I really didn't like the first few hours of the game that much at all. It picks up a little bit in the level called "The Hive", but it still isn't anything to write home about.
What's kind of sad/funny in this game is you can see where the developers spent most of their time.
There are fully interactive slot machines, poker machines, basketball shooting games, air-hockey tables, pinball machines, and all sorts of stuff.
The shooting is so-so. Some of the weapons, like the Shotgun and the Devastator , pack a REAL punch and make you feel like a badass. Then there are weapons like the Ripper machine gun and Duke's pistol, which are so weak you may as well throw rocks at enemies instead.
The level design thus far has been the biggest letdown. The level design is EXTREMELY linear. Duke Nukem 3D had wide open levels with many paths to an objective, and it's downright bewildering why 3DRealms would strip that away. Not to mention must of the levels are kind of...uninspiring. Bosses aren't that challenging or interesting as well(so far).
Multiplayer has been the highlight of the game for me. It's kind of weird there's no kind of matchmaking service, and you have to "browse" for multiplayer games like you would in most PC games like Counter-Strike and Team Fortress, but the gameplay makes up for it. There are tons of mutators that mix things up and the multiplayer maps are pretty cool. You can also unlock cool little cosmetic extras for Duke like shirts, glasses, and hats. It lags a bit here and there but when you get a full room of 8 Dukes shooting rockets at each other it can be pretty damn fun.
In a weird twist of fate, it seems Piranha Games knows more about what makes Duke fun than 3DRealms. Shame on you Geroge, shame on you.
The multiplayer is just as doo doo as the single player. I did quick match, was put in a game with one guy in it, and took like 5 minutes to get another person in there. Once the game got going I was doing good (most kills, gained 3 levels, and completed like 10 challenges). Then at like 3 minutes left in the game it disconnected me! NOTHING THAT I DID IN THAT MATCH WAS SAVED! DUKE NUKEM FOREVER IS DOO DOO!!!!