Interceptor Entertainment, a largely-unknown development studio is working on a remake for Duke Nukem 3D using the Unreal Engine 3. They have gotten the blessing and support from Gearbox Software, and have employed 30 people to get cracking on this remake.
Duke Nukem 3D reloaded is a faithful remake of the mid-90s PC game, with Jon St. John, the original voice of Duke, recording original lines for the game. In addition to being remade in a new engine, it will have full multiplayer content that can support a full 16 players, and includes multiple game modes, along with DNFs controversial Capture The Babe mode.
An upcoming demo for the game will include two multiplayer maps and seven weapons, including the ripper and shotgun. Also included will be four characters for the multiplayer mode but these have not been revealed to my knowledge, but looking at the official page strongly implies that they will be Duke Nukem, General Graves, Assault Trooper and Pig Cop.
The level designer Barry Cogan had said in an outside interview that there is a difficulty in using the capabilities of new technology and remaining faithful to the source material, but he feels that the team is successful in this, saying “Between the new capabilities of your target technology and the desire to remain faithful to the original piece there is a very fine line one can walk as a designer, and this is something we have nailed.”
He went on to talk about the Hollywood Holocaust map, saying that details like a secret rocket launcher and a girl in a bikini on a massive screen were defining parts, as well as an arcade room. Even though an original make of the level was a nearly perfect copy of the game, it wasn’t going to work for what they wanted. The level had felt cramped and dated to them, and that the players needed to feel like they were in part of a larger area than an enclosed one.
On the official site, they have a sizable amount of concept art and a few screenshots. They also have an extensive FAQ that explains that their thumbs up was given back in October 2010, and is better called a Revision than a remake, what it would look and play like if it was made in modern times.
However, they are under Gearbox’s thumb since it’s their property, meaning that what, when, and how they will release content is completely up to them, and that they only have a non-commercial PC release license.
So there you have it, someone has been working on a remake of Duke Nukem 3D, and are doing it all in-house from the ground up in order to bring Duke to a new engine and new fans. Projects like Streets of Rage Remake (which unfortunately ran into legal issues after its completion) have proven that a dedicated team can produce a fantastic title.
The official ETA for the game is unknown and at Gearbox’s whim, it could be next year or three years, but it’s unlikely to be delayed and passed around as much as Duke Nukem Forever was. You can get a lot of very delicious details from their official site.
Chris Hernandez
As long as you can carry more than two guns at a time, I will be happy.