Before Nukem, We Had Togo
The other week, Duke Nukem Forever finally shipped after nearly a decade and a half in development hell. Though I have no intention of playing the game myself, my colleagues in the gaming press have been rather outspoken. In fact, just today I read a fantastic article by Ars Technica’s Ben Kuchera labeling the game “barely playable, not funny,” and “rampantly offensive.” I get that Nukem is suppose to be an over-the-top misogynist and that we’re suppose to find the humor in that. The formula can work, otherwise I’m sure Daniel Tosh wouldn’t be selling out venues across the U.S. So, I’ve come to the conclusion that Gearbox just didn’t know how to execute it. Maybe they should have looked to Japan. After all, Japan gave us the Golgo 13.
So who is Golgo 13? He’s the only Duke you should care about, and his last name definitely isn’t Nukem. He doesn’t look like Arnold Schwarzenegger in Last Action Hero, and the only witty comments he makes come in form of bullets. Instead, Duke Togo constantly reminds us that he’s just as much of a misogynist without even having to open his mouth. I know, you like him better already. Right? Well, it’s unlikely that we’ll ever see another Golgo 13 game stateside, but if you want to catch up his recent exploits, the latest animated series should still be available on NetFlix, and no, it’s not work-safe.
Tim is a pro-blogger and freelance writer out of San Diego, California. In addition to Fanboy.com, he serves as Features and Reviews Editor for the Japanese culture and entertainment blog, Japanator. For more information, follow him on twitter, or check out TimSheehy.com.