Rating: - Just Not The Same
I was a bit disappointed with DNZH. One of the wonderful things about DN64 was the brutal violence and the vengeful, but clever sarcastic remarks. There are relatively few quotable quotes in Zero Hour and despite being fully polygonal, the level art just isn't as claustrophobic and intimidating as it was in 64 and 3D. Not to say it wasn't worth playing all the way to the end, but I just feel like they took a hardcore action game and watered it down to where it could practically have a rating of "E".
Rating: - Dukes ripped 'em a new one
When I just heard recently that the Duke Nukem 64 game was pretty much like just like the PC version, I had to pick it up. I loved it, it didn't have enough weapons, and I didn't like that the strippers where taken out and the language cut down, but I still loved it and the new changes to it.
Well, the PC version was the only DN game I'd ever played. And I saw that the N64 version had another version that people where praising higher then the first. There has been a lot of times people have said they love the sequel better then the original and I have been extremely disappointed. Like Perfect Dark, I love Golden Eye and so many people said Perfect Dark was better, I didn't think so, I thought it had improved graphics and sound but the game wasn't as fun IMO, I still prefer Golden Eye over PD any day.
So, I was not sure wether or not I'd like Duke Nukem Zero Hour or not. These days the N64 is not mainstream gaming; so video stores & etc don't even have 64 games to rent anymore. I never ever saw any Duke Nukem games for rental anywhere. But anyway, I took a deep breath and bought Duke Nukem Zero Hour second hand from a Video Game store and took it home to play with low expectations. I just knew I was not going to like this, it was over hyped or it would be another one where I thought, "what does anyone see in this?"
So I turned it on and it starts up and all that, and firstly I did not like the controls, I was trying to get it to control like it did in DN64. But I couldn't get it to do it right. Somebody had written somewhere to muck around with it on the training level for about 20 minutes to get the feel of the controls and it becomes easy. So I did just that, and it's true. You do get used to it and I do like the way it handles on DUKE control setting (default). You aim your gun or look around etc with the control stick, move forward, back, up & down with the yellow C buttons, open doors with the shoulder R button, toggle through your weapons using left or right on the direction pad, toggle through your items using up and down on the D-pad, and turn on and off your items with the shoulder R button. The controls handle very well once you get used to it and it is very responsive.
You start off in a training area. You watch a video of Duke being briefed by his lieutenant or something, then he receives a message from himself in the past telling him that the time lines are about to get messed up. Once all that's done, you exit the room and either go left to train, or just keep going forward to go to the first mission. Along the way you go through time. The first couple of levels are the present day, with a cool looking statue of liberty. Then you go back in time to the old west. And it looks awesome, Duke becomes a cowboy and blasts alien scum bags away showing them what the wild-wild west was all about. (in a fictional sort of way) Then he goes through to Victorian times and even faces off against Jack The Ripper. And there is more and more. You face off against all kinds of aliens, zombies, monsters and things.
The levels are huge, if you are familiar with the PC version, it's easy to realise you need to find small or almost hidden places to get further through a level, but if you aren't, then look for things, vents, boxed, ladders etc. The levels have secrets, babes, visuals, sounds, and great 3d FX. (Oh, yeah, the Duke Nukem 64 was all sprites, this one is fully polygon 3D) and Duke has some great new sayings.
I found the game to be great, and I will keep playing it again. One thing I really did like was that things actually change in the game rather then being the same all the way through. Like just for an example; when you rescue a babe in the present she talks like a modern day women. When you save a babe in the west, she sounds like a babe from the Western days, and the Victorian women have their British accents, too.
I gave up trying to play this game without cheats. It was too hard for me. So, on the start up bit that says PRESS START enter this code if you like.
up-c, up, left-c, right, down-c, down, right-c, R, A, B... you will hear a horse neigh if it worked. On the menu screen it will display a cheats section now, but don't worry about going into it, that's a cheat section for found cheats, not what you've just entered with the code, When your playing, press start on controller 2 to toggle through different options, and find the one that says cheats, and press whatever corresponding buttons it says to use for the cheats for weapons, invincibility, all items etc. I found it so much easier to play with the cheats on. Just watch out for long drops and moving cars and doors, and some of the big monsters walking on you etc `cause you might have god mode on, but you still can be squished.
Overall, I love the game. Is it better then Duke Nukem 3D? Umm, I dunno, there both kind of different games. Each have there own great qualities ya know, but both games are great and worth playing IMO.
They're where a couple of things I didn't like about this game.
- No Jet Pack. Duke no longer had the ability to fly around, which would have helped in certain stages.
- No Co-Operative mode. The main game is just one player again, but there is a 2-player mode, just not working together to beat a stage.
- Not enough weapons. Well, there is a lot more then in the last one. But I really would've loved a flame-thrower.
- You can't skip the movie screens. Or whatever they are called. When you start a game you have to watch the intro thing every time, you just cannot skip it.
- No Space areas. The Duke Lunatic doesn't go lunar looney in this one.
- There isn't as much useless fun stuff in this one. There is plenty of poster parodies and things, but there isn't much stuff like when you click on the gambling tables, duke says, "I don't have time to play with my self" ... that is in the game, but there should have been more. Like in DN64 when Duke clicks on the Duke-Burger drive through thing a voice of Butthead of Beavis and Butthead says, "umm, go away, where like closed or something" those where the things I loved in DN3D, there isn't as much of that stuff in this one. There is even a couple of pool tables, but you can't play pool on it like in 3D/64. You can only blow them up.
Still, all that doesn't take away the fun of this game, it's great, it's fun, and it's a laugh sometimes. Would I recommend you rent it? Yeah, if you know a place you can still rent 64 games. Would I recommend you buy it? You probably would have to if you want to try it (or find a rom).
Jerry's final thoughts: Duke Nukem is ready to kick butt and chew bubble-gum. And he's all out of bubble gum. So rip' em a new one and hail to the king baby, `cause Duke is ready for action and saying, "lets rock"
Rating: - Brutally DIFFICULT!!!
This thing is hard, because this one lets you make a bit of progress and then you'll get a cheap death! Are the graphics good? Yes. As soon as you get this thing you might as well turn the brightness way up.
Rating: - Better then Duke Nukem 64..
How much better is Duke Nukem: Zero Hour, then Duke Nukem 64? It's better in every since of the word. This one is a 3rd person veiw. And, the graphic's are So, much better! No more choppy carb board Foe's. The weapon's are Awesome too! From a gun that shoot's thing's that bounces all through the area's, To a Volt cannon that you don't want to use under-water. In the game you through all kind's of Time Era's, too. The Multi-player mode is lacking though.
Rating: - COME GET SOME!!!
Duke Nukem: Zero Hour rocks!!! It has everything an excellent game needs! Huge guns, challenging levels, women, and a lot of levels! It's awesome, it even takes you to certain historical events. I got to kill Jack the Ripper. If you love shooting games and challenging gameplay than this is the perfect game. Even after you beat it you keep playing. Also an excellent multiplayer game. The best since Goldeneye's multiplayer. Also Duke's quotes are hilarious and and the posters you see as you're walking around the levels are classic. An awsome variety of aliens to kill so you're not killing the same thing repeatedly! This game proves that Nintendo is shedding it's "family" image and leaving the Dukester nearly uncensored! HAIL TO THE KING BABY!!!!
- Just Not The Same
- Brutally DIFFICULT!!!
- Better then Duke Nukem 64..
