A fan project that's been aiming to restore the 2001 build of Duke Nukem Forever has released the "first slice," which is free to download and features the first chapter of the game. Given that Duke himself is known for his iconic one-liners, not to mention his ability to pulverize alien invaders, fans were excited when the follow-up to 1996's Duke Nukem 3D was announced in the late 90s. Sadly, the end result, which spent 14 years in development, was far from what gamers were hoping for.
However, it seems as though the community is not ready to give up on the sunglasses-wearing action star, as this new unofficial release proves. The Duke Nukem Forever 2001 restoration project released a gameplay trailer recently, showcasing exactly what can be expected in these opening moments of the fan-made title. It is, as many can imagine, full of high-octane and guns blazing shoot-em-up goodness, complete with some new lines of dialogue that are part and parcel of this series. And now players can get to grips with what's on offer.
As spotted by DSO Gaming, the very first chapter of this Duke Nukem restoration title can now be downloaded. Fans will find that this portion of the game comes with the first nine maps, one secret level, and a bonus map. The description over on ModDB says this "first slice" includes chapters from the original leak. The project has been created by a development team known as Mighty Foot Productions, no doubt a reference to Duke's kicking abilities, and will hopefully restore the good name of the action hero.
For those who don't know, the project is based on leaks from the 2001 build of Duke Nukem Forever. Because of this, the game obviously looks dated, but it does give some indication of just how long the official release had been in development. Originally slated to launch in 1999, the follow-up to Duke Nukem 3D went through numerous iterations and changed studios partway through before it finally released in 2011, and the reception was not positive.
With its bland action and almost archaic attempts at crass humor, Duke Nukem Forever was able to derail an entire franchise with just one game, becoming one of the most disappointing releases of its generation. However, the fact that the fan-made Duke Nukem restoration project exists and the community is still making mods and custom levels for Duke Nukem 3D shows there may still be hope for Duke in an official capacity.
Duke Nukem Forever is available on PC, PS3, and Xbox 360.
Source: DSO Gaming, ModDB