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[Campster]

This game has been in development for 14 years and finally just now came out. How can you possibly not look at in a different light?

More to the point - what does 'a different light' mean, exactly? I haven't played the game yet; I don't have a first light.

 

[Zomba13]

Anyone here saying Duke Nukem Forever should be looked at in a different light has no credibility. Duke Nukem 3D sure as hell wasn't and it still became classic. Prey wasn't. Final Fantasy 13 wasn't. Maybe MGS4 was, but that changed very quickly.

Yeah. It shouldn't be looked at in a different light. I think some reviews aren't looking at it as a game released today, but as a game that has taking over a decade to release and are being more harsh to it as a result. I mean, some places are giving it lower scores than Wii/DS shovel ware. It may not be your cup of tea but it certainly isn't worth a 2 or 3 out of 10 like some places are giving.

 

[MasterShotgun]

The game just unlocked for me. Hell yes.

EDIT: Bah! It has to decrypt first. Once that's done, then the fun shall begin.

 

[outsidah]

I must be doing something wrong then, I've got it installed to an SSD and the load times are longer than that, much longer.

I've got an SSD and load times are no more than 10 secs max.

 

[Luigi87]

Hell is officially facing an ice age now.

 

[Salsa]

Yeah. It shouldn't be looked at in a different light. I think some reviews aren't looking at it as a game released today, but as a game that has taking over a decade to release and are being more harsh to it as a result. I mean, some places are giving it lower scores than Wii/DS shovel ware. It may not be your cup of tea but it certainly isn't worth a 2 or 3 out of 10 like some places are giving.

Agreed. Reviewers taking into account the history of the game is working for bad instead than good. They are not reviewing it as just a game that came out this day.

 

[(._.)]

UNLOCKING CANT WAIT

 

[Neuromancer]

Yeah. It shouldn't be looked at in a different light. I think some reviews aren't looking at it as a game released today, but as a game that has taking over a decade to release and are being more harsh to it as a result. I mean, some places are giving it lower scores than Wii/DS shovel ware. It may not be your cup of tea but it certainly isn't worth a 2 or 3 out of 10 like some places are giving.

The blood's in the water for the snarky enthusiast games media, that's for sure.

 

[AgentOtaku]

unlocking!

 

[Salsa]

Enjoy it dudes, waiting to hear how you liked it

 

[Jintor]

Agreed. Reviewers taking into account the history of the game is working for bad instead than good. They are not reviewing it as just a game that came out this day.

Yeah. It shouldn't be looked at in a different light. I think some reviews aren't looking at it as a game released today, but as a game that has taking over a decade to release and are being more harsh to it as a result. I mean, some places are giving it lower scores than Wii/DS shovel ware. It may not be your cup of tea but it certainly isn't worth a 2 or 3 out of 10 like some places are giving.

Honestly, as a game that just came out this day it's still a bad game, although I haven't gotten very far in it just yet so maybe it gets a lot better once I get out of this goddamn Casino

This is looking like a game I'm going to play through just so I can complain about it online. > > Which is a terrible way to play games, but I won't feel justified in my criticism until I finish it.

 

[Deleted member 81567]

2s and 3s mean it's fucking unplayable. Hyperbole at its finest.

 

[FGMPR]

It's funny how so many reviewers have all of sudden become incredibly uptight about the games content. DNF is the least serious game I believe I have ever played whilst reviewers are constantly attacking it for being in bad taste. Half of the games in the past 10 years have seen protagonists due some of the most fucked up shit, and yet, DNF of all games is the one getting picked on about it. It just seems odd that something like MK can get away with cheesy fatalities of the most atrocious things, and yet if I enjoy DNF, I'm suddenly a sociopath.

Jim Sterling really is a fucking pathetic creature, btw.

 

[Mr. B Natural]

This game has been in development for 14 years and finally just now came out. How can you possibly not look at in a different light?

Because it's still a video game that you plug in your system and play? It does nothing different in that regard? Because how does that matter to anything as a consumer other than silly trivia?

2's and 3's mean it's under average. Unplayable would not warrant a review at all. You don't see 2's and 3's because reviewers are cowards.

If DNF isn't well below average then what the hell is average and how in the world do you go under it? What needs to be done here in this game to warrant being "under average" to some gamers these days?

 

[Jintor]

2s and 3s mean it's fucking unplayable. Hyperbole at its finest.

a 0 or a 1 would mean it's unplayable on any decent review scale. 2s and 3s just indicate that it's bad. If you want to get away from 7.7 reviews then you have to accept that the lower end of the scale exists.

 

[Deleted member 81567]

0s and 1s games don't even exist. 2s and 3s are just too harsh. I can accept 5s even 4s. Games like the next gen Bomberman game get 2s and Duke Nukem shouldn't even have a similar score next to that crap.

 

[Mr. B Natural]

0s and 1s games don't even exist. 2s and 3s are just too harsh. I can accept 5s even 4s. Games like the next gen Bomberman game get 2s and Duke Nukem shouldn't even have a similar score next to that crap.

well that's the average metacritic score, so what's the problem?

And stop comparing what got what. I hate that shit. well, blankety blank got a 8 so why did blankety bloo get a 7? Oh stop it.

 

[saunderez]

Even Rogue Warrior was "playable", it was just complete and utter trash. DNF doesn't come close to how horrible Rogue Warrior was either.

 

[funkystudent]

finished.


ehh. Its ok. Not the worst thing ever.

its not that long ether. Randy was hyping it up to be some kind of monster long game but it took about 7 hours.

 

[Chiggs]

finished.


ehh. Its ok. Not the worst thing ever.

its not that long ether. Randy was hyping it up to be some kind of monster long game but it took about 7 hours.

7 hours?!

That is unbelievably lame.

 

[dream]

This game has been in development for 14 years and finally just now came out. How can you possibly not look at in a different light?

I do understand having to look at the game in a different light because of that, but I don't think 14 years of development hell gives the game a pass for how poorly it apparently turned out.

ArsTechnica just published their review too, btw. It's as scathing as the rest of them. They also address this "it's not meant for you" sentiment:

There's a feeling among some fans of Duke Nukem that anyone who dares to give a bad review to a Duke title simply doesn't understand what the game is trying to do. We need to relax, goes the argument, relax enough to laugh at the rampant misogyny and hateful stereotypes on display throughout the game. If a review suggests that it's not funny simply to hear someone use dirty words, that's the reviewer's failing, not an issue with the game. Any hint that constant jokes about penis size aren't the height of comedy? The reviewer must not have a sense of humor.

The fans are wrong. One can laugh at jokes about men and women, and there's nothing wrong with being risque, but Duke is thoughtless, backwards, and belligerent. Duke Nukem Forever is the kind of game where you find a pack of cigarettes whose cover shows a mustached man wearing leather—and they're called "Faggs." At some point, matters of personal taste become simple questions of basic decency.

 

[luka]

7 hours?!

That is unbelievably lame.

Took me about 10 hours on hard, going out of my way to explore and find all the ego boosters. I didn't rush.

My steam copy just downloaded and I'm going to start my second playthrough.

 

[Square Triangle]

Not really surprised about the reviews, I thought the demo was terrible. Hopefully the game hits a good price, I'd still like to play it.

 

[Kintaro]

Haha. The reviews and comments on Duke's character/jokes are playing right into Gearbox's hands.

 

[dream]

One of the commenters on Ars called it "Daiktana-bad."

 

[Neuromancer]

I do understand having to look at the game in a different light because of that, but I don't think 14 years of development hell gives the game a pass for how poorly it apparently turned out.

ArsTechnica just published their review too, btw. It's as scathing as the rest of them. They also address this "it's not meant for you" sentiment:

I guess GTA gets a free pass from them for having a scooter called The Faggio. Just throwing that out there.

 

[saunderez]

And yet again another review that insults me whilst insulting the game.

Thanks Ars Technica! I'll be sure to read again in the future.

I'm fine with the game getting bad reviews, but what's with every second reviewer trying to insult fans of the game?

 

[luka]

One of the commenters on Ars called it "Daiktana-bad."

I don't think anyone comparing anything to Daikatana has ever actually played Daikatana.

 

[dream]

I guess GTA gets a free pass from them for having a scooter called The Faggio. Just throwing that out there.

The problem I'm having is I don't disagree with you about most of what you're saying. It drives me nuts when people are oversensitive about humor.

To me the difference between GTA 4's Faggio and Duke's Faggs is the Faggio is actually funny because it's...such a dainty little scooter. Calling a pack of cigarettes "Faggs" is just straight out of 1997 -- it's boring, not shocking, and really just way too easy.

The bigger problem is every review seems to indicate the gameplay in Duke Nukem Forever only exists to take you from one bad joke to the next. Playing through shitty levels with the payoff being shitty jokes just doesn't seem like a great way to spend $60.

 

[QisTopTier]

And yet again another review that insults me whilst insulting the game.

Thanks Ars Technica! I'll be sure to read again in the future.

I'm fine with the game getting bad reviews, but what's with every second reviewer trying to insult fans of the game?

If you haven't realized yet that most reviews tend to cater towards the masses and try to please them yet.... well just stop reading reviews

 

[Jintor]

And yet again another review that insults me whilst insulting the game.

Thanks Ars Technica! I'll be sure to read again in the future.

I'm fine with the game getting bad reviews, but what's with every second reviewer trying to insult fans of the game?

It's probably because a lot of fans of the games are insulting reviewers...

 

[Salsa]

some quotes from the ArsTechnica review:

In the first few moments of Duke Nukem Forever, your character pees in a urinal and then earns an achievement for reaching into a toilet and extracting a piece of human excrement. Why does the game reward you for doing this?

Every time I put the controller down, I felt the need to rub my hands on my jeans as if the game were making me physically dirty

When you hold down the left trigger, you don't bring up iron sights

There's no animation of lifting the gun, although at least with one weapon, you do get a scope. It all feels like something out of a game from 15 years ago.

Reviewer also complains about loading times and framerate, and from the mention of a controller, plus this closing comment:

I have to install and play this piece of garbage on the PC to see how that version holds up, and make sure there's nothing to be salvaged from the multiplayer

Its clear he's playing the 360 version.


just FYI.

 

[Spoo]

Really enjoying the game so far; it has its fair share of problems, but overall, the level design is actually a great throwback to Half-Life 2 style of puzzles -- in that, you have to use a modicum of thought and maneuvering to complete them -- and the humor is, despite what paid critics out there have to say, decidedly Duke-like. There's really nothing to complain about when it comes to the gunplay -- it's fast and fun and nothing more or less.

And I say that as a Duke fan, sure; not someone who's been panning the game's development time every chance he gets only to chomp at the bit to write some scathing click-bait for angry fans, or whatever.

As far as problems go, visually, it's a mixed bag, but performance is solid on PC. If, however, the visuals of DNF are a deal-breaker, it's a wonder why anyone's crying foul long after we've known how it looks.

Finally, it's great that the game is offending the butt hurt critics. I would expect nothing less from a Duke title.

 

[Aaron]

To me the difference between GTA 4's Faggio and Duke's Faggs is the Faggio is actually funny because it's...such a dainty little scooter. Calling a pack of cigarettes "Faggs" is just straight out of 1997 -- it's boring, not shocking, and really just way too easy.

Huh? They're both the same lame and incredibly easy joke. They're thoughtless. The difference is with GTA the faggio is more outside of the norm than the typical humor. It's something that belongs more to Saint's Row.

 

[sk3tch]

Just unlocked it on PC...a nice surprise so far has been the multiplayer! It's real simple but it's fun. Bad surprise: the performance. I have an i5 2500k @ 4.7GHz (quad core) and a GTX 580 @ 930 MHz and I'm getting around 60 fps most of the time (1080p, all maxed, and v-sync is off - on Win7 64-bit). Totally weird.

 

[Jintor]

Man, the iron sights comment just seems ergregious

Also, DNF was the last place I would have expected to hear a Princess Bride reference

 

[luka]

There are a few kind of boring levels, but stuff like Duke Burger and Shrunk Machine are amazingly clever and not at all unpleasant to look at.

 

[Salsa]

I have an i5 2500k @ 4.7GHz (quad core) and a GTX 580 @ 930 MHz and I'm getting around 60 fps most of the time (1080p, all maxed, and v-sync is off - on Win7 64-bit). Totally weird.

?

 

[FGMPR]

some quotes from the ArsTechnica review:










Reviewer also complains about loading times and framerate, and from the mention of a controller, plus this closing comment:



Its clear he's playing the 360 version.


just FYI.

Anyone flat-out demanding iron sights for every FPS should not be reviewing games.

 

[saunderez]

It's probably because a lot of fans of the games are insulting reviewers...

After they already put out the reviews bagging out the game and insulting the fans? Can't imagine any fans were bagging out the reviewers before the reviews got released.

If you haven't realized yet that most reviews tend to cater towards the masses and try to please them yet.... well just stop reading reviews

Luckily I stopped ages ago. I think it's done me some good too, I don't feel like I have near as much as a cynical view of games if I don't go into them with pre-existing opinions.

 

[Choc]

2s and 3s mean it's fucking unplayable. Hyperbole at its finest.

this is quite frankly the most ridiculous thing i have ever read. You people argue that journalists never use the full /10 score rankings

people start to do it, and you get commenst like this.


0/10 means its unplayable

well thats how it should be anyway. and anyway on 360 at points IT IS unplayable due to framerate

 

[Shurs]

Havent came across any reviews that reviewed the PC version.

Here's one by Alec Meer of Rock, Paper, Shotgun

It’s a misfire as a Duke Nukem project, it’s a misfire as a first-person shooter and it’s certainly a misfire as a legendary game we’ve waited over a decade for. I also agree with any sentiment that argues it was always impossible for any Duke Nukem Forever to live up to its hype and infamy, but that doesn’t give it a free pass to be quite so patchy and thin, to be forgiven for being this irritating, uneven mess.

It means well, I have no doubt of that. It wants to be loved, it wants to make us laugh, it wants to show us big things exploding, it wants us to not get bored, it wants us to have ‘fun.’

Unfortunately, too much of that depends on thinking the presence of Duke is in and of itself ‘fun’ enough. Take him (or at least the vague, fan-fiction-like concept of him, which is what we really have here) away, and what’s left? The trailers for about 30 different games from 1997-2011 stitched awkwardly together and made passingly interactive, with little rhyme or reason.

 

[Salsa]

this is quite frankly the most ridiculous thing i have ever read. You people argue that journalists never use the full /10 score rankings

2s and 3s are unplayable CONSIDERING the fact that they never use the full score rankings.

Here's one by Alec Meer of Rock, Paper, Shotgun

I read the one from Alec, and i respected it a lot more than the other ones. He makes it clear that its from his point of view by going "i simply dont like it". That's totally fine with me, never said i found it good for everyone.

As far as other PC reviews go, we have:

 

[saunderez]

well thats how it should be anyway. and anyway on 360 at points IT IS unplayable due to framerate

It's not unplayable. That is the hyperbole. If its able to be played from start to finish then clearly it's not unplayable. People have finished DNF on the consoles therefore totally playable.

 

[The Xtortionist]

Duke Nukem Forever is one long corridor. You shoot your way through it, then there's a joke about a penis, then you shoot through another corridor—and then maybe you backtrack!—and then someone says something with curse words in it because that's edgy. With no exploration, no sense of joy at discovering something, there's no real way to forge your own path in the game. It's all point A to point B.

You could change a few words here and there to describe 90% of all shooters released this gen.

 

[saunderez]

You could change a few words here and there to describe 90% of all shooters released this gen.

Sounds a lot like Halo if you take out the cursing. Because you know Master Chief doesn't say much and all.

 

[funkystudent]

well at least they wont be short of box quotes next time they release a Duke game.

 

[Choc]

Its clear he's playing the 360 version.


just FYI.

is it the journalists fault that 2K is sending out Xbox 360 by default?

Should the journalist have to specifically ask for PC? no.

2K is happy to have 360 represent its game and the journalists are doing their job.

 

[sk3tch]

?

I should be getting over 100+ fps. It's just uneven. The demo would be 100+ fps in some sections and others it'd dip super low. This game is ancient. Should not push my hardware like that at all.

 

[Choc]

It's not unplayable. That is the hyperbole. If its able to be played from start to finish then clearly it's not unplayable. People have finished DNF on the consoles therefore totally playable.

you can finish it sure. but there are points in the game (namely the fight with the big alien thing in the hive) where it becomes a slideshow quite often.

that is not a spoiler, it was in the trailers.