Top Tips: Duke Nukem Forever

Save Earth's women from the evil alien hordes with these top tips from Gearbox Software's CEO, Randy Pitchford.

Play it like the Duke
Stepping into the shoes of Duke after all these years is a big deal so the first thing I'd recommend is to get the lights down, crank the volume up and just immerse yourself. Try and plan that first session in much the same way you would spend time watching a movie - give it at least 90 or so minutes because straight away you're engaged, then 15 to 20 minutes later you're really getting into it and by 30 minutes, you'll just want to see what happens next.

No one likes a cheat
As you're playing Duke Nukem Forever you'll notice a great balance between action and puzzles. A lot of gratification comes from completing these puzzles. Naturally, some solutions come quickly while others are designed to challenge you. Don't immediately go to the Internet to find the answers. The clues are there. You'll figure them out and feel great when you solve them.

You want it, you got it
You can only carry two weapons at a time. Some players tend to stick with the same weapon combination throughout an entire campaign mode. Try not to do too much of that in Duke Nukem Forever. Pick the freeze ray over a shotgun and have some fun. If you need something - like a shotgun - it tends to be there for you at the right moment. I would always try the new stuff because there are so many rewarding experiences in the game by doing that.

The big bang theory
In the Duke Nukem Forever multiplayer mode you can be really tactical by using some of the cool weapons at your disposal. For example, there are pipe bombs in the game that can be remotely detonated. One really great tactic is to find a security camera in a room, lay down some explosives, leave and watch the feed on a monitor from another room until someone enters - then BOOM!

Death from above
Multiplayer mode is a blast with buddies and one of the things I like to do is to make my friends really mad by finding a map that features the jet pack. Then I grab the Devastator - a two-barrelled rocket launcher - and just rain hell down on them. This is such a hilarious tactic because it can drive your friends really crazy.

Egomaniac
In the game you don't actually have health, you have Ego. So, by exploring the environment you can find things to interact with to enhance your Ego. For example, if you go to the toilet you can look at yourself in the mirror. By doing that, your Ego increases and you get a funny Duke one-liner. If you go to the gym you can bench press 400 pounds for another Ego boost. The world that the game takes place in really is alive, so don't be afraid to explore it.

What are you wearing?
The multiplayer modes feature various challenges that you really should at least attempt because they allow you to level up Duke. These challenges, in turn, unlock things such as custom sunglasses, shirts, hats and hairdos. The trick here is to wear the silliest costume possible because it can really mess up the psychology of your opponent.

Tool Tips
There is so much to discover in Duke Nukem Forever, so pay attention to the Tool Tips that pop up throughout the game. What they do is guide you and give you hints to things you can do such as hacking into Duke's private office inside his own strip club or taking down an alien mother ship with a cannon. I would also pay particular attention to them during boss fights because those battles can be a little tough.

Pick up a copy of Duke Nukem Forever on PlayStation 3 today and start kicking alien butt in style.