It's no wonder there was a decade long wait for the Sequel to this game. Duke 3D basically steps it up in every way. The Gun play is amazing and the different items you get on top of that make it almost a proto immersive sim. Running through levels that set the goal to feel like real spaces, Duke 3D really achieves an immersive quality of making you feel like an action hero fighting through a dangerous scenario. I'm more pleased with some levels than others.

The game sadly doesn't reach the peaks of LA Meltdown and Lunar Apocalypse in its final level pack of Shrapnel City. That is par for the course for Build Engine Games, but hiding almost one hit enemies behind doors where there's no good way to back out of the fight gets tedious really fast. Other than that, Duke Nukem 3D is a legendary title for a reason. Blow it out your ass!

The few boring space levels drag this down... These real world levels (E1 and E3) are amazing and make Doom cities look like caveman drawings. There is a nice assortment of weapons, but it is a bit awkward to hit binds past 8 for them. I wasn't sure what best to bind them to, so I just left it. Bosses are a letdown, and the normal enemies were alright. I cannot stress enough how much I loved the level design. There are lots of situations where you blow up walls, floors, and ceilings to get to new or secret areas. Entering a newly broken area and it being too dark to see, equipping the goggles to make out the shape of enemies? Probably one of my favourite things when exploring these levels. A few of these secret levels are really creative with how you traverse them. I think the only thing to criticize about levels is how they let you keep the jetpack. You can skip so much in some of them with a previous jetpack when you're meant to be jumping up and across buildings.

It's definitely a different kind of gameplay vibe compared to Doom, though I can't help but realize it's hard to stack up to the Doom II enemy roster either way.

Could you imagine putting George Zimmerman trial references all over a game now...

while Duke Nukem isn't quite as "tactical" as other Build games like Blood, it makes up for it in style and pure fun. i always get a healthy rush of endorphins whenever anything explodes in this game and Duke says one of his one liners. he's one of the most raw protagonists ever conceived

admittedly, episode 1 beats out the other two episodes by a decent margin. that said, i still enjoy both episodes 2 and 3, with 3 being a little bit better than 2. there are a couple of enemies i'm not fond of, like the kamikaze flyers that the game spams in episode 2 and the big flying fat guys that sound like the ugly bastard tag on rule 34. otherwise, i think Duke Nukem has some great, solid level design and a very satisfying game loop. most everything FEELS good in this game, and that's half the battle in a shooter.

I think it's a bit sad that Duke has turned into a meme. Right now he's just brought up to poke fun at DNF, or at some of the admittedly more questionable aspects of 3D. I think there's a lot to love about Duke Nukem 3D even today. It's cheesy, it's a little sleazy (greasy, even), sometimes maybe a hint creepy (though less than people think, ultra-misogynist is more of a DNF thing, 3D is usually fairly tongue in-cheek about it), but it's still got a lot of charm and personality in its every little detail, back when that really wasn't a thing in the genre. Plus, it's still just fun, y'know?

I liked Duke 3D, I thought it was really fun but from what I can tell, it definitely seems like the weakest of the iconic build engine games, at the same time it was kind of the first big one so its forgivable.

The biggest issue that plagues this entire game is the enemy design. Some of the enemies are so much of a chore to fight, specifically the sentry drones, assault commanders, battle lords, turrets and octabrains (kinda).

The sentry drones are the worst, absolutely unbearable. They tank a fuck ton of damage, spawn in the dumbest spots, ear rape you and blow up in your face constantly. To make these guys bearable to fight you have to do the door glitch or just unload into them because they dodge rockets for some reason. Hitler ass enemy, they're up there with the Quake shamblers and the Blood gargoyles.

Assault commanders and battle lords have the same spongy enemy issue, which is normally fine because they're higher tier enemies, however their danger is completely negated by just using the shrink ray and one shoting them which is more efficient and more enjoyable to do because they're not very fun to fight. Especially the battlelords because they're basically just Doom chaingunners that have a fuck ton of health.

The turrets are annoying as fuck because they have a pixel big hitbox and the octabrains are completely harmless because of the fact the devastator one shots them, but I feel like they're not nearly as annoying as the other enemies I listed.

I generally really liked most of the levels but there were a few misses. All of Ep 1 was pretty good tbh, Ep 2 I think is a bit too overhated but it does have some pretty ass levels like Fusion Station and Occupied Station but most of the rest are pretty fine, their biggest issue is all kind of blending in together aesthetically.

Episode 3 is consistently great. Better than 2 imo but there's still some levels I don't care for like Flood Zone which is cool conceptually but its pretty one note and it overly relies on the jetpack as a mechanic which is lame. LA Rumble also jerks off the jetpack a lot but I can forgive it cuz its a pretty cool level. In general, I'll say that all the episode 3 levels are quite varied and unique, which is great.

Everything else about the game is pretty nice, the soundtrack is pretty good, most of the guns are fun (Ice ray is really underutilized though) and Duke Nukem is Duke Nukem so all is good in the world.

Pros: Personality, tons of it. Yeah, the humor hasn't aged well, but Duke's vanilla smooth voice sure has! It's a decent FPS of the day, the kind where you're navigating mazes, looking for key cards, to open doors, which, I actually appreciate quite a bit. The game is fine! Lots to look at, lots to laugh at, it's amateurish, sure, but a solid game!... Damn, this game is good.

Cons: It's so over the top, it's really hard to say something like "Duke is misogynistic" when... c'mon, this is just dumb satire. I can't imagine anyone seriously looking to him as a role model... Then again, he does kick ass and chew bubble gum, despite being all out of gum.

What it means to me: This was my first FPS game next to... Next to Super 3D Noah's Ark. I'm not even kidding. I played these two back to back, and they couldn't be more different! Haha! I had a lot of fun being a little kid laughing at all of the "mature" jokes in this one. I felt a little sneaky playing it when I knew I wasn't allowed to, heheh... It's a good memory for that alone.

ENG: The year is 1996. At id Software they were already thinking of Doom as part of the past. The advent of Quake was imminent, which would have as its main feature the use of real 3D, unlike what was previously shown in Doom which used two-dimensional sprites for certain objects and monsters, among other gimmicks.

Quake sold very well. It was a success without a doubt and its legacy is undeniable. However, for many people, the great FPS of 1996 is nothing more than.... A shooter more like Doom than Quake? Did people not see the future and preferred to stick with what they already knew?

Let me explain. While it is true that Quake revolutionized the genre with its advanced technology for the time, the reality is that for many people the final taste was bittersweet. The terrifying Lovecraftian aesthetics, the music made by Trent Reznor himself that accompanied that feeling, and the predominant use of brown and gray colors, were not to everyone's liking.

Duke Nukem 3D, released a few months earlier by 3D Realms, was nothing of the sort.

With the engine created by Ken Silverman, Build Engine, Duke Nukem 3D was not just another Doom clone. It was the next step. Our protagonist, Duke, was a 100% stereotype of the Hollywood action movies of the 80s. And now we had a character that spoke and reacted to the environment, an environment that now provided believable places with details that the id Tech engine would only dare to dream of. In short, this game stood out for its interactivity with the world around it. It was a game that felt alive. And that was something that neither Doom nor Quake were.

With all that said, it seems that I hate Doom and Quake and Duke Nukem 3D seems to me the Holy Grail of Video Games. Nothing could be further from the truth, id Software games have their own merits that I already mentioned in my reviews of them, and Duke Nukem 3D is not perfect, as much as I would like it to be. The second episode has no place on earth, something that made this game special and by the end it's wearing a bit thin at best.

Despite that, Hail to the King, baby!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iHnPUgHaltw&ab_channel=RedDragonPalace

ESP: El año es 1996. En id Software pensaban ya en Doom como parte del pasado. El advenimiento de Quake era inminente, este tendría como característica principal el uso de 3D real, a diferencia de lo mostrado anteriormente en Doom el cual usaba sprites bidimensionales para ciertos objetos y monstruos, entre otras artimañas.

Quake vendió muy bien. Fue un éxito sin duda alguna y su legado es innegable. Sin embargo, para mucha gente, el gran FPS de 1996 no es más que... ¿Duke Nukem 3D? ¿Un shooter más parecido a Doom que a Quake? ¿Acaso la gente no veía el futuro y prefería quedarse con lo ya conocido?

Déjenme explicarles. Si bien es verdad que Quake revolucionó el género con su avanzada tecnología para la época, la realidad es que para mucha gente el sabor final fue agridulce. La estética lovecraftiana tan terrorífica, la música hecha por el mismísimo Trent Reznor que acompañaba esa sensación, y el predominante uso de los colores marrones y grises, no fueron del gusto de todos.

Duke Nukem 3D, lanzado unos pocos meses antes por 3D Realms, no era nada de eso.

Con el motor creado por Ken Silverman, Build Engine, Duke Nukem 3D no era un clon más del Doom. Era el siguiente paso. Nuestro protagonista, Duke, era un estereotipo al 100% de las películas de acción hollywoodenses de los 80s. Y es que ahora teníamos a un personaje que hablaba y reaccionaba al entorno, entorno que ahora propiciaba lugares creíbles con detalles que el motor id Tech solo se atrevería soñar. En definitiva, este juego se destacaba por su interactividad para con el mundo que lo rodeaba. Era un juego que se sentía vivo. Y eso era algo que no eran ni Doom ni Quake.

Con todo lo dicho, parece que detesto a Doom y a Quake y Duke Nukem 3D me parece el Santo Grial de los Videojuegos. Nada más lejos de la realidad, los juegos de id Software tienen sus propios méritos que ya mencioné en mis reseñas de los mismos, y Duke Nukem 3D no es perfecto, por mucho que me gustaría que lo fuera. El segundo episodio no tiene lugar en la tierra, cosa que hacía especial a este juego y al final se va desgastando un poco a lo mejor.

Pero que mierda digo, yo voy a seguir con Duke, caretas.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iHnPUgHaltw&ab_channel=RedDragonPalace

REALLY fun FPS that my awesome friend @10reviews got me into! Duke Nukem 3D has everything I love in a FPS: a fun variety of weapons, an awesome array of levels, and super cool enemies to blow the heads off of. Best of all, the protagonist himself is really stupid + funny, and his weird quips he lets out are amusing, but done infrequently enough that it doesn't get annoying. There's not much to say about Duke Nukem 3D at this point that I'm sure others have already said much better than I can, especially people who are bigger fans of FPSs - but what I can say is I had a really great time playing it, to the point that I think it's currently my favorite FPS... either that or Half-Life 1. Both are just so good but in different ways!

If you're looking for a raunchy boomer shooter, I can't recommend Duke Nukem 3D enough!

4/5

People give this game way too much shit nowadays, no doubt helped by the aftermath of it's disappointing "sequel" that gaslit everyone into thinking that this franchise always sucked.

But this game still rules for at least 3/4ths of it.

Yes, Duke 3D is likely the weakest game in the Build engine trilogy. But it's still a certified keeper. The character, feel, gameplay and just overall 80s late-night action-movie vibe this game has makes it unforgettable all these years later IMO. Episode 2 is easily the worst set of levels, but E1, 3, and ESPECIALLY episode 4 have some of the best levels I've played in a retro shooter, topped off as well by a still-kicking modding community that still puts out quality maps all these years later.

Biggest problem this game suffers from nowadays is just HOW to play it. Despite having a super solid 5th episode, the recent 20th anniversary port from Gearbox leaves a lot to be desired and just isn't a good port at all. Buy it on ZOOM platform (as it has all the official expansions the Gearbox port doesn't have for some reason) and load it up with Eduke32 and some widescreen mods for the best experience. Treat this game in a bubble, removed from all the disappointment that came after, you'll find this game is still a classic for good reason.

I have an embarrassing story to tell about this game. I like myself a lot of boomer shooters and this was my first Build engine game. I was really enjoying it for the whole first episode, Duke Nukem himself was such a character and the game played in such a fascinating way compared to the Doom engine games I was playing before it. The weapons were sick, the enemies were fun to fight, was really excited to keep playing. And then I hit Episode 2: my first encounter with the Protozoid Slimer. An enemy that goes down in one kick ended up making me shelve the game because it was just too fucking creepy. It would get up on your face and slither in front of the whole screen. I found my heart jumping every single time this happened and a sense of nausea and repulsion just looking at it, it got so bad to the point I had to hype myself up before going into a room where I knew they were. I have seriously bad arachnophobia which could be the cause of why I thought they were so creepy, but yeah. I couldn't bring myself to complete the game because of those little bastards

It's a classic for a reason, even if it never was a personal favorite. Never even fully finished it until now, but i did play the first episode around 100 times and it remains the best one.

Really innovative for it's time, it is wonderfully charming in 80's/90's action movie kind of way. Less charming is the amount of bullshit it pulls, some enemies like the exploding drones and the minigun one are insanely frustrating and annoying. There are so many insta-death traps and unavoidable enemies.

As a shooter it is one of the weakest among it's peers, but the attitude and humor more than makes up for it.

(Duke Nukem voice) It's time to review a video game.

Duke Nukem 3D is a fun little FPS romp. Admittedly, that is undercutting a little since this game was absurdly innovative for its time, showing just how much you could do with the Build Engine compared to earlier FPS engines. It's just that also a lot those things you can do are such exciting things as "hand $100 bills to strippers" and "say a one-liner in response to gibbing an enemy".

In addition to expanding the possibilities of what you can do in an FPS, Duke nukem features a variety of fun gimmicky weapons. There's something incredibly amusing about shooting an enemy with a shrink ray and then crushing them under your foot.

There is also the character of Duke Nukem. New media is usually inspired by older media, and time and time again video games have taken inspiration from films. Duke is meant to embody the 1980s action movie juggernaut with his penchant for explosions, overwhelming machismo, and goofy one-liners. I must admit, I am a fan of modern Duke Nukem memes where he takes this comical overconfidence to more everyday scenarios. At several point I found myself referencing these memes in response to all the goofy things that happen in this game.

All in all, I had a fun time exploring this older title. I only played the first three episodes that made up the base game, but who knows, maybe I'll give The Body a try. Maybe see if I can find any of the other old Duke Nukem expansions lying around. The vacation-themed one seems particularly amusing to me. And that's not even getting into my desire to play the still-in-development ultra-british fan pack, Duke Smoochem.

If you buy this game, make sure to play it through EDuke32.