Duke Nukem II is a fan sequel to a fan game.
It fits the mold still trying to combine a bit of humor about tough action guy Duke Nukem being a part of ZZT now.
Unfortunately, it's not great.
The game starts amusingly with a great dream sequence (as long as you hit P on the title screen fast enough). You explore a small town and Duke's home with little to see or do. There are some oddball locations like a jail where you can get "Needs more cowbell" references (something already dated when this game would have been new).
In a jewelry store you learn that people are being changed in different colors. You then go to an airport. A zombie kills the receptionist. You kill the zombie. The zombie drops a wallet, and you fly to "Pheonix" to solve... the problem.
The plane ends up taking you and presumably the passengers elsewhere where many more zombies need to be avoided rather than fought because that would be slow.
Eventually you fight a somewhat creative boss that has a special red laser beam attack which makes the fight seem kind of interesting. Sadly bugs show up here and the object doesn't properly loop meaning if you dodge for a bit the boss will just stop and let you shoot. Repeat until done.
You then fight the same boss again later where the gimmick isn't as clever.
You also get a absolutely bizarre for a Duke Nukem game of all things, extended stealth sequence. This is trying its best though it's unable to really accomplish much more than some very frustrating moments where you need to find the exact safe spot to stand.
Finally, without a gun you confront the leader of leaders and punch him a few times before shooting him with his own BFG. Duke heroically wins the fight without shooting. Other than the BFG.
You go home and the government decides to give you some money.
As an homage to the ZZT Duke Nukem game, the opening third or so fits the mold decently enough. The back half of the game quickly falls apart and an almost entertaining boss fight can't carry it enogh.
I normally don't give ratings, but the email from the author asking me for feedback asked for a score. I will give this a 2 out of 5. There are far less competent ZZT action titles out there, but nothing about this really stands out other than the character who doens't get to be Duke Nukem once the game turns into a stealth game about dodging cameras and guards by hiding in plain sight or behind plants.
