A new Duke Nukem game. On the one hand, it’s a tantalizing prospect, the return of one of the defining shooters of the ‘90s. On the other, we haven’t quite dusted ourselves off since the launch of Duke Nukem Forever, and we’re not sure we’re ready yet for the official return of the king. But how about something in between? How about a new boomer shooter that channels the essence of Doom, Quake, Blood, and dozens of others, and almost feels like a spiritual remake of Duke Nukem 3D? This is The Last Exterminator, a fast-paced, ultra-loud FPS that plays like classic Duke, and that you can try right this minute thanks to a free Steam download.
It’s a terrific setup. As a hard-boiled, super-ripped pest controller, you suddenly find yourself in the middle of the ultimate infestation – a bunch of insect-like aliens come to take over Earth. An FPS game in the spirit of the ‘90s, The Last Exterminator screams Duke Nukem 3D from top to bottom. If you miss the fluorescent-light convenience stores, grunting LARD officers, and, erm, art cinemas of Duke Nukem 3D’s superlative level design, take a look at the wonderfully drawn urban world of The Last Exterminator.
Big guns. Lots of blood. A beautifully detailed ‘90s throwback city. All that’s missing is a pack of gum. We’re still waiting on a full release date for The Last Exterminator, but you can try it out right now with a sprawling free Steam demo. Alternatively, it’s been a good few days for retro-flavored shooters – get a load of Doom meets BioShock, with a Lovecraftian twist.
And of course, there’s plenty of nostalgia to be found in the best old games, or maybe the best zombie games, if you long for the days of blood-soaked, bullet-ridden blasters like Duke.