Duke Nukem Forever Message Board older than one year ago

As Duke Nukem Forever review scores went live across the Internet, The Redner Group, a public relations firm that works with Duke publisher 2K Games, started lashing back at critics.

"#AlwaysBetOnDuke too many went too far with their reviews," read a tweet, now deleted, from The Redner Group's account. "w r reviewing who gets games next time and who doesn't based on today's venom."

That update, and others expressing distaste with scores, has since been deleted. It did not take long for others to dogpile in response, prompting a series of apologies from The Redner Group, including a personal email sent to Giant Bomb and other outlets. The apology appeared sincere.

"I have to apologize to the community," read the public apology. "I acted out of pure emotion. I will be sending each of you a private apology. I need to state for the record that 2K had nothing to do with this. I will be calling each of you tomorrow to apologize. Again, I want everyone to know that I was acting on my own. 2K had nothing to do with this. I am so very sorry for what I said."

2K Games responded today by publicly declaring it had dropped The Redner Group as a firm representing its products. The decision was announced in both emails to press and over Twitter.

"2K Games does not endorse the comments made by Jim Redner and we can confirm that The Redner Group no longer represents our products," said the company. "We have always maintained a mutually-respectful working relationship with the press and do not condone his actions in any way."

Our review of the long-in-development Duke Nukem Forever went up earlier this week.

Getting blacklisted by a publisher is not new. Publishers aren't required to work with any website. The difference is that when this happens, you don't tend to hear about it. Games just don't show up, emails go unanswered. It's part of the job, but what is usually constant is how it's a practice that remains behind-the-scenes. It almost never goes public. In this case, it went completely viral.

Practices like that are why we're always prepared to buy our own review copies, if necessary.

After a short wait and a bit of help from Gearbox, the new shooter from 3D Realms has quietly arrived on PC and console. It stars one Duke Nukem, a man of ACTION, BABES, BICEPS and MILLIONS OF MINI-GAMES. Is it worth a look and some of your money? Let’s see.(more…)

• PC Gamer (80/100): "I'm sure that years of anticipation will spoil Duke Nukem Forever for some-there's no getting around that at the end of that long road is only a good game and not an amazing one. It is what it is. He may not be at the top of his game, but even after all this time, Duke still knows how to party."
• IGN (55/100): "Duke Nukem Forever isn't a revitalization of the early days of the first-person shooter genre or a middle-finger to the increasingly complex and sophisticated nature of videogame entertainment. It's a muddled, hypocritical exercise in irritation with solid shooting mechanics and decent encounter design."
• Guardian (40/100): "A mark for nostalgia then - it's the Duke, after all - and one for the game. If this was 15 years in the making, it makes you wonder what they did for the other 14 years and 10 months."
• Eurogamer (30/100): "For all his muscle and bravado, Duke Nukem is actually a fragile creature. His legacy is based on a specific combination of time and technology and a mercurial element of fun that simply doesn't lend itself to repetition, especially after so long in limbo. The appeal of Duke Nukem lives on. But your time and money would be better spent reliving his iconic past than bearing witness to this gruesomely mangled resurrection."

hmm, they made a typo in the trailer.  It's the 20th anniversary, not the 10th.

Eventually, via dark magicks, I have made Duke Nuke Forever on Steam work. I’ll be playing it on and off during the day, and sharing my thoughts in the below liveblog. No need to refresh the page – just watch and let it happen. And, hopefully, laugh and think about how clever I am. Or how witless and inaccurate I am. That can happen too.(more…)

Today’s the day. Today is the day. The day that over a decade of abject silliness is finally resolved: Duke Nukem Forever has been released. Good grief! It’s actually happened. It’s available in shops, whatever they are, right now, and also on Steam. Unfortunately, a number of players, myself included, are experiencing a problem wherein over 100 game files – including the main .exe – are not downloaded, thus preventing access to the game. (Yes, I’ve tried validating and redownloading; no, it didn’t work). Graaaaaaaah! I hope you’re not prey to it, but it does mean my plans to run an as-I-play liveblog have been denied for the time being.

So, anyone fired it up yet? How’s it seem? And how does it feel, to be playing this game of such infamy?

Today’s the day. Today is the day. The day that over a decade of abject silliness is finally resolved: Duke Nukem Forever has been released. Good grief! It’s actually happened. It’s available in shops, whatever they are, right now, and also on Steam. Unfortunately, a number of players, myself included, are experiencing a problem wherein over 100 game files – including the main .exe – are not downloaded, thus preventing access to the game. (Yes, I’ve tried validating and redownloading; no, it didn’t work). Graaaaaaaah! A final, cosmic joke perhaps? I hope you’re not prey to it, but it does mean my plans to run an as-I-play liveblog have been denied for the time being.

So, anyone fired it up yet? How’s it seem? And how does it feel, to be playing this game of such infamy?