A different kind of FPS that combines an excellent gameplay with a creative setting and plot. Real Score: 97%.
You're Cate Archer, as you're in a shower the telephone rudely rings thus forcing you to find out some worse news(atleast for her)... you gotta get back to work. And who does our Cate Archer work for? She works for UNITY, some company that assigned Cate to be their first female spy("Spy sapping for my sentry!" No, not that kind of spy). You appear in UNITY's building(which finally gives you the control of Cate Archer), and you're on your way to one of the greatest experiences of 2000. Before actually starting any missions, you get to speak with some of your colleagues(or bosses) and complete the first training steps. Gladly, the dialogues and the training aren't boring, and unlike alot of other games, the tutorials are even fun. After finish your first steps - you get on with your first missions... which you will find out after buying the game.
STORY:
The Good:
1. Who wouldn't want to be a Spy in the late 60's? A game that doesn't mess up this great experience is a Great Game. No one Lives Forever accomplishes it and anytime you finish one mission, you can't wait to know what's going to happen in the next one.
2. No One Lives Forever brings up some really memorable characters, the main Antagonists are all very distinct in their looks, personalities and they are just classic 'Evil' Characters. Last, but not least, minor characters. They don't really affect the story but are clearly the best in the game by their very funny dialogue or just extraordinary looks.
3. The game holds alot of twists that don't mess up the story, they make it even more interesting. A spy being a woman is already a twist.
4. Numerous Cut-scenes are great too. Sometimes your game will be interrupted by a Cut-scene. I know that some people don't like it when it happens too often so I ain't telling you that they are annoying, I think they're pretty good as well. It will usually just show you the Antagonist running away or you meeting a new contact.(Not a bit factor, some people don't like Cut-scenes at all you know.)
The Bad:
1. The title of the game is a bit too long don't you think? Sometimes it stops me to type its long title one more time.(This is not a big factor... but it annoys me just a little, I really don't know why but it just does. I hope fans won't kill me)
The Story is marvelous, being a spy is a very great experience and it is just the way I would have imagined it before actually playing the game. Cate Archer herself is just plain cool and her personality greatly matches her ... headshots. The twists in the game make the game incredibly more interesting and while you're watching the loading screen on to the next mission - you know, that something unexpected will appear and WOW you.
SOUND:
The Good:
1. The time you hear the quote above, you will be laughing your head off. NOLF is full of great and funny quotes, the whole game may feel like a comedy most of the time. This is probably why the Cut-scenes are great.
2. The voice acting adds up to the characters' distinction. You will sure hear a difference between an evil Russian criminal and some drunk stumbling around.
3. Some cool soundtracks while you're sneaking around or already in a shoot-out.
The Bad: Nothing much.
The Sound is great overall in NOLF. It is greatly entertaining to watch(and hear) the criminals discuss their plans, in a variety of different voices that would perfectly suit an evil master. The best aspect of NOLF is probably the comedy, I don't think a game has had that much laughs until 2000, this is one of the things that makes the game so much fun and easy to learn. The soundtracks in NOLF really add up to your feeling of being a spy.
GAMEPLAY:
The Good:
1. Good AI, anytime you put a headshot to somebody having a conversation, the partner would not start shooting you like he already knew that you were around. First, he would check about what happened to his partner and then start looking for you. The enemies and aren't so unbelievably smart. The AI is what makes the game so life-like and believable.
2. A great variety of weapons and stuff with great design. You will get a large variety of weaponry, for ex., you will get different kind of pistols with different kind of bullets that have different kind of effects. The same goes with automatic rifles and I think it is amazing.
3. Great Level design. With almost each mission, you will get a different environment unlike any other. NOLF is incredibly unrepetitive and you will never be bored. Ranging from a simple morocco apartments and on to under-water mission, shoot-outs in a castle... infiltrations of under-ground military bases.... pure fun!
4. A good multiplayer, with the great variety of weapons - you will have alot of ways to murder your opponent.
The Bad:
1. Sometimes the levels are a bit misleading, I got stuck a bit looking for something that was hidden almost perfectly. In some cases, you cannot finish the level on the first try, quick-save is your savior.
2. Some levels are a bit frustrating due to their objectives like - sneak past 20 people without being noticed or you will fail. These kind of levels are a bit annoying to the people who don't get to finish them in the first tries but it is not much of a big deal.
NOLF's gameplay is superb with little problems to look at. While the variety of ways to kill your enemies is large you may wonder how a woman can be so cruel. Don't worry, you may not care while Cate Archer over here can bring you as much headshots, backstabs and dynamite as you would like. The enemies you fight against are greatly believable, their AI is great and it allows you to have a good shot at them until they shoot you. On the hardest skill level you can kill the opponent almost as fast at they can kill you, so you will have to put some more strategic thinking into your actions and their AI makes it easier.
The environments you play in are great, each level in NOLF brings you a different environment that doesn't even have enough time to get old until you get into another greatly designed level. NOLF though has some downsides. Some of the missions in the game are to disarm(or arm) some bombs that are hidden around the level or just to find a hidden exit... it is sometimes frustrating to people that don't pay alot of attention to their surroundings, so I got stuck a bit there and there. Another type of mission that may not be as exciting is the 'sneaking mission,' you have to get past without being noticed or else you fail. These missions are cleverly made but could be frustrating since there is not much margin for error, but it is not much of a big deal though.
GRAPHICS:
The Good:
1. Very creative design of characters, environments, weapons... everything! NOLF's at whole is a very creative game. You will be amazed that the actual Cate's grenades is lipstick while the lock-picking( and backstabbing) weapon she is using is a hair-accessory or in other words - Barrette. The characters are creatively and amusingly designed to make you want to kill them(or just laugh at them and leave them alone) and the environments you fight in are just beautiful.
2. Great Character detail. To add to the character design creativity, the detail is great as well just to add to your enjoyment of this marvelous game.
3. Outdoors... since the environments of the game change occasionally, it is good for the designers to keep it interesting... well, of course they did. Jungle, under-ground military bases, warehouses, a sunken submarine - this game has it all and with a great design that excels on every level.
The Bad: Nothing... the game is beautiful.
There is nothing bad to say about Nolf's looks, they are just beautiful. The environmets, characters, even weapons - they all look in great detail and each has it's own creative design, everything a spy needs. Simpler, this game doesn't need much words to describe it, beautiful.
OVERALL:
No One Lives Forever is a classic that much be bought and played(unless you did already), you have no idea what you're missing. No One Lives Forever combines Creative Design with Incredible Story and Unique Gameplay that will leave you wanting more... well, no worries, the second installment of NOLF came out in 2002 and thus called NOLF2. Buy this game or you will regret it. :)
SCORE:
STORY: 9.75 OVERALL: 96.88% = 97%
SOUND: 10
GAMEPLAY: 9
GRAPHICS: 10