VGR Duke Nukem 2

Here's my on-going Duke Nukum (ah!) reviews' latest installment!

VGR: Duke Nukem II

From Apogee Software

Played on PC Dos

Also available on /

Type Sidescrolling action game

Year 1993

After the big success of the original game, Apogee proved they were as good as iD Software and had it in themselves to compete in the very aggressive shareware market

So only 2 years later (which was considered a lot "back then"), a sequel came out...which was simply called....

This game picks up where the original left, with mostly the same core gameplay, the same mix of arcade action, but a brand new story by iD's story writer Tom Hall and new graphics.

Still very much an over-the top action game, but what was this one about?

THE DUKE'S BACK, BABY!

The story takes place in 1998, a year after the original.

Since Duke Nukem defeated Dr. Proton, he's been considered a national hero.

One day while he's being interviewed on TV, talking about his best seller "Why I'm So Great", a quite humble autobiographic book, aliens arrive on Earth!!

The Rigelatins!

Duke is abducted. When he wakes up aboard a spaceship, their leader explains to Duke they're gonna drain his brainwaves, copy it and use it in their systems to take over the world!

Duke himself is going to help alien invaders conquering the planet!

Such a vicious plan only leaves Duke with two choices..either becoming a zombie thanks to the "EncephaloSucker"... or kicking the ass of all and every single alien in this solar system!!

Duke has to save the world....again.

"Gonna have to smoke all o' them ugly aliens all by myself."

Exit the pink shirt, this Duke this time is clearly an over-the top parody of action movie characters from the 80s and early 90s.

Some nicely digitalized voice clips (for '93) and more color on screens really brings the Schwarzennegger outta Duke.

Duke 2 consists of four episodes of 8 levels each (not really long levels however, but quite hard).

There's various bosses this time.

Special abilities like invincibility and such.

The experience is all more interesting than last time.

Duke mostly plays like in the previous game (typical early 90s run & gun). Now he can also crouch down and shoot upward, which comes quite in handy in the new game.

There's some little "space shuttle fighter" segments as well, which helps give the game some little variety. 

The soda cans are back, so are most of DN1 items like boxes, etc..those give points to Duke.

Little fun, by destroying all the cameras around the levels it can earn Duke up to 700'000 bonus points!

F*** YEAH!!!

 The levels are basically non-linear. Sort of early mini-open world stages. The goal is to simply reach the end.

And kill (or not) most creatures in your path. Parts of the levels explode or get destructed, there's explosive barrels around, etc..

A radar is here to help you find yourself.

This game also introduces a save & restore system, which is a nice plus might I add. (though it helps finishing it quickly and easier)

Most weapons are back such as the blaster, laser cannons, missiles and the pretty badass flamethrower.

The flamethrower can also turns into a sort of jetpack by using it down.

Overall, it's a much better and more complete game than the previous title.

Duke Nukem 2 is fun and looks pretty nice.

It's a quite colorful Dos game and with good-enough sidescrolling axe (a problem that plagues many Dos games).

Duke Nukem 2 looks and sounds like the better Commander Keen episodes!

This game was also made available on most Duke Nukem 3D releases on disc! (like the first) 

It has sort-of been remade into (just) "Duke Nukem" on the Game Boy Color. With update graphics and characters.

Check it out if you're a Duke fan or fan of ol' 8-bits action games.

I give it:

 2 / 3 Invaders!