No One Lives Forever is a great FPS with many humorous quirks. The box describes the plot better than I could: "Assume the role of Cate Archer, a beautiful but deadly Operative working for UNITY – a super secret organization fighting to free the world from the clutches of H.A.R.M.". What seems at first as a dry storyline eventually unfolds into an epic saga. NOLF's ingenuity is evident from the first level. The weapons are unique and original, and the gadgets that you will use in your missions are even more unique. Lipstick explosives, lockpicks and welding tools hidden inside barettes, belt buckle zip-lines and robotic poodles are but a few of the zany gadgets you'll use in NOLF. Monolith certainly outdid themselves. Their mastery of the licensed LithTech engine is evident; you'll skydive from a burning jetliner, fight feisty sharks and protect a near-deaf world leader from assassination. All of this and more is surrounded by beautiful visuals and particle effects. NOLF also has a fantastic sense of humour. If you're stealthy enough, you can listen in and hear conversations that enemy sentries are saying. They'll talk about their band, all the way to their women :) This is a great addition. However, some problems plague this game. Repetitive music is one of them. I wasn't around during the '60's, but if this is what their music sounded like, remind me to burn all my father's records :) Also, horribly long load times are a problem. I can go upstairs, grab a Pepsi, fill it with ice, take the dog for a walk and I'll still be waiting for it to load. I'm exaggerating, but a fast PC will help. All in all, this is a highly enjoyable first person shooter that was overlooked by the gaming populace. It should be in bargain bins by now (I got mine for $10) so pick it up and enjoy some campy fun. Two thumbs up! Reviewed by: Red Fox 23 |