DUKE 3D review! This is one of a kind with two 
completely different reviews with two completely different 
opinions, combined into ONE! Check it out, and enjoy!

The first one is made by Aaron Hedquist, and the second one by Marty Dodge.

REQUIREMENTS:

- 68040 or PowerPC Macintosh )
- 5 MB free RAM
- 256 color monitor, 13" or larger
- System 7 or higher


Home page: MacSoft.

 

PowerMac: (6 mb)
DOWNLOAD POWERMAC - from www.wizworks.com
DOWNLOAD POWERMAC - from ftp.macgate.se
DOWNLOAD POWERMAC - from www.macledge.com

68k: (6 mb)
DOWNLOAD 68K - from www.wizworks.com
DOWNLOAD 68K - from wwww.macledge.com

MacUser (one extra level): (8 mb)
DOWNLOAD POWERMAC - from MacUser
DOWNLOAD 68K - from MacUser

By Aaron Hedquist Duke Nukem 3D is by far the most fun (and funniest) and multiplayer game I've ever played. It's a 2 1/2 dimensional game, where the walls are 3D, but the objects and monsters are 2D sprites, so they have that strange way of always staring at you like a billboard for Marlboro Country. I really couldn't call that a minus, though, as inferior it seems, because the tradeoff is absolute speed, plus, more compatability on more Macs. The explosions rock, and the sound effects are crisp. What I especially appreciate is the high detail mode, something not available to our PC-based friends, because Duke 3D is a DOS game. There may be a Windows version, but nobody is playing it. So, as a DOS game, which is still the most popular gaming platform (not Windows), developers are left with blocky graphics. If they develop for Windows, their are left with slower response, by all that Windows overhead and less RAM to use, but can support the higher resolutions. As such, ID software for instance, is quite vocal about only developing for DOS. And with Command & Conquer, after Westwood Studios ported it to the Mac, they then used the work on our version (high level of detail, better sound, etc), and ported THAT back to Windows 95, and called it Command & Conquer Gold. But I digress. It's a silky smooth port, thanks to Lion and friends, and even if you don't have a killer system, it should play well with a little tinkering of the graphics settings. Turning down the quality of the sound will also make Duke require less memory, which has a direct effect of speed as well. I ran in on 16MB of RAM, with 6.2 megs going to the system (7.6.1), and had no problems or slowdowns. One thing I noticed that makes a big difference, is the resolution. If you are using a 17" multisync monitor, there is no reason to run it at 800x600 or anything higher. Switching it to 640x480 shows absolutely no difference whatsoever, except a higher framerate. BTW-- you can check your framerate by typing DNFRAME when in the game. Unlike the PC shareware, the Mac demo doesn't support multiplayer games, but since the full release is just around the corner, I'll just hold my breath. Another excellent trend that continues with Duke is the ablility to use PC-made levels, just as in the forthcoming MacQuake. So once us Mac gamers get Duke in our greedy little hands, the internet is already stuffed with Duke levels ready-to-go. Where Duke really shines is in it's gameplay. There are so many tricks, especially when playing against other air-breathers, that the possiblities seem endless. My all-time favorite weapon has to be the pipe bomb: Here I am, sneaking up on a defenseless kitty, sitting on the family throne. One cup plastique, one cup pistol-packin' feline... The calm before the storm. "Uh, sir, I think you have something on top of your head. ...and it's ticking." That's GOTTA hurt! And, a Mac exlusive, Duke will support TCP/IP networking, i.e. internet gaming! TEST COMPUTER: - PowerBook 3400/180 - 16MB RAM - 256k cache - MacOS 7.6.1 Rating:

DUKE 3D REVIEW

Duke Nukem 3D Atomic Edition Demo

Many Mac action game nuts, jealous of their PC counterparts, have been
clamouring for titles such as Duke Nukem and Quake to be ported to the Mac.
Has their persistence and patience been rewarded? In the case of Duke
Nukem, definitely not. If the full game is anything like the appalling
quality of the demo, no way. I must be honest with my readers in the fact
that I have played Duke Nukem on the PC and completed it a year ago.

Problems: Even with a small screen sized and every other line, the action
is jaded and jumpy. Another annoying feature is the fact that it seems
because of this your opponents always get the jump and pump a few slugs
into you by the time you get a chance to respond. Aiming with the keyboard
is a nightmare, your gun jerking around, reacting slowly to your commands.
A joystick may help, but I doubt it. For comparison, I played Duke Nukem on
an ageing 486DX with 16 RAM and it was no where near as bad.

There are a few advantages to it being released on PC so long ago. One of
the most obvious being that there are at least two books on how to solve it
and cheat codes all over the internet.  You can play   Duke Nukem with your
mates with PCs. Unlike Marathon you can save at any time, which is good
considering how often you are going to die, because of the jerky graphics.

The trouble with Duke Nukem is that when you compare the gameplay,
graphics, sound, ambience and overall performance with Marathon Infinity or
even worse, the free Evil, it pales in comparison.  What we in the Mac
community do not realise is that we have been spoiled. Yes, the PC has more
games but a large part of them are pretty dire. Duke Nukem really shows its
age, what was neat 18 months ago on the PC, is lame and old, ported to the
Mac in summer of 97'.  Yes, Duke's snide remarks are funny (the first few
times) and the fact you can piss and get ten health points is neat, but
after a while the nifty things wear off and duke becomes a standard shoot
em' up. After all we have already had similar "humour" in the
crash-a-minute Prime Target, its been done already.

Why can't we have MDK or Dark Vengence at the same time as PC gets them? 18
months to 2 years is a long time in  the  computer industry, think, for
instance of clock speed of new Macs over that period.

It would have been nice if Duke Nukem had been juiced up for the Mac,
besides giving us the "hilarious and controversial" Plutonium Pack which PC
gamers have had for quite a while. There has been no attempt whatsoever to
use the strengths of the Mac to give it a little extra,  ie make it worth
the wait. It seems as if Mac gamers are second class gamers who should
appreciate what they get and be glad for it.

Duke Nukem is not worth the money you will have to pay for it. Some of you
no doubt are saying that I should be encouraging more PC to Mac game ports.
You may be right, but if they are going to be this crap, I will stick to
Marathon , its offspring, and excellent games like C&C; and Damage Inc.
Quake, Shadow Warrior and Dark Vengence have a hell of a lot to prove. Save
your pennies and wait for one of the aforementioned titles (if they ever
arrive and are any good), of course read Mac Game Gate for all the latest
release info and reviews.

TEST COMPUTER:



- PowerMac 6100/60:
- 24 MB RAM
- 256k cache
- MacOS 7.5.5



Rating: