Duke Nukem Forever is a first-person shooter that combines combat, exploration and puzzle-solving.[5] The game also switches to a third-person view when in vehicle use. Players control Duke Nukem, a 1980s-style action hero, as he battles alien invaders[6] through three main locations: Las Vegas, a highway and Hoover Dam.[5] Some areas feature boss fights, fetch quests and driving sequences;[5] in one sequence, Duke is shrunk to a miniature size and drives a toy car.[6] Minigames include air hockey, whack-a-mole and pinball.[6]
Forever is slower than previous Duke Nukem games. As in the Halo series, players can only carry two weapons at a time, and Duke's health regenerates automatically.[5][6] The weapons include a shotgun, trip mines, a shrink ray (which shrinks enemies so Duke can stomp on them) and a freeze ray (which freezes enemies so Duke can shatter them).[6] Like Duke Nukem 3D, Forever includes pop culture references, toilet humor and adult content, such as strip clubs and the ability to urinate.[5][7] In the multiplayer mode, players compete in games such as deathmatch, capture the flag and king of the hill.[5][6]