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First Person Shooters (Games) PC Games (Games) Entertainment Games

No One Lives Forever Prequel Unveiled 41

Posted by simoniker from the screenshots-galore dept.
Thanks to GameSpy.com for their hands-on preview of the PC FPS, Contract J.A.C.K., the prequel to Monolith's critically acclaimed but disappointingly selling No One Lives Forever series. According to the preview, "..the expansion has opted for a male hero, more action and less stealth, and a bit of de-emphasis on the campy 60's feel.. you play Jack - 'just another contract killer' - who's been hired by the nefarious H.A.R.M. to help with a little problem." Contract J.A.C.K. will retail as a stand-alone game for an expansion-pack price (around $30) when it launches in October - could this be the title to finally turn the public on to the NOLF games?
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No One Lives Forever Prequel Unveiled

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  • When I see stories like this I wonder how many more FPS games people will be willing to buy... ... then I realize that they're still making james bond movies

    • Re:more FPS games (Score:3, Insightful)

      by MojoMonkey ( 444942 )
      Well, think of FPS as a broader genre. I.e. Action Flicks instead of James Bond movies. It's just a way of presenting the game world to the gamer. The problem does not stem from them being FPS so much as the same FPS as all the others. However, that being said, the NOLF franchise is refreshing on the presentation and game play.
  • Could this be the title to finally turn the public on to the NOLF games?

    With all the changes mentioned I'm not sure that this still qualifies as a NOLF game.

    To me the character and the setting were what made it more interesting then your standard FPS. With those gone why shouldn't I just play Half-Life again?
    • Just as disappointing as the exit of such series-defining elements as Cate Archer and the groovy '60s vibe (at least to me) is the shift toward "more action and less stealth." Surely the "first-person sneaker" subgenre isn't already going the way of the dodo! I would argue that the increasing emphasis on stealth in FPS games was one of the few worthwhile innovations in the genre in recent years (if you don't count that whole multiplayer fad). ;)

      /me gets back to playing Thief.

      Ah...

      DecafJedi

      • I'm sure they'd love to have stealth, but I think they've come to the realisation that the stealth in NOLF2 is broken in some important and frequents scenarios. (maybe they patched this but 3 months after release they still hadnt). So they've just given up. I still prefer Nolf sue to its flawless (IMO) stealth ai.
      • Surely the "first-person sneaker" subgenre isn't already going the way of the dodo!

        I don't think it has - look at the success of Splinter Cell. Also, Thief3 and Deus Ex2 look to be the big upcoming games on that front. XIII also looks like it'll have lots of sneaking around.

        Personally I can't play regular all-action FPS anymore. Carefully implemented stealth gameplay gives me the goosebumps far more effectively than run and gun action.
    • I wonder if players get to see Cate Archer like Half-Life Opposing Force with Gordon Freeman.
  • For me to consider buying a FPS nowadays, it really has to stand out. Deux Ex and Max Payne (yes I know its technically 3rd person), are two games that did that for me. They had some great innovative features, which made both games fun and interesting.

    With all the FPS games out there, something new and fresh needs to be in a game of that genre for me to buy it.
    • In what ways would you consider an FPS to stand out? Here's a (probably incomplete) laundry list of neato things in NOLF. Some you might think are important; others less so. Pick yer poison:
      • Stealth elements, a la Deus Ex. You can get quite far in a lot of the game without killing anything. Indeed, in a few cases, it's much easier that way.
      • Great AI. Enemies can circle around and flank. They seek cover. If there's no cover, they'll often hit the dirt and fire from a prone position. They run awa

  • NOLF Series (Score:2, Interesting)

    by goreking ( 256922 )
    ...NOLF and NOLF II rocked. Awesome graphics, gameplay and a great sense of humor. It's not the female lead that hurt sales (ie., Lara Croft?), but the lag from the Austin Powers movies that inspired it. People are pretty tired of the groovy-sixties thing. Even though these games are really good.
    • It's a great single player game as are many other FPS games like Elite Forces, etc. However the replay value once you beat these games aren't that high.

      I wish the multiplayer was more interesting.

    • Re:NOLF Series (Score:3, Interesting)

      by analog_line ( 465182 )
      Actually, I think that the NOLF series wasn't enough like Austin Powers to be truly commercially successful. A lot of the humor was really high brow, and at least half of it was aimed at hard core game players. Most people just playing around don't stick around to hear all the funny conversations, or notice the "Obligatory FPS Sewer Sequence" signs. Not enough hot chicks showing skin. Not enough in-your-face obvious comedy to please the Austin Powers fans. I personally hated the first Austin Powers mov
      • Monolith, also, doesn't get a hell of a lot of respect, and I think that's part of it.

        As do I, in fact, it's the #1 reason I haven't bought either of the current NOLF games (#2 reason: 'groovy 60s theme', #3 reason Yet Another Stealth Is Important Game; neither #2 or #3 being toned down or removed will get past #1, though).

        Aside from AvP2, there hasn't been anything they've done that's gotten much spotlight.

        I thought most of what they've done has gotten a pretty glaring spotlight, but that most of it
  • An often overlooked series that is one of the most Solid, well developed and best of all entertaining FPSs since Half-Life.

    Great to see some things that don't suck see sequels.
  • you play Jack - 'just another contact killer'

    I think you meant to say "contract" killer. Unless Jack is a poison which is absorbed by the skin.

  • I'm looking forward to this one especially since it will have some decent multiplayer. Co op multiplay usually only works if you have more than 4 levels, though it was one of the best games I played in 2002.
  • No female lead, less spy stuff, and less 60's stuff, leaving ... every other FPS.

  • All I know is, (Score:3, Interesting)

    by Sevn ( 12012 ) on Wednesday July 09, 2003 @05:01PM (#6403099) Homepage Journal
    You don't get the chance to fight ninjas in a
    trailer park in ohio while a tornado is wiping it
    out often enough in games. NOLF2 is my absolute
    FAVORITE single player gaming experience to date.
    I haven't even bothered to check out the multiplayer
    mode yet, and could care if they'd bother to include
    one at all.
    • The fight with the female ninja inside the trailer as the trailer is being swept around inside of a tornado is one of the most unique and fun experience that I've seen in a FPS. It's pretty hilarous trying to explain this level to other gamers. "WTF... why are you even fighting ninjas in the middle of a trailer park anyways."
      • I'd have to put that one at a close second to the scene where you are chasing the mime while riding a tricycle.

        (Or, more accurately, riding a scottsman who is riding a tricycle.)
  • Not at all. It sold to me, and that's the only sale it needs as far as I'm concerned. :)

    As it happens though, quite a few people have expressed interest in borrowing my copy after seeing me play it. I'm as mystified as the story poster about why it isn't more popular.

  • Removing what made NOLF good? (Score:3, Interesting)

    by Muggins the Mad ( 27719 ) on Wednesday July 09, 2003 @06:37PM (#6403762)
    > could this be the title to finally turn the public on to the NOLF games?

    By removing most of what made NOLF fun?

    They are still two of my favourite games, and everyone I've shown them to has run out and bought their own copies and become hooked.

    I honestly don't understand why they haven't sold a lot better.

    But I think it was the stealth, the 60's feel, and
    Cate Archer that made them fun.

    I guess maybe if they do more of the superb
    "different" levels (space station, sinking ship, skydiving,
    tornado, etc) and keep the humour it could still
    be worth it.

    - Colin
  • I thought that No One Lives Forever 2 was a great game, one that I played all the way thru to the end and was happy with it. I haven't had the chance to try NOLF yet, but im pretty excited about a new one. From the changes they say they are going to make, it does look like it might just turn into just another FPS though..
  • Steal my karma, take my dog- don't let me eat for a week.

    Give me more Cate Archer and I'll be happy.

    If you do play AGAINST Cate, there is no way I could shoot her. No way at all. I would have a heart attack if I got to the last level, and killing Cate was the final mission. I would probably end up like a quivering bowl of jello, or some acid burn-out.

    I love Cate Archer.

  • Did they *both* not sell well? (Score:4, Informative)

    by nobodyman ( 90587 ) on Wednesday July 09, 2003 @09:16PM (#6404592) Homepage
    It was my understanding that NOLF was, in fact, fairly successful but that the sequel did poorly.

    Anyway, though I thought that the graphics were much, much improved in NOLF2, the gameplay suffered a bit (but not terribly so). I remember the gameplay and mechanics of NOLF were quite solid (it reminded me of goldeneye), but I felt that gunplay element was not near as polished in the sequel -- enemies would "dodge" by instantly appearing to the left/right of your crosshair when shooting. Also, while the addition of skill points was a good idea, I thought that the hiding system seemed counter-intuitive at times. Also, while I like the stealth elements, I felt that the sequel was at times too stealthy -- sometimes I felt arbitrarily forced to be stealthy when a small amount of ass-kicking would have been just as effective and far less time consuming.

    It's also worth noting the multiplayer component of both NOLF and NOLF2 were generally considered to be lacking (this was almost by design as to focus more on the single-player element). I've played both online and I must agree. My guess is that NOLF2 would have done much better in the market had the multiplayer experience been as good as, say, Unreal Tournament.

    Still, it was a great game either way and it's a bummer that it didn't do better.
    • I really enjoyed the first one, but I'll be honest: my biggest gripe with NOLF2 was the fact that it was either $39 or $49 (iirc), and felt like -- an expansion pack. Sure it was beautiful, and I too enjoyed the ninjas in the tornado and the customization points for the charector, and again I have to mention those stunning graphics... but compared to NOLF it ended way too short, leaving me wanting more. I mean heck, I only paid $20 for the GotYE of NOLF, and that lasted a darn long time...
  • i love the nolf games, and with the source code for nolf2 [sierra.com] available, i would love to see someone port it to linux...
  • As these games go, NOLF (1 and 2) are great, but...

    I am soooooo tired of this whole idea of running around, shotting bad guys, entering fortified installations through the sewers, planting explosives, pulling levers, fucking LEVERS for crying out loud!

    It's the same with movies. I saw Gladiator. Mostly a good movie, but... if I see one more where the hero is a great fighter who wants to get out and live a peaceful life, but they MURDER HIS FAMILY SO HE HAS TO KEEP FIGHTING!, I'm gonna fucking kill somebo

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