i. Cate Archer: Cate Archer is at the front and center of this game. Far from a mute(ish) protagonists that were so common in FPS back then, she has a lot to say. And it's a joy to listen to her. Cate is full of personality and charm. Charisma and attitude. The fact she is a woman is very important for the game's story and her arc in it, and although I'm sure it's not perfect, I find they did a great job with it. What's amazing is the range her character shows. She can be sarcastic, but also respectful and formal. Aggressive but also tender. Funny or serious. There are even some dialogue choices in the game but they all feel like things she could say. Of course, parallel to all that she is also a lethal, dangerous and extremely capable spy. Poor HARM never stood a chance!
ps: I also recommend reading this article about female protagonist in FPS, which has a section dedicated to NoLF.
ii. Great match between amazing gameplay and light stealth elements: make no mistake, NoLF is first and foremost a FPS. With that in mind, what makes it such an extraordinary one is not simply its well crafted gunplay, but how it manages to incorporate stealth elements. You'll often find yourself moving very deliberate across the map, trying to not make any noise and keeping an extra attention to the environment. Sounds play an important role here, listening to footsteps can tell players where the enemy is coming from and shooting someone through a wall because you heard them coming is extra satisfying. You also have an array of gadgets to help your missions, from lockpicks, body removers, poisoned perfume, etc... but at the end of the day it's all about killing the enemies without being seen. And if things go to hell, then going in all guns blazing is also extremely fun. There are some rough spots here and there with the stealth gameplay, but nothing that quick saving can't solve!
iii. Tone and humor: When we think of First Person Shooters, particularly in the late 90s, we tend to think of violent, bloody games. Doom, Quake, Wolfenstein, even Half Life. NoLF follows a different direction. At first glance it might remind you of Austin Powers, as it too is a paraody of 60s spy thrillers. Yet what makes the game stand out is that it finds a superb balance between being fun, colorful and lighthearted, with being serious and grave. You often see characters reacting seriously to a situation, but with something in the middle that makes it quite absurd, one great example is HARMS puppet video:
No One Lives Forever is a game that tries to be joyful and make the player have a good time while playing it. Not just because the game is fun to play, but also because there are many funny and delightful moments.
iv. Writing and dialogue: A lot of elements of the game contribute to the tone I mentioned above. How colorful the game is, the design of gadgets, character design, etc. But the writing deserves a special mention. NoLF is an extremely well written game, with a strong narrative and many memorable dialogues. Not only the interaction between the main characters is great, but throughout the game there are many dialogue between henchmen that will put a smile on your face, one very memorable example:
Another favorite of mine:
And there are many others. Beware though, some will make you quite conflict about killing the bad guys! Documents are also a source of quick jokes, and are in themselves rewards for exploration.
v. Music: Not only No One Lives Forever has a great soundtrack, but the way the music is used in the game is amazing. Stealth games often uses music to highlight danger and enemy movement, and NoLF is no exception. The music truly enhances the atmosphere and help you to understand what is happening. One incredible detail that I personally love is when you kill an enemy there will be a quick music shift that will either go back to normal if no one notices what you did or change into another tune if you're detected.
vi (bonus round): Modernized for the present: If you're luck enough to find yourself with a copy of NoLF (and its sequel), you might find that the games don't particularly run well with modern computers. But the good news is that these modernizes exist, and they were incredibly well. Higher res, solid performance and close to bug free. You can experience these games today as they should.
Modernizer for NoLF1, Modernizer for NoLF2.
And that's it. I cannot overstate my love for No One Lives Forever, No One Lives Forever 2 (which by the way you should also try as it's even better than the first game) and the indomitable Cate Archer. It's incredibly sad that such an incredible franchise is burried under copyright fuckery, but I take some solace that there are more people out there who will never forget those masterpieces.
And I do hope some people here decide to give it a chance. You will not regret it.
ps: I also recommend reading this article about female protagonist in FPS, which has a section dedicated to NoLF.
ii. Great match between amazing gameplay and light stealth elements: make no mistake, NoLF is first and foremost a FPS. With that in mind, what makes it such an extraordinary one is not simply its well crafted gunplay, but how it manages to incorporate stealth elements. You'll often find yourself moving very deliberate across the map, trying to not make any noise and keeping an extra attention to the environment. Sounds play an important role here, listening to footsteps can tell players where the enemy is coming from and shooting someone through a wall because you heard them coming is extra satisfying. You also have an array of gadgets to help your missions, from lockpicks, body removers, poisoned perfume, etc... but at the end of the day it's all about killing the enemies without being seen. And if things go to hell, then going in all guns blazing is also extremely fun. There are some rough spots here and there with the stealth gameplay, but nothing that quick saving can't solve!
iii. Tone and humor: When we think of First Person Shooters, particularly in the late 90s, we tend to think of violent, bloody games. Doom, Quake, Wolfenstein, even Half Life. NoLF follows a different direction. At first glance it might remind you of Austin Powers, as it too is a paraody of 60s spy thrillers. Yet what makes the game stand out is that it finds a superb balance between being fun, colorful and lighthearted, with being serious and grave. You often see characters reacting seriously to a situation, but with something in the middle that makes it quite absurd, one great example is HARMS puppet video:
No One Lives Forever is a game that tries to be joyful and make the player have a good time while playing it. Not just because the game is fun to play, but also because there are many funny and delightful moments.
iv. Writing and dialogue: A lot of elements of the game contribute to the tone I mentioned above. How colorful the game is, the design of gadgets, character design, etc. But the writing deserves a special mention. NoLF is an extremely well written game, with a strong narrative and many memorable dialogues. Not only the interaction between the main characters is great, but throughout the game there are many dialogue between henchmen that will put a smile on your face, one very memorable example:
Another favorite of mine:
And there are many others. Beware though, some will make you quite conflict about killing the bad guys! Documents are also a source of quick jokes, and are in themselves rewards for exploration.
v. Music: Not only No One Lives Forever has a great soundtrack, but the way the music is used in the game is amazing. Stealth games often uses music to highlight danger and enemy movement, and NoLF is no exception. The music truly enhances the atmosphere and help you to understand what is happening. One incredible detail that I personally love is when you kill an enemy there will be a quick music shift that will either go back to normal if no one notices what you did or change into another tune if you're detected.
vi (bonus round): Modernized for the present: If you're luck enough to find yourself with a copy of NoLF (and its sequel), you might find that the games don't particularly run well with modern computers. But the good news is that these modernizes exist, and they were incredibly well. Higher res, solid performance and close to bug free. You can experience these games today as they should.
Modernizer for NoLF1, Modernizer for NoLF2.
And that's it. I cannot overstate my love for No One Lives Forever, No One Lives Forever 2 (which by the way you should also try as it's even better than the first game) and the indomitable Cate Archer. It's incredibly sad that such an incredible franchise is burried under copyright fuckery, but I take some solace that there are more people out there who will never forget those masterpieces.
And I do hope some people here decide to give it a chance. You will not regret it.
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