Update (Wed 21st Dec, 2022 20:00 GMT): The Duke Nukem Forever Restoration Project has released its "First Slice" demo, right on cue. You can download it now from the ModDB page, which is where you'll also find instructions on how to launch it for the first time.
As the ModDB page states, the First Slice demo contains the following content:
- Chapter 1 of the Story Restored (9 Levels)
- 1 Secret Level
- 1 Test Map (Las Vegas Boulevard)
- Multiplayer (Several maps and skins to choose from)
- DukeED (Same as the one included in previous Bikini Atoll releases)
- All 2001 Build Unedited Maps (listed as their original names in the SOS Menu)
Original article (Tue 20th Dec, 2022 14:00 GMT): Earlier this year, a leaker known as "x0R" publicly released two builds from the development of Duke Nukem Forever online.
The builds were created in Unreal Engine and were dated August 21st, 2001 and October 26th, 2001, which is back when 3D Realms was still developing the game under Take-Two Interactive, years before Gearbox Software took over the reins and released its own critically panned version of the project. As a result, many fans were excited to finally get to experience this missing piece of video game history for themselves, with some even seeking a way to try and finish up this alternative version of the game.
In the days following the leak, a group of modders got together calling themselves the Duke Nukem Forever Restoration Project to try and create a fully-playable version that people can enjoy on modern PCs. And remarkably, it seems the "first slice" of the action is already scheduled for a release on December 21st.
The first slice will feature 12 weapons to choose from, a map editor, and deathmatch mode. It even comes with a flashy trailer showcasing the type of chaotic action that players will be able to get stuck into.
Excitingly, for Duke fans, this bit of news dropped on the very same day that x0R released a build of Duke Nukem: Endangered Species. This was another unreleased Duke Nukem game being developed by the Ukrainian studio Action Forms and was cancelled in July 2002. We think we can safely say, with all of this activity going on, that 2022 could probably be renamed to the year of the Duke.