hedwards: It's definitely a divisive game. But I really do question anybody who claims to hate DNF and like DN3D. I'm really suspicious because DNF has all the same humor, it does lack somewhat in terms of space and being far more linear than it's predecessor. But, you get to drive around in a toy car, so I forgive that.
The only reason I'm not playing right now is that the game doesn't run on the laptop I have with me.
I don't think DNF is a horrible game - it's just not that great because of one big reason (used to be two): linearity. It's so heavily scripted and linear (and poorly done as well) that it doesn't feel like I'm walking around a world but rather in a corridor. D3D was about exploration: you had a city or a street and you could walk around to look at what areas you could enter. DNF removes all that and gives you, more or less, a single line.
Some parts are a bit more free and open, but in general, it suffers from the same cruddy console FPS sickness as COD and many others: being linear kills re-playability.
At least they got rid of the pathetic 2 weapon limit. The idiot at Gearbox who didn't think that should be c hanged needs to get slapped - and don't get me started at 3D Realms for even CONSIDERING adding that! D3D was all about having a huge arsenal of ridiculous weapons. Why on EARTH would you then go "you know what would be fun? Taking away those weapons!" - it baffles me to see how clueless many devs are these days.