No One Lives Forever
Single & Multiplayer First Person Shooter
No One Lives Forever
Monolith Productions, Sierra Entertainment | Released Nov 5, 2000
No One Lives Forever is to be a fast-paced, story-driven first-person shooter that delivers over-the-top action, outrageous villains, and wry humor in the tradition of the great 1960’s Bond films. You play Cate Archer an undercover operative for MI-Zero. Your mission is to arrange for the defection of a prominent East German biophysicist that goes by the name of Otto Dentz. However things go wrong when a terrorist group known as the HARM abducts Dentz during a flight to England.
No One Lives Forever Review
Ever dream of overthrowing a nefarious terrorist group bent on world domination in the crazy 60s? Unlikely, but this game will make you wonder why you haven't.
Posted by San-J on Sep 27th, 2004 digg this super bookmark
Review
[page=Overview]
No One Lives Forever is one of those games that simply seems so cool, that you are surprised it hasn't been done before. Though it borrows heavily from James Bond, Austin Powers, and other 60s inspired movies, NOLF (as it has been affectionately dubbed by its fans) is truely unique. Everything from the ridiculous characters and crazy gadgets to the omnipresent dry British humor of this game begs for a reform in conventional games. Although it was released in 2000, NOLF has an enduring, albeit small, closeknit fan community. And rightfully so; NOLF is arguably one of the most unfairly overlooked games to hit shelves this decade.
[page=SP Gameplay]
NOLF is a true gem in terms of gameplay. The singleplayer campaign's levels span the globe from Morocco, through a space station, to an Alpine Chateau, with many exotic stops in between. Especially notably is one level that involves jumping (or rather being sucked) out of a crashing airplane, and attempting to catch up with a certain someone to steal their parachute, while fending off dozens of parachuting villains. Though this level is a direct copy of the opening scene of the 007 film "Moonraker", it has been translated into an interactive format seamlessly.
The boss levels are also very entertaining in their unique "unrealism". Don't frown at the use of this term, however. Unrealism is a hallmark quality of any 60s spy game/movie, and makes this game even more enjoyable. Elecrocuting closet terrorist, German opera singers clothed in Viking attire, who cannot be killed in any ordinary fashion never does get old, does it?
There is so much that can be said about NOLF's singleplayer, that I had to pick some of the most notable aspects. Buy this game today, if you haven't already. You are in for a big surprise.
SP Gameplay Rating: 9.5/10
[page=Graphics & Sound]
It is rather difficult to review a game's graphics four years after it's release. Powered by the Lithtech engine (which was also used in Aliens Vs. Predator 2), NOLF looks pretty good, when you consider it's age. The 3d water and environment mapping may make the game more immersive, but it also lagged awefully on even mid-range computers in 2000. Those 1.0ghz processors are long past, however, and you can now enjoy NOLF on even lower range computers flawlessly.
The sound is not as hard to review, however. Right from the opening titular soundtrack that reminds of 007 themes without the sappy lyrics, this game promises authentic music from it's time. Start firing your wide array of weapons, and you'll notice that this diligence carried over into the other aspects of sound artistry. Enemies voices are very humourously dispersed throughout the levels in the highest quality of voice active. One of my favourites scenes was a dialogue (or rather monologue?) between a deaf ambassador and a polite taxi driver, that culminated in the ambassador insisting on walking to the airport. He was shot promptly thereafter.
Graphics Rating: 9/10Sound/Music Rating: 10/10
[page=MP Gameplay]
The multiplayer gameplay is arguably what has kept NOLF alive for the select few that bought it. With the tested true gameplay mode of Deathmathch, as well as an innovative and fitting mode called "HARM vs. UNITY", the multiplayer action is heartpounding from the loading screen, to the final scoreboard.
I don't find it necessary to give any details on the Deathmatch mode, so I will focus on the HVU (HARM vs. UNITY) mode, instead. HVU is essentially set up like a capture the flag gameplay mode. Once you start playing, however, one notices a stark difference. Rather than pickup up a flag and bringing it to your base, you must pickup a pair of sunglasses, switch to camera mode, and sneak into the enemies base, where you must photograph their top secret documents. The catch is that you cannot use any other weapons while using the camera, and that the sunglasses have a zoom function. This may not sound fun on paper (or rather your monitor), but it is addictive beyond belief. The inclusion of motorcycles and snowmobiles serve to fortify an already great multiplayer innovation.
MP Gameplay Rating: 9/10
[page=Last words]
No One Lives Forever 1 is a stellar game that seems to defy it's own name, for it's small community of faithful followers. One can only hope that Monolith trusts itself again with the NOLF series after their spectacular flop known as Contract Jack, and decide to make a No One Lives Forever 3, preferrably on the same engine as their upcoming shooter F.E.A.R.
Overall Rating: 9.5/10
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i remember, nolf was my first good looking pc game. it was a lot of fun to play. mp-gameplay wasn't as cool as single player :D
I've been playing computer games since Pong 1.0, I'm nowadays playing less (it takes really interesting games for me to take the time to play); but I have to say that Nolf is still the best game I've ever played - and judging by what's out nowadays, it looks like its #1 spot isn't going to be taken before a while... Thanks Monolith!
First of all--NOLF has a single player game? LOL I just joined the Mod Database; however, it isn't letting me login just yet. I play NOLF a LOT. I also run a server quite often, experiment with mods and occasionally will practice dentistry between NOLFings. :) If you see me on the server (DM), my name is "*Bunny!"
I copied and pasted this quote: "...very entertaining in their unique "unrealism"...Unrealism is a hallmark quality of any 60s spy game/movie, and makes this game even more enjoyable." I agree!!!! That almost cartoonish look and feel of NOLF does give it that "something special." Too many games try to be so serious and realistic. NOLF doesn't take itself too seriously. I have wondered myself if the recent flops of NOLF 2 and CJ (I have both) flopped, at least in part, BECAUSE that sense of "unrealism" -- hmm, don't seem to be there. NOLF 2 and CJ are more "eye-candy." I also hope that there will be a "NOLF 3." Really, I dream of it as a MP only, and I would love to see it more of a "refinement" of the original. That would be AWESOME.
What really makes the game special though are the people. I have even met a dozen or so players in person. I would still like to find a way to organize another LAN party here in CA.
Neat review! I agree WAY under-rated! Thing is--in the last month or so--I have met (in game) 3 or 4 ppl who bought the game in a bagain bin--NOOBs in a game that is this old? That says something in itself. Thanks!
And NOLF 2 isn't that bad either!
Hey *Bunny, I've seen you playing online! Welcome to ModDB! I go by "San-J" and "Mael Strom" in NOLF.
NOLF is one of my favorite games, and I enjoyed NOLF 2 just as much - perhaps more.
The characters were awesome and the story pretty good for a shooter. I really wish they'd make a NOLF 3.
Ive been playing nolf i think since november 2000, clearly is one of the best games ive played, I would love to see monolith redo the orignal NOLF1 w/ todays technology. Peace to all NOLFER'S, keep the game alive!! ***MISTRESS***
NOLF IS DIENG IN A MONTH IT WILL BE DEAD!
Fascinating sentiments, though I personally disagree. Monolith is one of the precious few software developers that makes games not solely for money, but also because for their small fan community, and simply because they enjoy it. There are enough people that love NOLF to death that I'm sure that the question is more when, rather than if, NOLF3 will be developed. I personally am hoping that they will make it using the next iteration of the Lithtech engine, most likely the one powering their upcoming shooter "F.E.A.R."
Peace all,
/*Sangye*/
ive been playing nolf since it came out and i am a good mp player and i love the sp i would say ive played it a 1000 times! and i must say nolf is the only game that ive ever played with such enjoyment!
cya around XeOn aka.artic aka.noob aka. XeOn |x| aka.Xe! aka.well im always the person owning you lol j/k bye
"Monolith is one of the precious few software developers that makes games not solely for money, but also because for their small fan community, and simply because they enjoy it."
sorry bud. i worked for monolith around the time they were finishing NOLF (summer of 2000). their focus IS money, just like any other game development studio. besides, there was no NOLF community back before it was released. as for 'enjoying it' i don't remember many smiling faces in those kirkwood offices for the short time i was there.
but that doesn't change the fact that NOLF was great, NOLF2 had its moments but aside from being prettier it paled to the original. and while FEAR may look cool, sanity looked cool too (i found it cooler than the NOLF beta i got to try out), only time will tell if it goes past looks.
What I mean by that is that after NOLF 1, they realized that they had fans, so they continued the series. Anyone purely bent on capitalistic goals would have seen that it was not a selling formula, and would have came up with a new idea, be it generic, that would have appealed to the masses. Instead, they made NOLF 2.
Now I won't discredit your knowledge of Monolith, given that you supposedly worked for them (only reason that I say supposedly, is because of your failure to capitalize letters when appropriate), and this is just the way that I see it.
Not since "Shadow Warrior" released May 1997 by ID realms, has there been a First person shooter game as funny and versatle as Nolf 1. If you rush through the game and don't pay attention to the dialog or the subtle jokes, shame on you. It is an interesting reflection of the "American Spy Era" from the 1960's and 70's which is probably misunderstood by the younger players. - Your Mom