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No One Lives Forever 2: A Spy in H.A.R.M.'s Way

EMAIL PRINT pc

8.2 User Score:

Universal acclaim

Based on 29 critic reviews
How did we calculate this?

Based on 35 votes
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Game Info

Publisher: Sierra Studios

Developer: Monolith Productions

Genre(s): First-Person Shooter, Action

Players: 4

ESRB Rating: M (Mature)

Release Date: October 1, 2002

Summary

A humorous story-driven first-person shooter featuring the beautiful but deadly UNITY operative Cate Archer. Cate must investigate a super-secret Soviet project that, if successful, could bring about a third world war. Armed with an assortment of conventional and experimental weaponry and gadgets, players will explore exotic locales, circumvent devious traps, and contend with deadly agents determined to take Cate out of the spy trade once and for all. [Sierra]

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Also On The Web: Official Website

What The Critics Said

All critic scores are converted to a 100-point scale. If a critic does not indicate a score, we assign a score based on the general impression given by the text of the review. Learn more...

100

Entertainment Weekly

The stealth element, which was the source of much frustration, has undergone a total overhaul: Virtually every one of the game's 40 missions can be accomplished using guile (instead of brute force). [11 Oct 2002, p.85]

100

G4 TV

Great graphics and sound, top-notch AI, wonderfully entertaining dialog, and an impressive variety of gameplay all make this one of the best games of the year.

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100

GameNow

The writing is sharp enough to make sense of the fact that, at one point, you find yourself fighting ninjas in the middle of a tornado in Akron, Ohio. [Jan 2003, p.67]

100

Yahoo! Games

Its presentation is top-notch, its levels are varied and interesting, its AI is convincing, and the whole game drips with love and attention to detail.

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Game Over Online

Every environment is created with jaw dropping detail that makes every single one a visual feast. I spent a good amount of time just looking at the surroundings trying to take everything in.

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Gamer's Pulse

Game of the year material. It’s rare these days to play a game that excels in every area-but this one does so.

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PC Gameworld

Truly a wonderful game, complete with enough humor and action to appease anyone in the market for a good shooter and a hearty laugh.

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GameZone

Along with stellar sound effects, voiceovers, and groovy spy movie theme songs, No One Lives Forever 2 provides a feast for your senses.

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Armchair Empire

Every convention of the FPS genre is done to perfection, tweaked, and then turned on its ear. Only the multi-player options of the game disappoint. Still, if the game featured no multiplayer options at all, it does so many things right that it would still be in the running for Game of the Year.

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Gamers' Temple

Smart and sexy, just like its heroine. It is a thoroughly enjoyable, tongue in cheek romp through the world of 1960s espionage.

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FiringSquad

Game of the Year...Like "Deus Ex" two years ago, there is simply nothing on the same level.

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GameSpot

It improves on almost everything that worked well in the first game, and it also fixes that game's problems...a rousing success on every level.

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Adrenaline Vault

The wonderful artificial intelligence and level design combine to keep you glued to your screen...A true tour de force.

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IGN

The sequel's as good as the original. Not only does it preserve everything we liked about the first game but it also takes a few steps in some rewarding new directions.

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GameSpy

Masterfully blending some spectacular action sequences and a unique sense of humor with elements of stealth games, first-person shooters, graphic adventures and even RPGs, the end result is a title that tops the original in every way, and stands out even among 2002's amazing crop of PC action games.

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Computer Gaming World

What really sets NOLF2 apart is the game's sheer polish and professionalism. [Jan 2003, p.100]

PC Gamer

Polishing off the brilliance that is NOLF 2 are the game's stunning graphics, powered by the LithTech Jupiter engine. [Holiday 2002, p.78]

Pregaming

Not only a worthy sequel but also advances the genre forward with a higher standard of AI, stealth and level design.

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GamePro

Nearly flawless visuals and truly immersive sound make sure you’re having fun even when you’re not shooting.

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Game Informer

The game's story, humor, and action are well implemented, but I would have liked to see a little less emphasis on stealth. [Dec 2002, p.148]

Voodoo Extreme

An incredibly appealing spectacle that is ahead of the majority of other titles in the genre...The detail and flexibility of the engine allow for some captivating set pieces and cinematic cut scenes, which move the story along excellently.

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Cheat Code Central

The game has a great sense of humor and parodies much of the spy genre without losing the focus of the game.

ActionTrip

The game's true crowning achievement: This game has excellent AI. Hands down.

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PC Format

An excellent FPS, and easily one of the year’s best. It’s varied, funny, imaginative, challenging (on anything other than Easy mode, which you could complete blindfolded) and has a lot to offer. However, despite all this, it lacks its predecessor’s spark of genius and genuine originality. If we sound a little on the negative side, it’s only through mild disappointment that it’s merely a very good game rather than a repeat performance of a genuine classic.

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Game Revolution

Meets my expectations with beautiful animations, well-written enemy AI, and a shorter but still engaging single player mission.

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Eurogamer

A bloody good game... If you like first person shooters and have a sense of humour, the only other thing to stop you playing this game is the central role of a pink-suited woman. Are you man enough?

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All Game Guide

Most importantly, NOLF 2 never takes itself too seriously. You'll be battling ninja's in an Ohio trailer park while a tornado approaches, avoiding neon super-soldier death rays, slaughtering mimes, and experiencing other outlandish predicaments.

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RealGamer

While not visually stunning does feature good graphical detail that complements the gameplay well and overall combines to make an enjoyable game.

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Four Fat Chicks

If it sounds like NOLF2 is a lot like NOLF, and you're wondering why I'm complaining so bitterly, you have my sympathy. When I say they "gutted" NOLF2, I mean it, and I can back it up.

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What Our Users Said

The average user rating for this game is 8.2 (out of 10) based on 35 User Votes

Note: User votes are NOT included in the Metascore calculation.

Razvan T. gave it a10:
It's a amazing game, one of the best shooters in the world. The graphics, the posibilitys you have, the adrenaline ... it just makes you fell your the character and the gameplay lets it all happend.

Shawn H. gave it an8:
NOLF 2 is a fun game, but I felt that something was missing from this sequel. NOLF 2 is shorter than the original and is more compact. For example, instead of steadily advancing to a new area, the player is sometimes required to backtrack to previously explored areas, artificially extending the game. One of the great things about the original NOLF are the NPC conversations that the player can eavesdrop on. In this sequel, the conversations are few and far between. Dialogue between NPC's such as H.A.R.M. henchman or citizens of the town add a lot of depth and humor to the game, and more of these conversations would have served the game well. Instead, the writers chose to use more memo's, letters and notes that are scattered about the level. I personally enjoy the conversations more. Hearing a henchman talk about the hardships of the criminal lifestyle or discussing criminal psychology with a colleague are great tools for comedy, especially when the voice-acting is good. Graphics and sound are good. The only major graphical glitch I found was in the underground cave lair. The cave textures would disappear depending on where I was standing. Also, some clipping was evident when bad guys died near doors. Very minor stuff, in my view. Sound is good, and voice acting is good, but not great. The cutscenes were OK, but some of the dialogue is weak. For example, the antagonism between Cate Archer and Armstrong was strained and tiresome. The writers did not put very much effort in fleshing out the story and relationships between the characters. The hostility between Cate and Armstrong is a theme carried foward from the first NOLF. Because it is not placed in context and explained fully, the dialogue seems forced. I would recommend NOLF 2 but suggest playing NOLF first. Playing the original will help explain some of the events in the sequel.

Harald W. gave it a10:
Hi I'm Harald, and I'm a NOLF2 addict.

Amigo Z. gave it a10:
Its old but is ok.

Odino O. gave it a 10:
Truly remarkable game, has a lot to offer and plenty to find in every mission. AI could be more clever, and not simply find soldiers talking random stuff about red tape when they know there are 5 guys lying on the floor... No matter, this game has it all and can be finished in stealth or brute force if required.

Linsey B. gave it a 10:
I loved this game. when I first saw it I thought oh this will be a great game I loved it!!!!!!

Tim La M. gave it a 9:
You see that the makers really wanted to make a nice game.

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No One Lives Forever 2: A Spy in H.A.R.M.'s Way

Game Info

Summary

Also On Metacritic

What The Critics Said

What Our Users Said

Upcoming &
Recent Releases