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Platform: PC

Developer: Monolith

Publisher: Sierra / Fox Interactive

Genre: Action

ETA: Q4 2002

No One Lives Forever 2:

A Spy in H.A.R.M.'s Way

I really hate writing introductions.  They’re the most pivotal part of any written prose – the opening should draw the reader in and pique their interest.  Take for instance the opening of the official No One Lives Forever 2 (NOLF2) fact sheet.

The sequel to the award winning No One Lives Forever continues the adventures of super spy Cate Archer, pitting her once more against H.A.R.M. and the inevitable threat of global catastrophe. The goal for the project is to create an engrossing, original experience in the spirit of No One Lives Forever, but not necessarily in its image.

Maybe it’s not as snazzy as it could be, but the intro is solid.  And darned if it doesn’t snag my interest.

The most interesting point, and probably the most pertinent to anyone thinking about buying NOLF2 when it hits the shelves is that the game world uses the “new LithTech™ Jupiter System. Each scene is filled with over 30 times the detail of the original NOLF.  Characters come alive with realistic projected texture shadows and accurately modeled eye, head, and torso movement.  Tens of thousands of particles combine to create whiteout snow conditions, fiery explosions, or knee high grass that sways gently in the wind.  Cool ponds of water reflect the trees and sky overhead and flow realistically around objects and players.”  Or you can try out my definition: “Buy a ripping-fast computer because you’re going to need it if you want a good-looking and swift-moving experience.”

There was much praise heaped on the enemy AI of the original game, and rightly so.  Goons wouldn’t just run at you or stand still, they would dive for cover or up-end tables or shoot blindly around corners.  But it wasn’t just the combat routine that made the AI challenging.  The buggers could hear you and if they came across one of their HARM buddies lying on the ground they would investigate and more often than not, raise the alarm.  The enemy AI for NOLF2 is “goal-based.”  Essentially, this means that an enemy operates toward a goal, which in most cases is kill Cate Archer.  But then there will be goals of self-preservation, calling in the rest of the herd, or assuming a pack mentality.  They also have their non-Cate-Archer-killing tendencies like napping and “taking care of business.”  Their reactions will obviously have to be more complex due to Cate’s ability to interact more fully with the environment.  Knocking a bottle over or breaking a light bulb instead of unscrewing it, could bring a “machinegun-totting Mime” to investigate.

Being detected in the original game almost always met with mission failure.  NOLF2 will allow you to hide after being detected.  Since NOLF2 is (at its core) a spy game, there’s an emphasis on moving about undetected, which is not to say there won’t be plenty of straight-up shooting.  With the kind of equipment and weapons Cate has at her disposal, you’re sure to have fun taking the cautious route or blasting everything in sight.

Just as in the first game, NOLF2 sports a variety of equipment and weapon items.  Looks like the humor quotient will remain intact because Cate can use a banana peel and something called an Angry Kitty Artificial Feline Proximity Mine.

Mission variety was one of NOLF’s biggest strengths – everyone harped on the “jumping out of a plane and grabbing a guy’s parachute” level.  NOLF2, if the development team learned anything, should have the same kind of varying mission types.  Currently, Monolith isn’t releasing too much in the way of different environments, but what there it definitely continues the NOLF tradition of visiting locales all our favorite ‘60s spies swung through at one time or another, such as “a feudal Japanese estate to the exotic streets of India to a Soviet military installation.”

So, to recap, NOLF2 is looking to deliver strong enemy AI, fantastic environments and various locales, stealthy emphasis, and lots of gadgets and weapons to use. (And one aspect I didn’t mention – scoring experience points to put toward “Accuracy, Stealth, and Gadget use” among other attributes.)

But what about the story and dialogue?  That’s harder to convey in a screenshot or a fact sheet – no matter how well written.  The most amusing parts of NOLF was creeping around and listening to the non-player characters gab to each other about their social lives and working conditions – or in one case a fellow propositioning a goat – and conversations like these will probably appear in NOLF2.  The overall story hinges on an uncovered “top secret Soviet project” but Cate is dogged by H.A.R.M. goons throughout.  You can also be sure of numerous cutscenes, although it will be interesting to see how (or if) the complaints of long-winded cutscenes from the first game will be dealt with.

The aspect I’m most looking forward to is the music.  This area is often overlooked but my favorite part about NOLF was the music.  NOLF2 has its work cut out for itself.  It will be interesting to hear how the original title tune is incorporated into the overall score, since it has become Cate’s theme and it would seem a glaring omission to drop it. (Just the way the James Bond theme works its way into 60% of the music in any given Bond film.)

Cate's return to the H.A.R.M. reduction program is scheduled for Q4 2002.

- Omni

(May 14, 2002)