I just completed NOLF and it's a shame the game is stuck in a limbo

[Deleted member 8106]

I just completed No One Lives Forever for the first time, and I think this is one of the best "Bond simulator" ever released.
The gameplay is fun and it's never annoying, since every missions are all different from each other. There's the stealth mission in which, if you are spotted (or if a body is spotted later on) it's game-over, the stealth mission you can clear by killing everyone, the badass mission, timed missions, vehicles to ride.
And the plot is actually good. Even if it's full of cliches (done on purpose), it always provides a huge amount of funny moments because those villains are over the lines. There are several gadgets and approches you can choose in almost every mission, even if the game is just a corridor (well, not a corridor like COD, but you can't really lose your target here. There are some alternate routes, but usually there's one and one way only).

I will start the second game soon, but it's a shame nobody can release a modern version of this game and its sequels because publishers like Warner Bros, Activision etc. are too lazy to solve the rights issue the game is subject to.

 

[Messofanego]

Yeah it's a shame but at least we got NOLF like games in the new Wolfenstein ones.

 

[Bhonar]

Wait until you play NOLF2, it's even better.

NOLF2 is absolutely one of my top single-player FPSes of all time, definitely in the top 5.

 

[Sloane]

Yeah, game was ahead of its time and the second one is even better. Wish we could get a remaster and a sequel somehow.

 

[Javier23]

NOLF2 is awesome too, but I definitely liked the first one better.

Such incredible games. Need to replay them!

 

[datamage]

Excellent series. A shame it went into limbo.

 

[DJ Lushious]

That and the sequel are very much two of my favorite games. It is a shame we won't see the IP revived as it so much fun and the humor was constantly on point. And, well, the gameplay was good, too. ;-)

 

[OhMyZach]

Honestly, we just need more Bond-style games. NOLF, NOLF 2, Goldeneye, World is Not Enough, Perfect Dark, and Nightfire are all fantastic and sort of just died away.

 

[RionaaM]

Both NOLF games are excellent. The stealth is not that good, but otherwise they are full of charm and variety. I'd love to see them appearing on digital stores someday.

 

[Plumpbiscuit]

The game looks amazing for its age, if only AAA games continued to look like this on a much smaller budget. Monolith were amazing back then and now they're making garbage like Mordor. NOLF1 + 2 are perhaps 2 of the most unique FPS games cause there's just not much like it anywhere.

 

[kenta]

If System Shock can come back from the dead then surely this can too, right?!

 

[Dreenk]

If System Shock can come back from the dead then surely this can too, right?!

Click to shrink...

Well...

The initial Kotaku report on the state of the NOLF property: https://kotaku.com/the-sad-story-behind-a-dead-pc-game-that-cant-come-back-1688358811

The RPS follow-up: https://www.rockpapershotgun.com/20...ell-no-one-lives-forever-so-lets-download-it/

 

[senbon]

They're both excellent. Cate Archer is such a great protagonist.

Yeah it's a shame but at least we got NOLF like games in the new Wolfenstein ones.

Click to shrink...

Wow, you're completely right. Hadn't even thought about it like that before.

 

[tuxfool]

NOLF2 still actually holds up after all these years. The first is now a bit dated.

I highly recommend people play the second game to this day still.

 

[inpHilltr8r]

Bang the drum hard enough, and someone at Warner will start to smell the potential money, and pay the Fox lawyers to check their archives.

 

[Robbok]

Loved both so much, I would die for a proper remaster. Or even a new one, as long as it has the same flair.

 

[Barrel Cannon]

Why is it stuck in limbo? I didn't know it had issues with that

 

[Phife Dawg]

Great games, best dialogue in an FPS, ever? Probably. Would love to get a game in the same vein but SP FPS take too much time and money to make. Sad.

 

[Wislizeni]

Gosh, I did too, last month. Even played through the bonus episode, which was short but sweet. It really is incredible. I have vague memories of playing and enjoying Goldeneye as a kid. I've grown to appreciate the stealth genre as of late, and I really wanted to play a game that made you feel like a superspy. Yet I avoided going for Goldeneye because I'm sure the controls have aged poorly.

Finally getting to NOLF, something about it scratched the itch that I felt Goldeneye would have. Hard difficulty is so thrilling; you have to learn the game's systems by heart, and be ready for what awaits at every corner. There's a good amount of trial and error, but once you get a segment right in one go, it feels so good! Particularly when you mow through enemies one by one without ever alerting the entire area. Consective silent kills are doable and rewarding.

The game is super charming; sometimes cutscenes drag on, but a good chunk of the dialogue is lovely, especially the goon chatter you can catch within levels. Not just in a comedic sense; a lot of the themes discussed are still relevant. And don't get me started on how great the game is at setting moods. That scuba diving level? Super tense throughout. It legitimately creeped me out between the lighting and the sound design. I'm not surprised this team went on to do a game like F.E.A.R. (which I ashamedly haven't played yet).

Obviously, the game isn't perfect. There is a lot of bloat in its systems; some items are only used for a specific section, dialogue paths clearly leave no impact on the game. The game is very stingy about healthpacks; armor is everywhere, but I rarely found bandaids. Pacifist stealth is a chore, and not worth bothering with, which is a shame. That said, the fact that the game still manages to stand above all these issues speaks volumes for its quality.

It's funny, I'm enjoying the second one a lot more, but the first one is still a must play, in my opinion. I can't help but feel the second would feel hollow if you weren't fully aware of what was going on. It is so worth it when you finally start; it helps you appreciate the improvements to the systems, and the character dynamics that were built in the first game. NOLF 2 has had me grinning the whole way through, and I've only just started. I can't wait to see what else it has in store.

It is a damn shame that this game's rights are such a big mess. I really think this is a series that deserves continuation. There is a lot of room for it to stretch through a third installment. And even with the recent fansite, it still takes a bit to set up, and then has some issues that you'll just have to bite your lip and push through. I really do hope it gets sorted out one day. More people deserve to experience No One Lives Forever.