Duke Nukem Forever

 PC
User Score
5.8

Mixed or average reviews- based on 1276 Ratings

User score distribution:
  1. Positive: 488 out of 1276
  2. Mixed: 358 out of 1276
  3. Negative: 430 out of 1276
Buy Now
Buy on

Review this game

  1. Your Score
    0 out of 10
    Rate this:
    • 10
    • 9
    • 8
    • 7
    • 6
    • 5
    • 4
    • 3
    • 2
    • 1
    • 0
    • 0
  1. Submit
  2. Check Spelling
view
per page
  1. Veska
    Oct 2, 2014
    5
    t is game for console, not for pc. Four weapons in Duke game? Really? Autoheal? Really? What the ♥♥♥♥ is this? I try to love this game, but it is so boring. I want end it before game ends. Locations in game were designed by 5 yers old kid: Interesting maps? Forgot for it. No jetpack, nightvison causes pain of my eyes..And enemies? One thing, that´s good in this game. But if you want playt is game for console, not for pc. Four weapons in Duke game? Really? Autoheal? Really? What the ♥♥♥♥ is this? I try to love this game, but it is so boring. I want end it before game ends. Locations in game were designed by 5 yers old kid: Interesting maps? Forgot for it. No jetpack, nightvison causes pain of my eyes..And enemies? One thing, that´s good in this game. But if you want play Duke with 4 weapons and autoheal, play something else, what has not developed in 10 years and ended disastrously. The game is a disappointment for me.… Expand
  2. popisju
    Nov 27, 2013
    2
    Horrible this game is...The only thing keeping it from getting a 0 or a 1 is the beginning. You get this whole huge thing of looking back at the old game and I like that. Other than that I'm sorry to say this but....you will have a better time playing Call Of Duty:Black Ops II. Witch itself is a really bad game...
  3. harrydh
    Jan 12, 2014
    10
    Un juego Bastante entretenido, que tardo en llegar, un poco raro la jugabilidad con respecto a la versión original o el primero pero sin duda un clásico cumplido, buenos diseños de monstruos niveles y graficos, aunque un poco corto ojala haya venido junto con su dlc who cloned me, aun asi se realizo un buen trabajo, quede satisfecho pero debería de haber salido un par de años antes yUn juego Bastante entretenido, que tardo en llegar, un poco raro la jugabilidad con respecto a la versión original o el primero pero sin duda un clásico cumplido, buenos diseños de monstruos niveles y graficos, aunque un poco corto ojala haya venido junto con su dlc who cloned me, aun asi se realizo un buen trabajo, quede satisfecho pero debería de haber salido un par de años antes y habría cautivado 100% a mas de los fans.… Expand
  4. quakke
    Mar 8, 2014
    2
    I did not wait 12+ years to have a generic CoD clone.

    DNF is not what it was supposed to be. It was supposed to be a good old school FPS sequel to Duke3D. Instead it turned into what was popular at the time (Call of Duty). Just a modern game for the casual gamers. Because the gameplay mechanics are from Call of Duty, cinematics are from Call of Duty, quicktime events are from Call of    I did not wait 12+ years to have a generic CoD clone.

    DNF is not what it was supposed to be. It was supposed to be a good old school FPS sequel to Duke3D. Instead it turned into what was popular at the time (Call of Duty). Just a modern game for the casual gamers. Because the gameplay mechanics are from Call of Duty, cinematics are from Call of Duty, quicktime events are from Call of Duty, linearity is from Call of Duty.

    I can't stress it enough how disappointed i am in DNF. I mean in Duke3D you proceed on your own pace, you take time as much as you want to, and you go where you want to go. But DNF says where you can go and where not (just like a typical modern on-rails FPS does). You have to keep hiding behind cover like a true coward to be able to regenerate your ego (health), because otherwise Duke will die from 2-4 shots. That doesn't sound like Duke to me, and it actually is not Duke. It's just another very lame Modern MIlitary Shooter disguised as Duke. Healthregen, weapon limit, sprint, linear level design and everything. Typical modern game.    … Expand
  5. CCPD
    Jan 26, 2014
    9
    Great Duke Nukem humor, fun experience, nostalgic scenes and not as bad as many people, who probably haven't even played Duke Nukem 3D, would tell you. Yes, it feels rushed, which is probably the result of developers got tired of having it lying around. Nothing very special but a very good time killer and does have the replay value. Apart from a little outdated graphics I enjoyed playingGreat Duke Nukem humor, fun experience, nostalgic scenes and not as bad as many people, who probably haven't even played Duke Nukem 3D, would tell you. Yes, it feels rushed, which is probably the result of developers got tired of having it lying around. Nothing very special but a very good time killer and does have the replay value. Apart from a little outdated graphics I enjoyed playing it, and would recommend it anytime.… Expand
  6. Gregg
    May 30, 2014
    8
    Despite what many people that DID NOT FINISH wrote in here, I'll be crystal clear and give you a BS-Free review. However, I'll put aside the LOOOOOOOOONG development time (13 yrs) to give you an objective and unbiased review. NOTE: To those reviewers out there, please, some advice: Finish the game before reviewing it and review the title for what it is, Duke Nukem, nor CoD orDespite what many people that DID NOT FINISH wrote in here, I'll be crystal clear and give you a BS-Free review. However, I'll put aside the LOOOOOOOOONG development time (13 yrs) to give you an objective and unbiased review. NOTE: To those reviewers out there, please, some advice: Finish the game before reviewing it and review the title for what it is, Duke Nukem, nor CoD or Battlefield.
    PROS - Humor, game mechanics work well, gore, puzzles Half-Life style, chicks, the game kept the original Duke style and feel (from Duke Nukem 3D)
    CONS - Some graphic issues, no manual save feature (game saves using checkpoints), weapon arsenal limited to 4 (you can replace them at any time in-game, tho), many annoying jumping puzzles
    BOTTOM LINE: If you enjoyed Duke Nukem 3D, grab this title on the next sale and add it to your collection. It's worth it.    … Expand
  7. FairGame
    Jun 14, 2014
    10
    I honestly found nothing wrong with the game, everything seemed really smooth, from the humor, to the graphics and the minigames. I can understand it when people say "It wasn't worth the anticipation" and "We've moved on since then". But the game should be played with a conscious reminder that DNF is what it was suppose to be back in 2001, and shouldn't be compared to any other games forI honestly found nothing wrong with the game, everything seemed really smooth, from the humor, to the graphics and the minigames. I can understand it when people say "It wasn't worth the anticipation" and "We've moved on since then". But the game should be played with a conscious reminder that DNF is what it was suppose to be back in 2001, and shouldn't be compared to any other games for it's time. The game has had a very tough history, and people need to be grateful that there was any sort of release at all.

    I'm a Duke fan till the end, and Duke Nukem Forever rocked!!    … Expand
  8. Captain_Chaos
    Jun 22, 2016
    8
    6/19/2011: Don't believe the reviews. Duke Nukem Forever is a good game, and even it if it wasn't, it'd still be hilarious. It's not the greatest game ever made, but it was never supposed to be. It certainly shouldn't have taken 15 years to make- but because of that, I got the chance to play the kind of shooter I played back in the day, with flavor and variety. The fact that this game was6/19/2011: Don't believe the reviews. Duke Nukem Forever is a good game, and even it if it wasn't, it'd still be hilarious. It's not the greatest game ever made, but it was never supposed to be. It certainly shouldn't have taken 15 years to make- but because of that, I got the chance to play the kind of shooter I played back in the day, with flavor and variety. The fact that this game was panned makes me think that somewhere along the line, everyone forgot what shooters were about and played too much Call of Duty. If you're not the kind of person who can appriciate some crude humor, world interactivity, just enough puzzles to not be annoying, Grade-A testosterone poisoning and straight-up Duketastic old school action, then feel free to sit down and shut the hell up. Otherwise, step right up and GET SOME.… Expand
  9. TLN
    Feb 15, 2018
    10
    Duke Nukem is just like a wine - the more time passes, the better if feels. DNF brings back that feeling of old classics that would meet an expectation of old fans, remembering how it was to kick ass and chew bubblegum. Graphics are of no essence, action is on level it should be, and difficulty is fair, as well as ass-kicking jokes.Duke should not be compared to any other action game ofDuke Nukem is just like a wine - the more time passes, the better if feels. DNF brings back that feeling of old classics that would meet an expectation of old fans, remembering how it was to kick ass and chew bubblegum. Graphics are of no essence, action is on level it should be, and difficulty is fair, as well as ass-kicking jokes.Duke should not be compared to any other action game of present times, as it is unlike any of them, just as it was in the age of DN3D. If you try to do such comparison - you're doing it wrong. Like - can you really compare a cup of green tea with a gallon of beer?… Expand
  10. joao_da_silva
    May 21, 2020
    0
    Parabens 3D realms. 10 anos e voce nos da esses pedaço de m***a? Serie duke nukem foi pro limbo.
  11. Biggun
    Oct 10, 2022
    10
    Le Duke tel qu'on le kiffe macho grossier brutal sexiste. Le seul point faible du faible les combats contre les boss sont assez pénibles.
  12. dziubaty
    Nov 11, 2022
    10
    It's an excellent title, I had a lot of fun, I expected it, I'm a fan of the saga, sometimes I play the first title, recommended.
  13. chenocorp
    Sep 29, 2013
    6
    Juego bastante sólido, apesar de que en la mitad se aleja de entornos divertidos y originales y se mete en las cavernas y fábricas de siempre. No es mal juego, dura 6 horas en fácil y es disfrutable.
  14. Ulfhedinn
    Jun 25, 2020
    8
    To be fair, this turned out to be as expected, an enjoyable homage to DN3D, It nods its head to oldschool, even if it has its foibles (2 weapon loadouts grr). I for one grew up at the right time and had the opportunity to play wolfenstien 3d, doom (and all its incarnations) quake etc. etc. (and ofc. DN3D) on thier respective first releases. I for one have missed the borderline humour,To be fair, this turned out to be as expected, an enjoyable homage to DN3D, It nods its head to oldschool, even if it has its foibles (2 weapon loadouts grr). I for one grew up at the right time and had the opportunity to play wolfenstien 3d, doom (and all its incarnations) quake etc. etc. (and ofc. DN3D) on thier respective first releases. I for one have missed the borderline humour, gibbing and no story line, "kill everything that moves" types of games. DNF is fun and most negative reviews seem to come from the console kids of today the have no respect for thier elders, if it wasn't for 3d Realms, ID software and the like, you wouldnt have Call of battlefield - Medal Mass Halo Dragon war 3.… Expand
  15. Ordish
    Dec 2, 2012
    6
    After playing the originals in the series when they were first released I can say that this episode of the series was true to the original as far as comedy, crudeness, and innuendo. That being said, the game mechanics were pretty bad considering the amount of time spend in development. It isn't a terrible game, but it certainly didn't bring the duke back in style.
  16. Deadly
    Jan 30, 2016
    6
    It's a half decent linear shooter if you're a fan of Duke Nukem if you're not then it will just feel like an outdated game, it's level design isn't brilliant, weapon variety isn't as good as it could be, no jet pack in campaign.

    But hey if you appreciate the cheesy stuff it will keep you going I sure did, the mechanics are solid enough, there just isn't enough breathing room to play in    It's a half decent linear shooter if you're a fan of Duke Nukem if you're not then it will just feel like an outdated game, it's level design isn't brilliant, weapon variety isn't as good as it could be, no jet pack in campaign.

    But hey if you appreciate the cheesy stuff it will keep you going I sure did, the mechanics are solid enough, there just isn't enough breathing room to play in the levels imo.

    PS Stop giving the game 0/10 and 10/10 ffs that sort of stuff ruins metacritic scores that could be useful to everyone just give it fair score.    … Expand
  17. Wazzles
    Feb 5, 2015
    6
    This game has a bad reputation because of it's over-long development, so that alone skews many critic and user scores. I like to look at this game in two ways: both how it stands alone and how closely it lived up to the hype. I'll start with the latter: it didn't. Not even remotely. If I were to score it based on hype alone, I'd say somewhere around a 2-4, but I think it has more to offerThis game has a bad reputation because of it's over-long development, so that alone skews many critic and user scores. I like to look at this game in two ways: both how it stands alone and how closely it lived up to the hype. I'll start with the latter: it didn't. Not even remotely. If I were to score it based on hype alone, I'd say somewhere around a 2-4, but I think it has more to offer if you pull it out of that context. This game is fun. I really enjoyed playing. It's got good gunplay, good interactivity, good multiplayer. Where it fails is tone- it eschews the parody nature of Duke 3D and falls into the territory of self-parody. Duke is no longer the homage to b-list action and horror movies and stands out as all that was wrong with 90's video game characters. His swearing also feels incredibly forced, and as a result loses much of its humor. There's not much more to say about it, but if you are interested in this game's history or older-style FPS games, buy this game on Steam when it is $5 or less.… Expand
  18. NappaStriker
    Jun 6, 2012
    7
    The king is back in Duke Nukem Forever! The game is in my opinion a very fun game that captures the duke nukem feel greatly. The game visuall isnt very impressive, it could easily pass for a ps2 game sadly. But at the end of the day its still duke and it dilevers in a amazing way. I would recommened it to any fan of fps games!
  19. Garian
    Jun 26, 2020
    6
    I enjoyed the game to a degree. The Duke's funny lines and the story, while predictable, was pretty entertaining. Though to be fair, the majority of the enjoyment was just through comedy. Some of the levels were quite ridiculous and took really long to complete/figure out what to do, it didn't feel like a 2011 game at all, it was great only as a self-parody.
  20. TheUnbeholden
    Nov 9, 2013
    5
    There is something wrong here... I don't mean the horrendously long development time and all the jokes its suffered over the years... but the game that we ended up getting.

    It seems like 3d realms just took some idea from the previous game (duketalk, enemies and weapons) and did nothing to improve on it. Same enemies and same weapons, only difference is, Duke has more to say this time    There is something wrong here... I don't mean the horrendously long development time and all the jokes its suffered over the years... but the game that we ended up getting.

    It seems like 3d realms just took some idea from the previous game (duketalk, enemies and weapons) and did nothing to improve on it. Same enemies and same weapons, only difference is, Duke has more to say this time around.

    Everything new like Regenerating health & 2 weapon limitation,
    just seems to me that who ever made this thing forgot what made Duke great. It was the multilayered level design! Here theres no secrets to find or optional routes to take.
    2 weapon limitation makes certain weapons useless because you need 1 that has decent ammunition as well as one that fires explosives to take on bosses. Guns like the shrink ray will see zero use... not to mention less guns means LESS FUN.
    Then theres things like Duke commenting on how the Power Armor from master chief is for yet Duke health regenerates like power armor. Retarded.
    Duke says "I hate valve puzzles", yet we are forced to do them anyway.
    Then theres the lame turret sections.

    They had a good idea with the Ego health system in Manhattan project, that they could have expanded upon.. find new and interesting ways to give Duke health, like for executions, headshots, for finding secrets/saving babes, freezing enemies and shattering them, or squashing a shrunken enemies, blow them up into gibs could give bigger ego boosts... drinkin beer & punching enemies in the face... instead they just gave us health regeneration & said 'that'll do'.

    Heres what we ended up with:

    +High level of interactivity
    +Hearing Dukes voice again, and boy does he have alot more to say this time around
    +A few vehicle sections where fun although would have preffered to shoot and drive at once
    +Average storyline with some jokes that are funny while others are hit and miss.

    -Linear & bland level design
    -functional but bland gameplay
    -Health regeneration ruins what challenge it could have had
    -2 weapon limitation
    -Really bad puzzles that feel out of place
    -Lame turret sections
    -Unplayable mini games, something as simple as pinball barely works
    -The 4 new weapons are some generic alien ones
    -Only one new boss
    -No Jetpack in single player

    +A recently released patch allows for Duke to carry 4 weapons. So thank god Gearbox came to their senses, but even so, it feels like only a SDK can save this game.

    Now that Gearbox has conveniently given Duke Nukem 3D: Reloaded guys (Interceptor Entertainment) the go ahead to release their title (after they have already moved on) now that DNF isn't selling DLC anymore, it just seems like our only hope for a good dukenukem game is up in the air.

    I'm disappointed in Gearbox for not giving DNF enough development time, and 3d Realms for wasting so many years making a rather average shooter that any professional development studio could have made in 2 years, and probably would have been better than what we got.    … Expand
  21. 1am4critic
    May 6, 2014
    4
    This game is very bare bones. Don't know what took the developers so long, but it doesn't even seem like a game that took really long to develop. Graphics are mediocre, jokes are bad. Duke Nukem has never been less bad ass. Plot was also incredibly unreasonable, and what is up with the really bad references to other video games?
  22. pierrem
    Sep 27, 2014
    7
    This game came from another time. Even on release it was old. As a 2005 game would have been great. Still feels good to play. Best fit to retrogamers!!!!!!!!!!!
  23. jkrules
    Oct 16, 2013
    5
    This game had me waiting for years. I desperately wanted to like this as much as I did Duke 3d, but sadly I can't. The game wasn't as fun as I hoped and I seem to feel it strayed away from the Duke "feel". The graphics were already outdated on release(Not saying they are terrible) and the level design seemed boring and felt rushed. I really hate to say this about a game with Duke Nukem inThis game had me waiting for years. I desperately wanted to like this as much as I did Duke 3d, but sadly I can't. The game wasn't as fun as I hoped and I seem to feel it strayed away from the Duke "feel". The graphics were already outdated on release(Not saying they are terrible) and the level design seemed boring and felt rushed. I really hate to say this about a game with Duke Nukem in the title but I was very disappointed with the release.… Expand
  24. TheExtraGuy
    Sep 16, 2014
    8
    Some of the critics I've seen gave this game a 0. I don't think this game deserves that low of a score. I personally liked this game, maybe because I didn't hype myself up for this game, I was excited sure but I knew that after 12 years of waiting it wouldn't be **** spectacular.

    It's a Duke Nukem game, people say he's a relic from the 90's... no **** People say he hasn't aged well in    Some of the critics I've seen gave this game a 0. I don't think this game deserves that low of a score. I personally liked this game, maybe because I didn't hype myself up for this game, I was excited sure but I knew that after 12 years of waiting it wouldn't be **** spectacular.

    It's a Duke Nukem game, people say he's a relic from the 90's... no **** People say he hasn't aged well in modern times... well I still think the Duke has a lot more personality than a lot of modern shooter characters would love to melancholy over. I also seen some complaints with the story... well how the **** do you write a story so compelling with a Muscled up dude spouting one liners stolen from pop culture, killing aliens and saving babes? It's no Mass Effect and certainly no Walking Dead! If someone wants to take the story seriously, be my guess, but I'm going to call you an idiot for doing so.

    The gameplay is nothing short of amazing, it's just run of the mill pretty much, simple yet fun, that's why I like it. Plus the interactivity with the world around you is something I have always adored in any game, Half Life and Deus Ex come to mind in terms of shooters. The only thing that was **** was **** Pinball and Air Hockey! Trying to get the Achievements for them was **** impossible!
    The only thing that is pathetic is the melee, gone is your mighty boot (at least not when it's an execution move) and now it's just a weak bashing attack with your gun.

    Overall this game isn't horrible, but it's not exactly great either. It's no Duke Nukem 3d but it's still fun to play in my opinion. If you're going to buy it, get the PC version, which is the definitive version since you have better graphics and you can carry 4 weapons at a time which is a whole lot better than the measly 2 CoD/Halo standard.    … Expand
  25. Warlord8
    Jan 15, 2014
    7
    This is Duke. He's back. He's badass and does what he always did well. Harass people, kill aliens and desire women.

    The game has problems with bugs, AI and weapons carried are only two, which is horrible, but it is the good old Duke where we left it. Maybe it's me who lives almost of nostalgia, but I've found that the game hits the spot and gives Duke a good game. I honestly don't know    This is Duke. He's back. He's badass and does what he always did well. Harass people, kill aliens and desire women.

    The game has problems with bugs, AI and weapons carried are only two, which is horrible, but it is the good old Duke where we left it. Maybe it's me who lives almost of nostalgia, but I've found that the game hits the spot and gives Duke a good game. I honestly don't know what people were expecting. Maybe too much as always.

    Grab the gun, get in the fight and kill those damn aliens and save our chicks !    … Expand
  26. N1CK3Y
    Apr 21, 2015
    6
    This game has received some harsh criticism, which is understandable for reasons that should be obvious to most. This game has been in development hell for 14 years, after all, so people were expecting a lot from it. The undeniable fact is that Duke Nukem Forever did indeed not deliver quite a few of its promises. BUT it is objectively a decent game and I had fun playing it.
    First of all,    This game has received some harsh criticism, which is understandable for reasons that should be obvious to most. This game has been in development hell for 14 years, after all, so people were expecting a lot from it. The undeniable fact is that Duke Nukem Forever did indeed not deliver quite a few of its promises. BUT it is objectively a decent game and I had fun playing it.
    First of all, I didn't encounter any bug, which can't be said about quite a few other games.
    Secondly, even that is not a major factor for me, the graphics are fine. True, there were games with far better graphics at the time but Duke Nukem Forever was in not THAT ugly.
    The gameplay is okayish. There are more than a few lousy choises, such as the "Ego bar", the puzzles and a few QTEs.
    The story is decent as a whole but the humour is totally lame.
    A 6/10 sounds fair to me.    … Expand
  27. harryjc
    Jan 14, 2014
    7
    This game is not as bad as people say -- it's certainly not a 2 out of 10. Now I know it's not the best game ever, but it's fun, if you like the Duke Nukem series. Although I can see why it gets such a low rating. The humor is very offensive and sexist, plus there's swearing.
  28. NiVy
    Jan 26, 2014
    2
    If you hate making choices and the feeling of accomplishment then you will love this game. Everything is event based. Sometimes you will be thrown into some boring mini game that is actually more enjoyable then the game itself. My 3 year old loved the toilet humor tho, so her making me laugh earns this game 2 points.
  29. Arleos
    Jul 23, 2014
    7
    Arleos
    I really liked this game, it may not be perfect but a dicsent shooter,I can see where some of the criticsism come from about the some of the weird and somewhat disgusting sexual content. I just feel that it`s been judged far to harsly
  30. PyongyangMayor
    Aug 18, 2014
    3
    This game is infamous for being delayed for 13 YEARS (from 1997-2011). This was originally gonna be a PS1/N64 title but due to some stupid **** this game got delayed again & again & again. It kinda shows. This game feels like it wants to be a new shooter but can't be. It's pretty bad. If you want a new, good shooter, get Battlefield Bad Company, CoD 4-BO1 or damn near anything else (justThis game is infamous for being delayed for 13 YEARS (from 1997-2011). This was originally gonna be a PS1/N64 title but due to some stupid **** this game got delayed again & again & again. It kinda shows. This game feels like it wants to be a new shooter but can't be. It's pretty bad. If you want a new, good shooter, get Battlefield Bad Company, CoD 4-BO1 or damn near anything else (just don't get Aliens: Colonial Marines or Rogue Warrior) This game sucks balls.… Expand
Page:

Awards & Rankings

14
#14 Most Discussed PC Game of 2011
29
#29 Most Shared PC Game of 2011

Critic Reviews

All reviews »
Metascore
54

Mixed or average reviews - based on 48 Critic Reviews

Critic score distribution:
  1. Positive: 7 out of 48
  2. Mixed: 24 out of 48
  3. Negative: 17 out of 48
  1. GamingXP
    Sep 12, 2011
    55
    Duke Nukem Forever would be quite decent if one felt entirely certain it's intended purely as a self-parody. As is, it doesn't do the expectations, the buyer or the Duke justice – oh, had he rather remained a vaporware legend!
    Read full review
  2. PC Gamer UK
    Aug 6, 2011
    29
    Petty, nasty and anachronistic. Duke is only relevant as a warning from the past. Avoid these mistakes, developers. [Aug 2011, p.76]
  3. FiringSquad
    Aug 1, 2011
    72
    Bottom line: Duke Nukem Forever was not worth the 15-year wait, nor is it worth paying the full $50. However, I cannot deny that I thought it was both fun and funny, which at the end of the day is what this franchise is all about.
    Read full review
See all critic reviews »