History VideoGame / DukeNukemForever

* On one hand, it's a [[FirstPersonShooter first-person shooter]] and the fifth main installment in the famous saga of VideoGame/DukeNukem, known for jumping back and forth between DevelopmentHell and actual production for around 15 years, holding the Guinness World Record for the longest development period for ''any'' video game until it was surpassed by ''VideoGame/BeyondGoodAndEvil2''.

-->-- [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_5svP9Wu0nk This trailer]]

* CaptainErsatz: Lenoman is, of course, a portmanteau of both Creator/JayLeno and Creator/DavidLetterman, both popular and rivaling talk show hosts. Taking the joke further, his middle initial is "O", as in Johnny O'Lenoman, as in [[Creator/ConanOBrien Conan O'Brien]], and Johnny, of course, refers to Creator/JohnnyCarson.

* On one hand, it's a [[FirstPersonShooter first-person shooter]] and the fourth main installment in the famous saga of VideoGame/DukeNukem, known for jumping back and forth between DevelopmentHell and actual production for around 15 years, holding the Guinness World Record for the longest development period for ''any'' video game until it was surpassed by ''VideoGame/BeyondGoodAndEvil2''.

This is not the end to the story, however. In May 2022, a functional and playable development build of ''Forever'' from 2001 was leaked onto the internet. Thus, modders are working diligently on the ''Duke Nukem Forever 2001: Restoration Project'', which attempts to both faithfully recreate DNF as it was originally intended back in 2001, as well as make the Duke Nukem franchise relevant again. An early access "First Slice" of the project [[https://www.moddb.com/mods/dnf2001-restoration-project/downloads/duke-nukem-restoration-first-slice-10 was released on December 22, 2022.]] Featuring the first episode, with eight main levels and one secret level. The demo was an immediate hit, garnering more than 11,000 downloads within just its first two days.

* ActorAllusion: In the Japanese dub, this is not the first time we hear Creator/FumihikoTachiki (Duke Nukem) voicing a main character who [[spoiler:[[Anime/NeonGenesisEvangelion doesn't get the girl(s) after having to deal with an alien invasion]]]].

[[SavedFromDevelopmentHell Against all odds]], the game was finally released on June 14, 2011 for UsefulNotes/Xbox360, UsefulNotes/PlayStation3, and PC on DVD or via UsefulNotes/{{Steam}}, [[MilestoneCelebration just in time for Duke's 20th anniversary]]. The [[http://www.dukenukemforever.com/hailtotheicons Hail to the Icons Parody Pack]] was released on October 11 as the game's first [[DownloadableContent DLC]] pack. It includes four new maps, each making fun of an iconic FPS series with a parody weapon based on said series, and three new game modes. A second DLC pack titled "[[Film/TheSpyWhoLovedMe The Doctor Who Cloned Me]]", released in December 2011, has a smaller campaign taking place right after DNF's ending which gives proper closure to the story along with four new multiplayer maps.

This is not the end to the story, however. In May 2022, a functional and playable development build of ''Forever'' from 2001 was leaked onto the internet. Thus, modders are working diligently on the ''Duke Nukem Forever 2001: Restoration Project'', which attempts to both faithfully recreate DNF as it was originally intended back in 2001, as well as make the Duke Nukem franchise relevent again. An early access "First Slice" of the project [[https://www.moddb.com/mods/dnf2001-restoration-project/downloads/duke-nukem-restoration-first-slice-10 was released on December 22, 2022.]] Featuring the first episode, with eight main levels and one secret level. The demo was an immediate hit, garnering more than 11,000 downloads within just its first two days.

** Lampshaded even further when an EDF commander sends a rookie with you and even says "Try not to let him get his ass killed." Of course he immediately goes running into a hail of bullets at the first opportunity, a reference to his name and also probably a joke about terrible team AI in FPS games.

** "Duke one, gears nothing!"

** "I hate valve puzzles!"

** [[http://cdn.gearboxsoftware.com/dukenukemforever.com/assets/audio/DUKE_Map03_Line_04.mp3 This]] is the first time we have ever heard Duke truly angry. Not just "[[TranquilFury This really pisses me off]]", but ''tangible human rage''. Duke loves his babes, and by God does he hate aliens.

[[quoteright:250:https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/rsz_dnfupdcoverart_1_7690.jpg]]
[[caption-width-right:250:Time to cash in your bets.]]

This is not the end to the story, however. In May 2022, a functional and playable development build of ''Forever'' from 2001 was leaked onto the internet. Thus, modders are working diligently on the ''Duke Nukem Forever 2001: Restoration Project'', which attempts to both faithfully recreate DNF as it was originally intended back in 2001, as well as make the Duke Nukem franchise relevent again. An early access "First Slice" of the project [[https://www.moddb.com/mods/dnf2001-restoration-project/downloads/duke-nukem-restoration-first-slice-10 was released on December 22, 2022.]] Featuring the first episode, with eight main levels and one secret level.

This is not the end to the story, however. In May 2022, a functional and playable development build of ''Forever'' from 2001 was leaked onto the internet. Thus, modders are working diligently on the ''Duke Nukem Forever 2001: Restoration Project'', which attempts to both faithfully recreate DNF as it was originally intended back in 2001, as well as make the Duke Nukem franchise relevent again. An early access "First Slice" of the project was released on December 22, 2022. Featuring the first episode, with eight main levels and one secret level.

This is not the end to the story, however. In May 2022, a functional and playable development build of ''Forever'' from 2001 was leaked onto the internet, along with its source code, in essence meaning there is nothing stopping interested modders from building on the leak. Only time will tell if it actually happens, though.

* On one hand, it's a [[FirstPersonShooter first-person shooter]] and the fourth main installment in the famous saga of VideoGame/DukeNukem, known for jumping back and forth between DevelopmentHell and actual production for around 15 years.

* CosmeticAward: Aside of the achievements, simply leveling up (No challenges required) earns you decorations for "My Digs", which when selected takes you to a whole separate floor of Duke's casino which you can explore at will, much like Croft Manor in ''VideoGame/TombRaider''. Most of these are just photos of Duke doing manly things or giant gold statues of naked babes.

* CaptainErsatz: Lenoman is, of course, a portmanteau of both Creator/JayLeno and Creator/DavidLetterman, both popular and rivaling talk show hosts. Taking the joke further, his middle initial is "O", as in Johhny O'Lenoman, as in [[Creator/ConanOBrien Conan O'Brien]], and Johnny, of course, refers to Creator/JohnnyCarson.

* On one hand, it's a [[FirstPersonShooter first-person shooter]] that continues the famous saga of VideoGame/DukeNukem. It jumped back and forth between DevelopmentHell and [[SavedFromDevelopmentHell actual production]] for around 15 years.
* On the other hand, it's become an industry-wide RunningGag when talking about VaporWare. While the game was still in production, it was frequently used as a punchline in the same way as "[[CueTheFlyingPigs when pigs fly]]" or "when hell freezes over", thanks to its [[ScheduleSlip constant delays]] and ''"When It's Done"'' release date set by its original developers; the gaming equivalent of ''Music/ChineseDemocracy'', if you will.

[[SavedFromDevelopmentHell Against all odds]], it finally became available on June 14th, 2011 for UsefulNotes/Xbox360, UsefulNotes/PlayStation3, and PC on DVD or via UsefulNotes/{{Steam}}, [[MilestoneCelebration just in time for Duke's 20th anniversary]]. The [[http://www.dukenukemforever.com/hailtotheicons Hail to the Icons Parody Pack]] was released on October 11th as the game's first [[DownloadableContent DLC]] pack. It includes four new maps, each making fun of an iconic FPS series with a parody-weapon based on said series, and three new game modes. A second DLC pack titled "[[Film/TheSpyWhoLovedMe The Doctor Who Cloned Me]]", released in December 2011, has a smaller campaign taking place right after DNF's ending which gives proper closure to the story along with four new multiplayer maps.

This is not the end to the story, however. In May 2022, a functional and playable development build of ''Forever'' from 2001 was leaked onto the internet, along with its source code, in essence meaning there nothing stopping interested modders from building on the leak. Only time will tell if it actually happens though.

* MercyKill: In The Hive, Duke Nukem can remorsefully put out of their misery the women that have been impregnated.

* MoodWhiplash: The infamous 'Hive' level.
* MultiBoobage: The Alien Queen. Duke notes that he'd still hit that.

!!2001 Build

* DenserAndWackier: Compared to Duke's earlier outings, the amount of sexual content/low-brow humor is increased drastically in frquency.

* YourCostumeNeedsWork: In "The Doctor Who Cloned Me", the robot (who thinks you're also a robot) testing your voice module is initially not convinced that you sound like Duke Nukem.

* AdaptationalWimp: The final boss of ''Duke Nukem 3D'' appears as the first enemy you fight in ''Duke Nukem Forever''. He's understandably much weaker as a result; his devastator has a much slower rate of fire, no longer kills you in two shots, and his alternate attack of a spread of mindblast projectiles has been replaced with a single slow-moving easily dodged shockwave. Somewhat justified in that he's a character in an in-universe video game that Duke is playing apparently based on the events of ''3D''. [[spoiler: You then meet and fight the real Cycloid Emperor at the end of the game, and he's pretty much the same as the video game version, only with more phases]].

* RantInducingSlight: Justified in that beer is a PowerUp, which the aliens were trying to keep it from Duke.
-->'''Duke:''' Looks like those alien bastards drank all my beer!"