Mar 31, 2012
Button Up! | Phase Me
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Button Up! | Phase Me
Scratchin' Post: A look at the Duke Nukem Forever Demo!
Closer and closer draws the day we thought might never actually happen...the release of Duke Nukem Forever! And today was an important day as well for gamers who wield the code for Duke's First Access Club. Today marked the release of the exclusive demo for members of Duke Nukem Forever and I'm here to spill all the amazing delicious beans about it.
Taking place over three areas, the demo is about 30-45 mins long with a good number of weapons to try out. During my first playthrough I found 7 glorious weapons to cause trouble with: a M1911 hand gun, a shotgun, a Railgun, a RPG, the Shrink Ray (with stomping action!), a triple barreled "Ripper" machine gun and the Devastator (double barreled rocket launcher!). I also carried a number of Pipe Bombs which you can throw and then detonate for explosive fun. There was enough variety to make me want more but also give me a sense of not being stuck with a small contingent of weapons.
Beginning in the Detonators Stadium the demo opens with a classic Duke Nukem moment...a pissing joke. You're then walking into a briefing on how the EDF plan to attack the giant Cycloid awaiting you on the football field. You can interact with the whiteboard (drawing on it, erasing stuff,etc) as well as trigger a funny exchange with an EDF soldier who wants Duke's input. There's not much else but following along until you get the Devastator and get delivered to the field for the Cycloid battle. Once you beat the giant, the demo reveals you're actually Duke playing Duke Nukem Forever while getting *ahem* an oral ego boost from twin sisters. In another great meta moment one of the girls asks Duke if the game was any good. He responds that after 12 fucking years it should be.
The next segment of the demo puts you behind the wheel of a Monster Truck. It's a short driving sequence (mostly tutorial) and then the vehicle runs out of gas which puts you in the next section: a shootout with enemies at the Anderson Mine Canyon while hunting for some spare gas. This is where you'll expand your weapons testing and get the first sense of how the shooting and AI mechanics will work in DNF. It's a fun section with great Duke one liners but it feels too short.
After a small rocket fight with an Alien Spaceship, you head into the Mine itself and continue your hunt for gas. There's a couple of minecart riding sequences that are fun, especially the second with enemies running away while on the track as you run them over. I would have loved to do a shootout while riding but maybe I'll get my wish in the full game. While in the mineshaft you can try out another neat gadget in your inventory...night vision Duke shades! You fight a few more enemies and find a gas can and head back to the Monster Truck. Fill'er up and boom you're demo of Duke Nukem Forever is done.
Like I said, it's short, sweet and just enough manly action to really you get you excited for the full release of Duke Nukem Forever. The humor and atmosphere are spot on for classic Duke Nukem fans and I hope the full game has just as much campy fun as the demo has. The best last impression is a screen shot from the developers that says the line: "We're Fucking Bringing It!" and for me that sums up my hope that Gearbox has the brass on their balls to follow through with an amazing Duke experience later this month.