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No One Lives Forever 2: A Spy in H.A.R.M.'s Way
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Graphics & Sound:
It's been two years since the award-winning No One Lives Forever brought a new sense of humor and style to the world of first-person shooters, and now special agent Cate Archer returns for more action! Can No One Lives Forever 2: A Spy in H.A.R.M.'s Way live up to its successor's 'Action Game of the Year' status? Maybe so (since Doom III isn't due until late 2003)! Visually, the sequel takes the cake for attention to detail. Each level gives off an aura of craftsmanship, be it crowded streets in India or a deserted residence in Ohio. Character models are also far better constructed than most FPS titles have shown in recent times, as are their actions. Kill a guard at a hilltop and watch him roll realistically to the bottom, rather than falling in place. It's a hoot just to watch the characters do their own thing... before taking them out, of course. Much of NOLF 2's humor stems from its fantastic voice acting, too; from stereotypical Siberian troops to the token Scottish brute, the pro voicers should have you in stitches from Level 1. Jen Taylor, whose past work includes Super Smash Bros. Melee, Halo and Aliens vs. Predator 2, brings life to agent Archer with satisfyingly sexy results. And what good would a '60s spy spoof be without a clichd go-go soundtrack to boot? Chances are, since you'll spend at least two hours in loading screens before the game is over, you'll have plenty of time to get those infectious ditties stuck in your head. |
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Gameplay:
Anyone familiar with the first game knows the score. Cate might as well be James Bond's female counterpart, with all the neat little gadgets that come with the job. Stun gun mascara, lipstick spy cameras, hairspray blowtorches... you name it, she's got it. This time around she'll be employing her skills against H.A.R.M., a bumbling evil conglomeration bent on world domination using any means necessary. Though the plot travels into some well-worn territory as the story progresses ( Return to Castle Wolfenstein sees an allusion or two), it always subtly hints at Mike Myers' Austin Powers universe mixed with plenty of 007-style innuendo. The action starts off slowly with Cate battling cutesy ninjas in Japan, but picks up the pace later on as her assignment brings her to Akron, Ohio. I honestly must say the trailer park level and its consequent boss battle were the coolest FPS happenings I've witnessed since Half-Life's opening sequence. I won't divulge any spoilers, but it's an absolute must-see. I was speechless the whole time I was playing, and I replayed the scene three or four times! Another notable area involves driving snowmobiles across a Siberian mountaintop, icy winds be damned. Despite the vehicles' iffy controls, this part was pure fun -- but if only Cate could shoot while driving one-handed, instead of having to ram enemies and sustain a few hits in the process, it could've been much more intense. Just stick with the keyboard for steering, or you'll be swerving all over the path. Multiplayer, unfortunately, has its ups and downs. Deathmatch fanatics will have to look elsewhere, as NOLF 2 only offers cooperative play for Internet and network games. On the other hand... hey, it's a PC FPS with co-op mode! It's tough to find a game these days without all-DM or Capture the Flag objectives online, and NOLF 2 pulls it off pretty well. Instead of respawning automatically when they die, players instead fall to the ground for a period of time, until their life expires or a teammate revives them. When revived, players keep their Skill Points (read on for details), weapons and ammo intact, but their health stays near zero until a med kit can be found. While annoying at times, the revival system promotes teamwork a hell of a lot more than Halo or Serious Sam ever did. |
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Difficulty:
Players choose from Easy, Normal, Hard and Superspy -- but those might as well be labeled 'Insanely Easy, Relatively Easy, Hard, and Insanely Hard'. Even on the Normal difficulty, most enemies have a tough time shooting Cate at nearly point-blank range. I remember standing still in front of three H.A.R.M. guards and picking them off one by one with an AK-47, taking my time, while they all sprayed bullets everywhere but at me. I know H.A.R.M. is a somewhat brainless organization, but couldn't they at least hire some goofballs with accuracy? Superspy, on the other hand, will test the best. It only takes a couple of bullets to put Cate out of commission on this difficulty, and the guards will (usually) hit you this time around. So, even for those not-so-adept at FPS games, I'd recommend starting on Hard for the perfect amount of challenge. |
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Game Mechanics:
Considering how many maneuvers Cate has at her disposal, players couldn't ask for a better control scheme. I found myself fumbling for particular weapons on occasion, but after an hour or two into the game, I was Cate Archer, Super Spy. Well... in a manly way, of course. NOLF 2 has all the moves any FPS game should automatically supply these days, along with the ability to lean around corners and pick up bodies (a la Thief: The Dark Project) to avoid getting caught. Everything's highly customizable, so you don't need to stick with the default controls -- although, I found them to be absolutely perfect for any task presented in the game. Quite possibly the most appealing feature in NOLF 2 lies with the Skill Point system, wherein players can upgrade Cate's spying abilities based on how much intelligence they've uncovered throughout each mission. Putting a couple thousand points into Stealth will lessen the time it takes for Cate to disappear into shadows; boosting Stamina increases her maximum health meter, and so forth. Players can upgrade any category in any order, or choose to go hardcore and never upgrade once (although I wouldn't recommend it). This comes in handy on exceptionally tough levels where an extra bit of armor could mean the difference between life and death -- if you've been saving those points, simply master the Armor skill and take your enemies head-on! Even though fans of the series will say the original NOLF far surpasses its successor, No One Lives Forever 2 contains too many wonderful nuances to be ignored. If you're looking for an all-out spy thriller with tons of action, you might consider holding out for 007: Nightfire... but if you want the total package with truckloads of hilarity on the side, pick up NOLF 2 today for instant gratification. |
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-Ben Monkey, GameVortex Communications AKA Ben Lewis |
Minimum System Requirements:
Win 98/98 SE/ME/2000/XP, PIII 500 MHz, 128 MB RAM, 32 MB video card, 4X CD-Rom, 1.2 GB HD space |
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Test System:
Windows 2000 Professional, PIII 800 MHz, 256 MB RAM, GeForce 2MX400 w/64 MB VRAM, 32X DVD-ROM, Soundblaster Live! Platinum |
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