Summary
Duke Nukem 3D (1996) swaggered into the shooter scene chewing bubblegum and kicking ass. Trading corridors for lived-in cities, it let players trash toilets, crack mirrors, and explore levels that felt genuinely alive. Duke's wisecracks never stopped, enemies hit hard, and weapons like the shrink ray encouraged gleeful cruelty. Beneath the attitude was smart level design packed with secrets, interactivity, and freedom. It was loud, rude, unapologetic - and an absolute blast to play.
What it does well
Highly interactive environments, inventive weapons, brilliant level design, strong pacing, and endless secrets to uncover.
Where it falls short
Uneven enemy balance, steep difficulty spikes, and excess bravado not to every taste.
Verdict
A bold, personality-driven shooter that expanded what levels could be while delivering relentless action and attitude.