Ion Fury#Expansion and sequel

In Ion Fury, the player assumes the role of Shelly "Bombshell" Harrison, a bomb disposal expert aligned to the Global Defense Force. Dr. Jadus Heskel, a transhumanist cult leader, unleashes an army of cybernetically-enhanced soldiers on the futuristic dystopian city of Neo D.C., which Shelly is tasked with fighting through.{{cite magazine |last=Gwaltney |first=Javy |date=February 28, 2018 |title=3D Realms Reveals New Bombastic Retro Shooter Ion Maiden |url=https://www.gameinformer.com/b/news/archive/2018/02/28/3d-realms-reveals-new-bombastic-retro-shooter-ion-maiden.aspx |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180301224950/http://www.gameinformer.com/b/news/archive/2018/02/28/3d-realms-reveals-new-bombastic-retro-shooter-ion-maiden.aspx |url-status=live |archive-date=March 1, 2018 |access-date=February 28, 2018 |magazine=Game Informer}}

Ion Fury is built on EDuke32, a fork of the Build engine which supports modern operating systems while also implementing a broader range of features.{{cite news |url = https://www.rockpapershotgun.com/2018/02/28/ion-maiden-may-just-be-the-second-coming-of-duke-3d/ |title = Ion Maiden may just be the second coming of Duke 3D |first = Dominic |last = Tarason |access-date = February 28, 2018 |website = Rock Paper Shotgun |date = February 28, 2018 |archive-date = March 1, 2018 |archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20180301004041/https://www.rockpapershotgun.com/2018/02/28/ion-maiden-may-just-be-the-second-coming-of-duke-3d/ |url-status = live }} The source code of Ion Fury is part of the EDuke32 source port.{{Cite web |last=Gobeielle |first=Richard |date=2018-06-09 |title=Rename KXDWN macro and GAMEFLAG_KXDWN to IONMAIDEN and GAMEFLAG_IONMAIDEN (4735886d) |url=https://voidpoint.io/terminx/eduke32/-/commit/4735886dcb48cab338e256d1ce62efcdd41201b0 |access-date=2024-08-19 |website=GitLab |language=en}}

In May 2019, it was announced that the band Iron Maiden would be suing 3D Realms for $2 million for "[the] misappropriation and use of a virtually identical imitation of the Iron Maiden trademark".{{cite web |last=Plunkett |first=Luke |date=May 30, 2019 |title=Iron Maiden Is Suing The Video Game Ion Maiden |url=https://kotaku.com/iron-maiden-is-suing-the-game-ion-maiden-1835110947 |access-date=May 30, 2019 |website=Kotaku |archive-date=May 30, 2019 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190530042144/https://kotaku.com/iron-maiden-is-suing-the-game-ion-maiden-1835110947 |url-status=live }} 3D Realms quickly responded on Twitter, stating that these are "frivolous claims anyone who has played Ion Maiden would find more over the top than Shelly's 'Loverboy', her signature 18-round triple-barreled revolver".{{cite web |url = https://www.planetrock.com/news/rock-news/iron-maiden-sue-makers-of-ion-maiden-video-game-for-1-58million/ |title = Iron Maiden sue makers of Ion Maiden video game for £1.58million |first = Scott |last = Colothan |access-date = May 31, 2019 |website = Planet Rock |date = May 30, 2019 |archive-date = June 16, 2019 |archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20190616071959/https://www.planetrock.com/news/rock-news/iron-maiden-sue-makers-of-ion-maiden-video-game-for-1-58million/ |url-status = live }}

The lawsuit claims that Ion Maiden "has the same look and feel" to the Android/iOS game Iron Maiden: Legacy of the Beast previously released on July 5, 2016. It also lists several alleged similarities, including the name "Ion Maiden", the font used for the game title, the main character Shelly 'Bombshell' Harrison and Steve Harris, the skull symbol, and the Eddie character.{{cite web |url = https://www.scribd.com/document/411955200/Iron-Maiden-v-3d-Realms |title = Iron Maiden v. 3d Realms |first = Michelle |last = Kaminsky |access-date = May 30, 2019 |website = Scribd |date = May 28, 2019 |archive-date = October 28, 2020 |archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20201028161737/https://www.scribd.com/document/411955200/Iron-Maiden-v-3d-Realms |url-status = dead }} However, several of the allegedly similar elements cited in the lawsuit were present in a previous 3D Realms game, Bombshell, released on January 29, 2016, including the main character name and the skull symbol.{{cite web |url = https://steamcommunity.com/games/562860/announcements/detail/1676902239539040353 |title = NSFW: A visual history of Shelly "Bombshell" Harrison |first = Frederik |last = Schreiber |access-date = May 30, 2019 |website = Steam |date = Mar 22, 2018 |archive-date = May 31, 2019 |archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20190531053640/https://steamcommunity.com/games/562860/announcements/detail/1676902239539040353 |url-status = live }} According to Scott Miller, founder of 3D Realms, "The name Ion Maiden comes from the basic weapon used by the same female hero in her first game, Bombshell."{{cite web |url=https://www.facebook.com/groups/150679485586115/permalink/329339801053415/ |title = ION MAIDEN Fans |access-date = June 1, 2019 |website = Facebook |date = May 30, 2019}}{{Better source needed|reason=The current source is insufficiently reliable (WP:NOTRS).|date=December 2023}}

On July 11, 2019, 3D Realms announced that the title of Ion Maiden was changed to Ion Fury.{{Cite web |date=2019-07-11 |title=Ion Maiden is now Ion Fury - release date, new big box! |url=https://steamcommunity.com/games/562860/announcements/detail/1619524466602443850 |url-status=live |access-date=2019-07-11 |website=Steam Community |language=en |archive-date=July 13, 2019 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190713163615/https://steamcommunity.com/games/562860/announcements/detail/1619524466602443850 }} Also announced was that voice actor Jon St. John, best known for the character Duke Nukem, was confirmed to be voicing the game's main villain.{{Cite tweet |number=1146106903698845699 |user=Bombshell_Game |title=Jon St. John confirmed for voicing villain in Ion Fury game |date=July 2, 2019 |access-date=July 11, 2019 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190716175704/https://twitter.com/Bombshell_Game/status/1146106903698845699 |archive-date=July 16, 2019 |url-status=live}}

{{Video game reviews

| MC = (PC) 79/100{{r|MCPC}}
(PS4) 75/100{{r|MCPS4}}
(XONE) 70/100{{r|MCXONE}}
(NS) 77/100{{r|MCNS}}

| IGN = 7.5/10{{Cite web |last=Ogilvie |first=Tristan |date=August 14, 2019 |title=Ion Fury Review |url=https://www.ign.com/articles/2019/08/14/ion-fury-review |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200513171430/https://www.ign.com/articles/2019/08/14/ion-fury-review |archive-date=May 13, 2020 |access-date=15 August 2019 |website=IGN |publisher=CBS Interactive Inc.}}

| EuroG = Recommended{{Cite news |last=Lane |first=Rick |date=2019-08-14 |title=Ion Fury review - a brilliant blast of nostalgia, and a decent first-person shooter too |language=en-gb |work=Eurogamer |url=https://www.eurogamer.net/articles/2019-08-14-ion-fury-review-a-brilliant-blast-of-nostalgia-and-a-decent-first-person-shooter-too |access-date=2022-11-24 |archive-date=December 27, 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20211227030418/https://www.eurogamer.net/articles/2019-08-14-ion-fury-review-a-brilliant-blast-of-nostalgia-and-a-decent-first-person-shooter-too |url-status=live }}

| PCGUS = 77/100{{Cite web |last=Lahti |first=Evan |date=2019-08-14 |title=Ion Fury review |url=https://www.pcgamer.com/ion-fury-review/ |access-date=2022-11-24 |website=PC Gamer |language=en |archive-date=August 18, 2019 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190818074324/https://www.pcgamer.com/ion-fury-review/ |url-status=live }}

| GI = 9/10{{Cite magazine |last=Gwaltney |first=Javy |date=2019-08-14 |title=Ion Fury Review - More Than A Blast From The Past |url=https://www.gameinformer.com/review/ion-fury/more-than-a-blast-from-the-past |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190814163759/https://www.gameinformer.com/review/ion-fury/more-than-a-blast-from-the-past |url-status=live |archive-date=August 14, 2019 |access-date=2022-11-24 |magazine=Game Informer |language=en}}

| Destruct = 8/10{{Cite web |last=Glagowski |first=Peter |date=2019-08-14 |title=Review: Ion Fury |url=https://www.destructoid.com/reviews/review-ion-fury/ |access-date=2022-11-24 |website=Destructoid |language=en-CA |archive-date=November 24, 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20221124142159/https://www.destructoid.com/reviews/review-ion-fury/ |url-status=live }}

| GameRev = (PC) {{rating|4.5|5}}{{Cite news |last=Maria |first=Alex Santa |date=2019-08-14 |title=Ion Fury Review {{!}} Hail to the Queen, baby |language=en-US |work=GameRevolution |url=https://www.gamerevolution.com/review/579767-ion-fury-review-pc |access-date=2022-11-24 |archive-date=August 14, 2019 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190814173808/https://www.gamerevolution.com/review/579767-ion-fury-review-pc |url-status=live }}
(NS) {{rating|4|5}}{{Cite web |last=Faulkner |first=Jason |date=2020-05-21 |title=Ion Fury Switch Review {{!}} Another FPS port with compromise |url=https://www.gamerevolution.com/review/647046-ion-fury-switch-review |access-date=2022-11-24 |website=GameRevolution |language=en-US |archive-date=November 24, 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20221124142200/https://www.gamerevolution.com/review/647046-ion-fury-switch-review |url-status=live }}

| SN = 8/10{{Cite web |last=Khan |first=Asif |date=2019-08-15 |title=Ion Fury review: Nuking 'em like Duke |url=https://www.shacknews.com/article/113418/ion-fury-review-nuking-em-like-duke |access-date=2022-11-24 |website=Shacknews |language=en |archive-date=November 24, 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20221124142203/https://www.shacknews.com/article/113418/ion-fury-review-nuking-em-like-duke |url-status=live }}

| PSQ = {{rating|7|10}}{{Cite web |last=Banas |first=Graham |date=2020-05-29 |title=Review: Ion Fury – The Shooter Throwback You Didn't Know You Wanted |url=https://www.pushsquare.com/reviews/ps4/ion_fury |access-date=2022-11-24 |website=Push Square |language=en-GB |archive-date=November 24, 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20221124142200/https://www.pushsquare.com/reviews/ps4/ion_fury |url-status=live }}

| PCGN = 9/10{{Cite web |last=Capel |first=Chris |date=2019-08-14 |title=Ion Fury review – probably the best Build engine game ever |url=https://www.pcgamesn.com/ion-fury/review |access-date=2022-11-24 |website=PCGamesN |language=en-GB |archive-date=August 14, 2019 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190814163757/https://www.pcgamesn.com/ion-fury/review |url-status=live }}

| NLife = {{rating|7|10}}{{Cite web |last=Reseigh-Lincoln |first=Dom |date=2020-05-15 |title=Review: Ion Fury - Hail To The Queen, The Old-School FPS Is Reborn |url=https://www.nintendolife.com/reviews/nintendo-switch/ion_fury |access-date=2022-11-24 |website=Nintendo Life |language=en-GB |archive-date=November 24, 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20221124142206/https://www.nintendolife.com/reviews/nintendo-switch/ion_fury |url-status=live }}

}}

All versions of Ion Fury received "generally favorable reviews" on Metacritic.{{cite web |title=Ion Fury for PC Reviews |url=https://www.metacritic.com/game/ion-fury/critic-reviews/?platform=pc |website=Metacritic |access-date=14 August 2019 |archive-date=July 4, 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200704182456/https://www.metacritic.com/game/pc/ion-fury |url-status=live }}{{Cite web |title=Ion Fury for PlayStation 4 Reviews |url=https://www.metacritic.com/game/ion-fury/critic-reviews/?platform=playstation-4 |access-date=2022-11-24 |website=Metacritic |language=en |archive-date=November 24, 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20221124142203/https://www.metacritic.com/game/playstation-4/ion-fury |url-status=live }}{{Cite web |title=Ion Fury for Xbox One Reviews |url=https://www.metacritic.com/game/ion-fury/critic-reviews/?platform=xbox-one |access-date=2022-11-24 |website=Metacritic |language=en |archive-date=November 24, 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20221124142159/https://www.metacritic.com/game/xbox-one/ion-fury |url-status=live }}{{Cite web |title=Ion Fury for Switch Reviews |url=https://www.metacritic.com/game/ion-fury/critic-reviews/?platform=nintendo-switch |access-date=2022-11-24 |website=Metacritic |language=en |archive-date=November 24, 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20221124142205/https://www.metacritic.com/game/switch/ion-fury |url-status=live }}

IGN gave the game a score of 7.5/10, saying it "authentic throwback to Duke Nukem 3D that certainly hails to the king but can't quite dethrone him." PCGamesN's Chris Capel called it "probably the best Build engine game ever" and "challenging, funny, cleverly designed, and shockingly attractive."{{cite web |last1=Capel |first1=Chris |title=Ion Fury review – probably the best Build engine game ever |url=https://www.pcgamesn.com/ion-fury/review |website=PCGamesN |date=August 14, 2019 |access-date=14 August 2019 |archive-date=August 14, 2019 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190814163757/https://www.pcgamesn.com/ion-fury/review |url-status=live }} GameRevolution's Alex Santa Maria called it "an updated take on Duke Nukem 3D that goes above and beyond nostalgic pandering to become one of the better first-person shooters in recent memory."{{cite web |last1=Santa Maria |first1=Alex |title=Ion Fury Review - Hail to the Queen, baby |url=https://www.gamerevolution.com/review/579767-ion-fury-review-pc |website=GameRevolution |date=August 14, 2019 |publisher=Mandatory |access-date=14 August 2019 |archive-date=August 14, 2019 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190814173808/https://www.gamerevolution.com/review/579767-ion-fury-review-pc |url-status=live }} Game Informer's Javy Gwaltney called it "everything that I've wanted from a modernized take on the arcadey shooters of the 90s. The pitch-perfect movement, the enemy variety, creative weaponry, and fantastic level design all add up to a superb shooter campaign."{{cite magazine |last1=Gwaltney |first1=Javy |date=August 14, 2019 |title=Ion Fury: More Than A Blast From The Past |url=https://www.gameinformer.com/review/ion-fury/more-than-a-blast-from-the-past |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190814163759/https://www.gameinformer.com/review/ion-fury/more-than-a-blast-from-the-past |url-status=live |archive-date=August 14, 2019 |magazine=Game Informer |access-date=14 August 2019}}

Ion Fury won "Player's Choice Indie of the Year 2019" at IndieDB.{{Cite web |last=Nieva |first=Jason |date=2019-12-31 |title=Ion Fury Is The IndieDB 2019 Indie Game Of The Year |url=https://www.player.one/ion-fury-2019-indiedb-indie-game-year-132055 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200226053657/https://www.player.one/ion-fury-2019-indiedb-indie-game-year-132055 |archive-date=February 26, 2020 |access-date=2020-01-07 |website=Player.One |language=en}}{{Cite web|url=https://www.indiedb.com/groups/2019-indie-of-the-year-awards/features/players-choice-indie-of-the-year-2019|title=Players Choice - Indie of the Year 2019 feature|website=Indie DB|date=December 28, 2019|language=en|access-date=2020-01-07|archive-date=May 18, 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200518100125/https://www.indiedb.com/groups/2019-indie-of-the-year-awards/features/players-choice-indie-of-the-year-2019|url-status=live}} The soundtrack won the "Outstanding Achievement for old school composing techniques" award at Game Audio Awards 2020.{{Cite web |title=Game Audio Awards – The Winners 2020 |url=https://gameaudioawards.com/the-winners-2020/ |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210814211957/https://gameaudioawards.com/the-winners-2020/ |archive-date=August 14, 2021 |access-date=August 14, 2021 |website=Game Audio Awards|date=March 9, 2020 }}

On August 16, 2019, less than a day after the official release, Discord chat logs from members of Voidpoint were shared, displaying purportedly transphobic remarks by the developers. Following multiple requests for a comment on the situation by gaming news sites and retro gaming-focused YouTube personalities, Voidpoint and 3D Realms apologized and pledged to institute a zero-tolerance policy on "disparaging language". They also pledged to remove two lines of in-game text. Additionally, $10,000 of Ion Fury's initial sales were donated to the Trevor Project.

The developer response yielded mixed reactions, including a considerable increase in negative reviews on the game's Steam page, many of which accused the developers of censorship. On August 26, 2019, the developers reversed their stance and stated that they would only remove one of the messages, containing a slur, but no other content.{{cite web |last=Hernandez |first=Patricia |date=August 26, 2019 |title=Steam review bomb stops game from cutting homophobic content |url=https://www.polygon.com/2019/8/26/20833141/ion-fury-steam-review-bomb-3d-realms-voidpoint-controversy |access-date=26 August 2019 |website=Polygon |publisher= |archive-date=August 26, 2019 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190826162919/https://www.polygon.com/2019/8/26/20833141/ion-fury-steam-review-bomb-3d-realms-voidpoint-controversy |url-status=live }}{{cite web|last=Yin-Poole|first=Wesley|title=Ion Fury dev U-turns on promise to pull in-game homophobic slur|url=https://www.eurogamer.net/articles/2019-08-27-ion-fury-dev-u-turns-on-promise-to-pull-in-game-homophobic-slur|website=Eurogamer|date=27 August 2019|access-date=29 August 2019|archive-date=August 28, 2019|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190828005835/https://www.eurogamer.net/articles/2019-08-27-ion-fury-dev-u-turns-on-promise-to-pull-in-game-homophobic-slur|url-status=live}} Polygon cited the increase in negative reviews as basis for the reversal. Voidpoint and 3D Realms issued a joint statement that they would not remove further content from Ion Fury or any future games, stating their opposition to the censorship of creative works of any kind.{{cite web |last1=Gobeille |first1=Richard |title=Ion Fury Game Content Will Not Be Censored |url=https://steamcommunity.com/games/562860/announcements/detail/1616150570017627014 |website=Steam |date=August 26, 2019 |publisher=Valve |access-date=27 August 2019 |archive-date=August 27, 2019 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190827033939/https://steamcommunity.com/games/562860/announcements/detail/1616150570017627014 |url-status=live }}

An expansion pack for the game was announced at the Realms Deep 2020 event with a 2021 release date.{{Cite web |last=Krishnan |first=Jay |date=2020-09-07 |title=Expansion packs announced for Ion Fury and Amid Evil during Realms Deep 2020 |url=https://gameffine.com/expansion-packs-announced-for-ion-fury-and-amid-evil-during-realms-deep-2020/ |access-date=2022-09-17 |website=Gameffine |language=en-US |archive-date=September 20, 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220920170319/https://gameffine.com/expansion-packs-announced-for-ion-fury-and-amid-evil-during-realms-deep-2020/ |url-status=live }}{{Cite magazine |last=Tack |first=Daniel |date=2020-09-07 |title=Ion Fury Expansion Coming In 2021 |url=https://www.gameinformer.com/2020/09/07/ion-fury-expansion-coming-in-2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201024235019/https://www.gameinformer.com/2020/09/07/ion-fury-expansion-coming-in-2021 |url-status=live |archive-date=October 24, 2020 |magazine=Game Informer |language=en |access-date=2022-09-17}} It was revealed in 2021 as Ion Fury: Aftershock for a release that same year.{{cite magazine |last=Stewart |first=Marcus |date=March 24, 2021 |title=Ion Fury: Aftershock Adds An Explosive New Chapter To The Original Game This Summer |url=https://www.gameinformer.com/2021/03/24/ion-fury-aftershock-adds-an-explosive-new-chapter-to-the-original-game-this-summer |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220515111747/https://www.gameinformer.com/2021/03/24/ion-fury-aftershock-adds-an-explosive-new-chapter-to-the-original-game-this-summer |archive-date=May 15, 2022 |access-date=May 15, 2022 |magazine=Game Informer}} The developers announced that the expansion would feature thirteen new levels, a new weapon and inventory items, and several new enemy and ammo types. Arrange Mode introduces "an amped-up remix of the entire original campaign with mirrored levels and modified enemy and item placement". The expansion was released on October 2, 2023 for PC.{{cite web |title=Ion Fury: Aftershock |url=https://store.steampowered.com/app/1588720/Ion_Fury_Aftershock/ |access-date=October 2, 2023 |website=Steam}}

A sequel titled Phantom Fury, built on Unreal Engine, was released on April 23, 2024.{{cite web|url=https://store.steampowered.com/app/1733240/Phantom_Fury/|title=Steam - Phantom Fury|website=SteamPowered|access-date=May 21, 2024}}

{{reflist}}

• {{official website|http://www.ionfury.com/}}
• [https://voidpoint.io/terminx/eduke32 Official source code repository]

{{Build engine games}}

{{3D Realms}}

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