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Cate Archer
returns in No One Lives Forever 2: A Spy in H.A.R.M.’s Way and
she’s more shaggadelic than ever! One of the best games of
2000 makes a simply smashing return in 2002. Improved in
almost every possible way over the original, it’s a sure
contender for Game of the Year and a practical shoe-in for
First Person Shooter of the Year.
Spanning 40 Levels through 15 unique Chapters, NOLF2’s
storyline is just as humorous, if not more so, than the first.
In this installment, Cate finds herself uncovering a
super-secret Soviet / H.A.R.M. plot to start a third World
War. Not to give too much away, but this time you have more
than your share of deadly mimes and enhanced Super Soldiers to
deal with.
The graphics in NOLF2 are more |
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than sufficient and effectively bring you
into the farcical James Bondish, Swinging Sixties world of
Cate Archer, UNITY and H.A.R.M. No matter what corner of
the world Cate travels to, the gamer is in for impressive,
expansive and immersive environments. The settings range from
exotic locals like India to a less than exotic trailer park in
Ohio. Powered by the next generation LithTech Jupiter engine,
the graphics aren’t quite cutting edge but they’re colorful
and vibrant – perfect for the source material. Even more
importantly, the game runs smoothly on a mere Pentium III 800
with a GeForce 4 Ti card at 1024x768 resolution! This is quite
a feat, considering the game can graphically hold it’s own
against all but the most advanced of the current crop of
shooters.
NOLF2 also ups the innovation ante with a number of new
features. Stealth is now a much larger part of the game.
Whenever you’re in a dark corner or room, a stealth meter pops
up and quickly slides down from visible to completely hidden.
While hidden, you can spy on and evade your enemies without
firing a shot. Another slick innovation is the enhanced skills
system. Every document you find and goal you complete earns
you skill points. These skill points can be spent on a wide
variety of skills, ranging from Stealth to Gadgets. The way
you choose to spend your skill points ends up creating a
unique super spy and can greatly affect how you play the game.
The single element that makes NOLF 2 so good is it’s fun
factor. The game is an absolute blast to play. When you’re not
blasting away at evil henchmen and H.A.R.M. Operatives, you’ll
be laughing at the over-the-top spy spoofs found throughout.
The sheer variety of weapons and gadgets is almost
overwhelming. If your barrette lock pick doesn’t save the day,
then your laughing gas grenade will surely get you out of
trouble. Gameplay has been honed to an unrelenting art form.
At different points in the game, you’ll find yourself jumping
your snowmobile over an exploding bridge in Siberia, battling
a Ninja babe within the tight confines of a mobile home caught
in a Tornado, and escaping from a flooding underwater base.
From start to finish, there virtually isn’t a dull or
repetitive moment in NOLF 2. I award No One Lives Forever 2 a
well deserved 4.5 Planet rating.
Gamer42 Rating:
4.5 out of 5 Planets
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No One Lives Forever 2>> |
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Buy It @
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