Monday, June 20, 2011

Duke Nukem Forever - PS3 - The Good Review: Sort Of

Its done, finished on Hard mode. Having finished it and thinking back on all the reviews that this game got, I have to wonder what all these guys were even thinking, or at least their thought process.

What really makes this all fit together is the extras after you beat the game. Its gives you a timeline of Duke Nukem Forever dating back to 1997, to the announcement trailer to the selling of companies, changing of hands, etc,etc. It gives a detailed timeline of what happened over the years.

It also has a art gallery that dates back just as far, showing you all the models, the the blocky models from 2001, the crappy textures from the olden days, its all very interesting to look at it.

But if anyone looked at all of this, like me they should have realized why the game is the way it is. Its no problem to see that this game is pre-2001 with a coat of paint. Looking at all the videos, behind the scenes, you can see that the stuff they had in 2001, 2004, 2006 are all in today's game. THAT is where the problem lies, sure that stuff would have be Ok years ago, but people have since then seen some pretty cool changes in the FPS genre. As a result, Duke falls into a dated style of gameplay that can come off has broken rather than nostalgic.

This is where my opinion differs from the Critics. I don't care that its dated, I don't feel gipped by all that Duke is or isn't, because I am going in with the mind set that I am playing a 2001 Duke game with semi-decent graphics.



You can really see that Gearbox just took what already existed and slapped in new models and textures and did the best they could with what time given to try and make it to today's standards, but it clearly needed at least another year or better yet, scrap what already was there and make their own version.

I could go on and talk about the controls and so on, but theirs no point. Everything that is Duke we've already seen and played, YEARS ago! We're not getting anything new here. The animation is downright laughable, the controls are decent enough, but holy cow did I ever get stuck on things when trying to run away. The graphics are sub-par, but other times they are decent enough, the levels are nothing to write home about, at times they feel really empty. The girls in the game are NOT sexy by any means, they come off more has a awkward dancing, as if Mom decides shes going to give a strip show for the next family dinner. Its just bad!


BUT!! and there is a big BUT! knowing and seeing all this. What really makes this game either a AWFUL failure of a game or a enjoyable playable one is the mindset that the gamer has while playing it.

Take this game for what it is, Its a 2001 Duke Nukem game with absolute dated controls/look/feel and set up for that time era. If you can't play anything that doesn't resemble COD, Battlefield or any other popular FPS. DON'T buy this game because it will not meet any expectations.



I guess it boils down to this, the same game looked at with two different perspectives, gives you two different views of the game. One is a playable -dated 2001 game with an attempt at today's graphics. The other is a game that doesn't even compare to what most FPS gamers play today and there fore is utter garbage and broken.

I had a good time with it, I played far worse games out there such as Damnation and Haze. For me, I can see what the critics are saying, but its almost like they are leaving out half the story. It be like going to court and only hearing the prosecution.


For me the game is like someone baking a cake with their only ingredients is flour and toothpaste. Then when you have something that resembles a cake, people then go,"Man, this is a shitty piece of cake, some of the worse I've ever eaten". Well no kidding dumbass, its made out of toothpaste and flour.

This game falls under, turn your brain off at the door or at least acknowledge what this game is. If you can't do that, then you won't enjoy it, simply as that. Currently, its not full price at $53, which is what I picked it up for. But for alot of gamers, I think to really make this game ring true, $30 is a more acceptable price to go back in time and playing something that is entertaining. I've had my chuckles and laughs here and there, and I've had my my COME ON!!?? moments as well.



This game is not a failure by far, its more of a "What the hell did I just play!?"
Take that how ever you like...again..depends on the mindset of the gamer. You can choose either way. I choose to believe that I am eating chocolate poop.

Here is the 2001 E3 Duke Trailer, just as basically the same as today's game or least you get the idea.

4 comments:

Kelli said...

I saw the scores for this game and it left me with question marks floating in my head, so I guess I should ask what did you like most about the game (if applicable), and if you don't mention it already how was the action?

Blake said...

What I liked most about the game was the interaction with all the mundane activities. Picking poop outta the toilet, Seeing what I can turn off and on, open, grab, making popcorn, playing pool, pinball, etc,etc.That and all the Easter eggs such as special case dialogue referring to something in the real world.The inclusion of other game characters(won't spoil it beyond that)

Although these activities get more and more sparse as you get further into the game, which i guess makes sense, cause you are getting into more alien territory. But it does seem like they ran out of time to throw more of those side activities in.

The action, goes from being no where to hide from bullets, to moving from area to area solving a minor puzzle and finding a secret area with no enemies. I honestly was happy when I just made it past a part that I died again and again to have a area that had no enemies.

But I guess I have to say that when the action was there, it was fun, but it did seem sparse in areas.

Kelli said...

So is this game is based on just random events and actions??? does it have a story?

Blake said...

Yeah, there's a story that picks up from where the last game left off. Its very superficial, but its there.

FIND US ON THE PLAYSTATION NETWORK