- This article is about the PlayStation version of Duke Nukem 3D. For the unofficial Duke Nukem 3D level pack called "Total Meltdown", see Unofficial expansion packs.
Duke Nukem: Total Meltdown (titled just Duke Nukem in PAL regions) is the name given to the 1997 PlayStation port of Duke Nukem 3D. It is sometimes called simply Duke Nukem for PlayStation and is the first port of this nature. It is also a standalone expansion pack that features new music, some new enemies, and an exclusive fourth episode: Plug 'N' Pray.
Duke Nukem: Total Meltdown is the only version that shows Duke on the title screen standing on two Pig Cops and not on an Enforcer.
Story
The story is the same as the original game with the exception of the port's exclusive episode: Plug 'N' Pray. During this episode, Duke is out to battle the aliens again, this time aiming to destroy a very powerful robot they've built to kill him.
Gameplay
The port features all three episodes of the original game, plus one additional episode: Plug 'N' Pray, which includes six extra levels and a secret level. The secret level was also included in the PC version. It features a complete re-rendering of all the weapons and enemies, and a combination of bespoke and rearranged music, some rearranged from the PC version, and some original, in XA streaming audio made by Mark 'madfiddler' Knight, Gamesounds.co.uk.
The new episode includes six new enemies: a blue-colored Assault Trooper variant, Ghost Enforcer, Pig-in-a-Dress, a zombie-like Pig Cop, Magnum P.I.G., and the underwater shark-like Sentry Drone. It also includes a new final boss, the CyberKeef.
The game is compatible with analog controllers. The game features a deathmatch mode for multiplayer, but only between separate consoles (i.e. one player per PlayStation).
Criticism
Duke Nukem: Total Meltdown received generally negative reviews from various gaming sites and magazines, mostly due to the frame rate issues encountered during the game, grainy graphics, and limited control customization options. Also, unless every player has their own PlayStation console together with a copy of the game, playing multiplayer against other people is greatly limited because of the lack of split screen support like in the Nintendo 64 version. Due to these factors, some fans consider the PlayStation port to be the worst of all the ports together. However, the remixed soundtrack in Total Meltdown has got a positive response from fans. The game runs slightly better under emulators, and this port has been somewhat re-evaluated thanks to the exclusive episode which has been positively received by the community.
Music
- To be wild
- Bonus
- Grabbag Remix
- Grabbag v2
- Lemon Chill
- Pissed Office Box
- Warehouse
- 233.778 celcius
- 303
- Atmospheric
- Bar Music
- Briefing
- Chaingun
- Chemicals 1
- Chemicals 2
- Chemicals 3
- Distortion
- Echo
- Eerie
- Jungle Dick
- Mellow Cello
- Mental Heavy 1
- Mental Heavy 2
- Mental Heavy 3
- Metalic Horrific 1
- Metalic Horrific 2
- Nickbass
- Spacey
- Stalker 1
- Stalker 2
- Trancerock