets” or “take less damage to avoid being killed”.

We’re pleased that DNF has finally been finished, if only so we can draw a line under the jokes that have peppered its development. It’s a shame that the game feels so incredibly dated; despite the modern game engine and the addition of online multiplayer modes, it still bears the hallmarks of a game from the 1990s. It pales in comparison to other modern shooters and its attempts at comedy offend more than they entertain. Unless you’re desperate for some 1990’s nostalgia, this is one Duke Nukem adventure best left alone.