This game has had ALOT of bad reviews, I expected bad reviews anyway, any game that takes 15 years to produce, will have an impossible amount of hype to live up to, so i've picked out a few nice "actual normal person/player" comments which were replies to "bad reviews":
I honestly think people went into this game with the complete wrong mindset. This isn't your Son's game... this is your Dad's game. Given some upgrading and freshness would of been great I flat out honestly never expected this game to be anything different than Duke Nukem 3D. If you were a true fan and kept up with it's progression, you would know that they largely kept what had already been created from previous production. Is the game goofy? Yes. Is the game less "action packed? Yes... but it's part of a classic. Think of it as that third sequel to that really weird Sci-fi movie you loved as a child.. the first was great.. the second was okay.. but you still went to see the third knowing very well it might suck.. simply because you didn't want to miss out on the story. This is what DNF is.
Typical of todays intellectually superior writers to pick on small things and ignoring the actual game. Pissing, picking up poop, and slapping alien created wall boobs are just EXTRAS, they doesn't add anything to the game at all other then activating some useless achievement points. If you don't like these extras, just ignore them and concentrate on the main game. The main game is a complete different beast all together - varying scenarios/maps each different from each other as a desert, dam, strip bar, a burger joint, Las Vegas, underground Duke cave, a kitchen, a Casino, an alien infested hive, Ghost town, Ocean depth, A giant machine whose revolving parts Duke must use to solve a puzzle and move forward etc. Such varied level design is definitely NOT seen in ANY modern FPS games. And add to that different level of pacing for the game involving solving environmental puzzles, slow and easy fight sequences, and then there is tough and intense combat situation, not to mention giant boss battles. The best thing with such huge variety of different levels and different pacing, and different combat scenarios, the game doesn't get boring. What more you want DNF kicks ass. I played the entire game myself to form my opinion - unlike some journalist who does it as a part of his job and desperately tries to show he has grown up beyond 12 by nitpicking on game extras missing the actual game completely! Shame!
I went into this game as if playing an old school game and came out happy. I been looking through reviews and have been dissapointed in that people seem to want a new age unique game, this is a very stupid idea to have for a sequel. Sequels are to repeat the concepts that worked the first time around, which Duke Nukem does.
I think too many reviewers these days are like food critics. If it is a simple steak they simply are not very interested... food does not have to have lovely garnish placed conveniently around it to be special, sometimes it is just a steak.
And my personal favourite:
I don't understand what all the hate is about. This game does not suck, it is a breath of fresh air from all the same repetitive military shooters that are released every month. I've grown tired of military crap after COD being milked like it has and our saving grace is going to be Battlefield? Screw that. DNF is fun, and it's what videogames used to be before people wanted games to be "art".
Now it's time for my review:
* Duke Nukem Forever - By TheKomodo *
(http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4124/4956987098_a6642d2778_z.jpg)
Duke Nukem is one of my favourite games ever, for the last 15 years, me and my mates have been playing Duke Nukem, our favourites being Duke Nukem: Time to Kill, and Duke Nukem 64, we used to play Multiplayer together for hours and hours on end, even now when my mate comes down to stay the weekend we sit and play Duke Nukem 3D and do a level each.
Duke is the one and only muscle-bound godlike and foul-mouthed, 1-man-army of FPS games, if Chuck Norris tried to roundhouse kick the Duke, the Duke would rip of his head and shit down his neck, whilst calmly puffing a cigar and reading a paper.
(http://www.demotivationalposters.org/image/demotivational-poster/0808/where-is-he-duke-nukem-chuck-norris-rnr-demotivational-poster-1218115121.jpg)
For anyone not brainwashed by the present media and bad criticism, Duke Nuke Forever is a classic Duke game, I am only 3 hours into the game, and I am loving it, you are sure to get a laugh from Dukes never-ending 1-liners such as when a EDF Soldier offers Duke some body armor, Duke replies: "Power armors for pussies..." There is also a fun amount of interactive element to the game, from checking yourself out in the mirror, playing slot machines, throwing hoops, to just throwing random things around, some of which will win "Trophies" (PS3 achievements).
Graphics: One of the things I was actually really surprised about, but in a good way, the graphics are not over the top, I personally don't like when one of a games selling points is next-generation graphics, detail and special effects, when it comes to gameplay i'm old fashioned and it's great to be reminded not to care for visual breakthroughs and instead focus on enjoying the game for it's gameplay and fun, it makes me feel like picking up where I left off, instead of thinking like a commercial sheep "Wow, the graphics are so cool!" I am thinking "Hahaha, what's he gonna say next?!" while running around trying to figure things out and tearing alien scum to pieces!
Weapons: I have only tried 5 different types of weapons so far I am already satisfied with the firepower, honestly, it's hilarious and such a rush to send a Pigcop flying backwards into walls/objects with the Shotgun! I can't wait to pick up and test out some new guns. The pipe bombs are deadly! Very effective against a group of Pigcops charging you, also great for tossing at Assault Troopers [Assault Troopers use jetpacks, and teleport around] and exploding in mid-air next to them.
(http://static.gamesradar.com/images/mb/GamesRadar/us/Games/D/Duke%20Nukem%20Forever/Everything%20else/Super%20review/duke1--article_image.jpg)
Vehicles: Although I am sure there are plenty more vehicles to use, i've only used the remote control car so far, and it's a pretty nifty little buggar! For me vehicles is one of the neat advancements which previous Nukems didn't have, which adds a little more variety in the game, and of course fun!
(http://media.giantbomb.com/uploads/1/13686/1289245-duke4may11_00018_super.jpg)
Bosses: I'll keep this brief so there are no spoilers, however I will say i've done 2 bosses already, which is satisfying and although fairly straight forward to fight, you still need to stay alert, when you finally kill them "Duke-Style", you should get a laugh out it.
(http://www.videogamesblogger.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/06/duke-nukem-forever-cycloid-boss-battle-screenshot.jpg)(http://guestcontroller.files.wordpress.com/2011/04/duke-nukem-forever-vegas_7.jpg?w=640)
As a true Duke fan, i'm giving this: 8/10 rating, I haven't finished the game, but I have a feeling by the end of it, i'll be changing it to a personal 10.