Duke Nukem 3D: 20th Anniversary World Tour

For those who don't know, Duke Nukem 3D is one of gaming's FPS masterpieces. It was inventive, challenging and charming with the leading legend. We see Duke Nukem crash land on Earth only to discover that Aliens are invading and taking all the babes for their sinister plot. There’s plenty of action as Duke traverses the Globe and into outer space to fight Pigcops, Battlelords and the mighty Alien Queen. Its classic 90’s cheese filled with one-liner’s, pop cult references and of course, pixel boobs. Yeah it’s all very 90’s and the Duke himself may not fit into this PC era, but he’s a classic gaming hero.

I must say than even after 20 years on, Duke Nukem 3D stills holds its own as a highly engaging and enjoyable FPS. The original campaign is still superb with a great variation of enemy types, epic bosses and the awesome selection of weaponry. Duke will get his hands on shotguns, shrink rays, RPGs and of course the use of his Mighty Boot. But Duke Nukem 3D also harboured some of the most inventive level designs and paradises in gaming including a level based on the first Mission Impossible film. Lest we forget a few cheeky winks to other games such as Doom, Serious Sam and Quake with a couple of movie tie-ins as well.

So what do we get for Gearbox’s re-release of this epic title? Well first of all the visuals have received a slight boost for next gen compared to the previous Megaton Edition. Ambient lighting has been put in place, giving the world of Duke Nukem more depth with a great contrast of light, shadow and an injection of colour. While objects and scenery scattered across the world have been smoothed and re-textured for a sharper presentation. Controls have been tweaked to allow for more fluent movement which is greatly accustomed for console gamers. PC gamers might not feel so confident with the new feel but console owners will appreciate the quick movement during hectic encounters.

John St. John even makes a comeback to read over his old lines and record new dialogue for a more expressive Duke. But the main problem I have with this edition is with some elements of sound design. While the soundtrack is good and the voice overs sounding sharper, you’ll notice that gunfire for certain weapons sound muffled and of poor quality. The pistol actually sounds worst compared to the Megaton edition and while weapons like the Deverstator and Chaingun Canon do massive damage their sound effects are just poor in comparison to the impact. It would have been nice to have new sounds integrated for greater impact when firing some of the amazing weapons. Along with this some of the visuals for the weapons look awful as the pipe bomb and the shotgun are noticeably pixelated.
The best addition however is the new chapter entitled “Alien World Order” which features 8 brand new levels created by the original level designers. The new levels include higher quality textures, dynamic gameplay elements, a new weapon and enemy type to create a refreshing Duke Nukem experience. We’re treated to such moments as Duke getting high as a kite and freaking out as the world around him alternates depending on what direction he’s moving.

This brilliantly becomes a lateral component to the level’s design and above all helps for comedy value which we’ve never really seen for Duke before. The variation of locations will see Duke travel from Amsterdam, London, and Paris while he finishes things off in an epic battle by the Hollywood sign. Each level looks amazing and is vastly engaging due to strong elements of exploration, combat and these dynamic twists from the designers. I will admit the collecting of key cards was hit and miss for me as it brought wonderful nostalgia but also felt like a repetitive grind after the first few missions. Thankfully there’s more depth to the gameplay in the new chapter to compensate for this.

You’ll experience a more compelling Duke Nukem experience that’s even more challenging than before. The new chapter can be ruthless as you’ll encounter more enemy types on screen and even frequent sub-bosses pop-ups. This sense of challenge can be good but at certain moments became far too antagonising with an immense amount of enemies or powerful sub-bosses in one segment. This actually works out well for the insane 8 player (up to) co-op and is enjoyably chaotic. While the game is fair enough to keep you loaded with enough ammo for heavier weapons and of course there is the rewind function so newbies can learn from their mistakes.

But sadly the big disappointment to the new chapter lies with three factors. First is the new Flamethrower weapon which is simply a repainted freeze ray and lacks any punch compared to the rest of the arsenal. Then there’s the end boss battle which is an uninspiring re-skin of the Cycloid Emperor with pathetically short ranged flamethrowers. Then the new enemy as well is just forgettable and with no other new creations the new chapters are held back but repetition and a lack of new enemy content. None the less, the new levels are great deal of fun with a fantastic degree of mayhem and carnage. Even the humour has its charm and that Duke flare we love. It even does a good job at making fun of itself and that of Duke Nukem Forever.

Overall this package shouldn’t be missed by anyone who’s not had the pleasure of Duke Nukem 3D. As for old fans who’ve bought previous editions, I’d say it’s a steep price to pay for just a new chapter and some bumped up visuals. But the extra features such as developer commentary are insightful and worth checking out if you’re a big Duke Fan. But if you own the Megaton Edition already it might be worth waiting for the price to drop a little as the new levels, while very entertaining will only last a few. But it’s still truly a massively entertaining game and still holds up well even after 20 years.

+ Excellent and engaging combat
+ Awesome sense of exploration and great level design
+ New chapter, revamped visuals and new Duke talk!

- Some visuals and sound effects are very outdated and poor
- Big factors in new chapter (Boss, flamethrower) are very weak
- Steep price tag for those who bought the Megaton Edition

An Xbox One copy of Duke Nukem 3D: 20th Anniversary World Tour was provided by Gearbox for the purpose of this review