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No One Lives Forever

ghostdog

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I finished the first NOLF and I enjoyed it immensely. The humor was excellent and the gameplay was fun. Interesting missions, multiple ways to proceed, many gadgets, decent enemy AI... they did most things right.

Now, I just started NOLF2 and apart from the beautiful graphics it doesn't seem on par with it's predecessor. Is it just me, or the quality of the writing and voice overs has declined ? Not to mention that it also looks a bit dumbed down. I don't know, I'm only at the second mission so far and maybe it gets better after a while.

What's the codex opinion about these games?
 

MaskedMartyr

Liturgist
Joined
Jan 21, 2008
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472
It feels much shorter than the original. The story is more "wat wacky" than the tongue in cheek style of the first.

Also I think the RPG elements could have been done far better.
 

Pliskin

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Oct 26, 2008
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Château d'If
The first NOLF was quite original and fun. The sequel, in typical sequel fashion, is shorter on everything (creativity, imagination, length, humor).

And what with Monolith raking in the console-bux with the FEAR franchise, I wouldn't count on seeing a #3 --- which is prolly just as well.

Oh, and just because i think Mitzi Martin is teh hawt:

normal_mitzi.jpg
 

Double Ogre

Scholar
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Feb 4, 2009
Messages
765
I played NOLF2 when it was released and it still remains one of my favorite first-person shooters. The game's great fun. So diverse, so unique.

I could never get into the original NOLF, however. Dem graphics.
 
Joined
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Messages
381
NOLF is one of the better games I've ever played. NOLF 2 was alright but nowhere near as good as the original. Kit Harris voiced Cate Archer in the original and Jen Taylor in the sequel; accounting for the noticeable difference in the voice acting. I too preferred the voice of Kit Harris.

I need to replay NOLF.
 

Makagor

Liturgist
Joined
Jan 27, 2006
Messages
103
What Sonic said. The humor in NOLF2 is much more of the hit you over the head variety. Stupid shit like the banana gun, goddam mimes, and the midgit on a tricycle really brought it down a few notches in my opinion.

The gameplay is quite a bit easier too. But they did add some improvements. The pseudo-RPG skill boosting was nice.
 

HanoverF

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MCA Divinity: Original Sin Project: Eternity Torment: Tides of Numenera Wasteland 2 Codex USB, 2014 Divinity: Original Sin 2
I seem to remember liking the variety in NOLF2 more, but I might be misremembering. The 'Headshots instakill unless the enemies are looking for you' mechanic makes me nerdrage.
 

MetalCraze

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Urkanistan
NOLF2 is a decline in everything compared to its predecessor - yes. Also it's far more easier to just shoot everyone whereas in NOLF you needed to rush into the battle with care at least.
 

ghostdog

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MetalCraze said:
NOLF2 is a decline in everything compared to its predecessor - yes. Also it's far more easier to just shoot everyone whereas in NOLF you needed to rush into the battle with care at least.
Yeah, in the first mission you can kill everything with 2 katana hits and take minimum damage, while sneaking takes much more time and effort.

Also the story seems kind of stupid. The impenetrable island-country of CHIOS, with it's immense resources? WTF is this shit? The only resource of Chios is it's fucking mastic trees : http://www.greekproducts.com/greekprodu ... ticha.html


OgreOgre said:
I played NOLF2 when it was released and it still remains one of my favorite first-person shooters. The game's great fun. So diverse, so unique.

I could never get into the original NOLF, however. Dem graphics.
Maybe you should give it another try, I found the graphics rather good for it's age, especially the character models. You can add bigger resolutions (and widescreen ones) if you edit the autoexec.
 

Double Ogre

Scholar
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Messages
765
ghostdog said:
Maybe you should give it another try, I found the graphics rather good for it's age, especially the character models.
Yeah, maybe I should. I tried it right after finishing NOLF2, so the difference was kinda staggering.
 

Chaotic Lulz3r

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Lulzania
NOLF1 rocks. All other critisisms aside (and they are valid), NOLF2 promised to expand gameplay to make sneaking a viable option, but it failed hard. The constantly respawning enemies made trying to stealth kill and hide the bodies futile. Pity.



ghostdog said:
Also the story seems kind of stupid. The impenetrable island-country of CHIOS, with it's immense resources? WTF is this shit? The only resource of Chios is it's fucking mastic trees : http://www.greekproducts.com/greekprodu ... ticha.html

The island in NOLF2 is Khios. Not the same at all :roll: .
 

ghostdog

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Chaotic Lulz3r said:
NOLF1 rocks. All other critisisms aside (and they are valid), NOLF2 promised to expand gameplay to make sneaking a viable option, but it failed hard. The constantly respawning enemies made trying to stealth kill and hide the bodies futile. Pity.



ghostdog said:
Also the story seems kind of stupid. The impenetrable island-country of CHIOS, with it's immense resources? WTF is this shit? The only resource of Chios is it's fucking mastic trees : http://www.greekproducts.com/greekprodu ... ticha.html

The island in NOLF2 is Khios. Not the same at all :roll: .

It can be found spelled with both names. In Greek it's Χίος and the Greek X can be interpreted with both ch and kh in English. If it's based on an actual location it must be referring to the Greek island since I don't think another island with that name exists. Probably the developers thought it was "exotic".

Bah, I think I'll drop the game, sneaking is a pain and the Siberian level feels like I'm paying call of duty. Also the attempt at humor mostly fails and the dialogs are bland and uninspired. It's like it was made by different people.
 
Joined
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Divinity: Original Sin
NOLF one is great and fun, but had its flaws. I always tried to stealtha mission, but one loud noise would alarm every AI in the level. Then, progress trough levels were just like a normal shooter. But it had humor, the enemies had some silly dialogue you could eavesdrop before killing them. I like kate more in this game too, she looks older and experienced. The game is kinda long too, which is good, compared to some shorter games of today.

The second uses a more updated version of the lithtech engine and looks nice. But I hated the stealth in this game. You go to a shadowy area, wait a stealth icon appear, and that's it. if you leave the place, you're not concealed anymore.

Kate looks younger, as if her looks is rebooted, and has other voice actress. Strange is that the returning suporting characters all look the same.

the game has its moments, but i droped it. Hadn't finished. I liked some of the levels, like a house in a hurricane with a boss fight. But overall, i felt that playing it was more like a shore than fun.

At least it's better than contract jack, a spinoff that is a shooter on rails, uses the same engine, but it's too boring. It's you against waves and waves of respawning AI. More like an stand-alone expansion.

Comparing the first with the second, the first is funnier because it is not ashamed of being funny. It has almost a cartoon kind of humor. The second one has humor, but feels like they're trying to have serious, dark tone.

Oh, and NOLF 2 engine is used in the game tron 2.0. Which, by the way is great, and is better than nolf 2.
 

Double Ogre

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OK, playing the first NOLF right now.

The graphics actually seem more than passable (looks like my memory was playing tricks with me), but I don't get what the fuss is all about. It's a straight-up shooter. NOLF2 had a lot of stealth sections, and some missions completely based on stealth (e.g. in India). Also, you didn't have to kill your enemies, you could knock them out and hide the bodies.

I will play some more, but at the moment the game just keeps throwing enemies at me, kinda boring.
 

MetalCraze

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Urkanistan
There certainly will be a few stealth-missions - though I wouldn't say there ever was a real fuss about the game being a cool stealth-action or anything - for that you should play Thief. It's more about the setting and characters, more varied gameplay than just a straight-up shooter (although unfortunately it has some of this) and, of course, Jennifer Hale.
 

denizsi

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Nov 24, 2005
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bosphorus
NOLF is a great game. NOLF2 is a collection of great ideas, mixed badly. NOLF2 had some excellent level/environment design. It had a few pretty challenging fights, much harder than anything in NOLF (at least on highest difficulty. No point in playing different styles unless you're playing highest difficulty). Some levels had a certain, grabbing atmosphere (I think I'm trying to describe the phenomenon of immersion). Game play had less variation, though. It's kind of like Fallout to Fallout 2.

Darth Slaughter said:
NOLF one is great and fun, but had its flaws. I always tried to stealtha mission, but one loud noise would alarm every AI in the level. Then, progress trough levels were just like a normal shooter.

Not really. I played 2/3 of NOLF on highest difficulty trying to complete with zero alarm, zero suspicion/noise etc., it's perfectly playable that way. A few levels had certain "alarm events", other than that most of the game could be played however you liked it.
 
Joined
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Divinity: Original Sin
well, it's a long time I've played NOLF, but stealth was kind of akward.

I can't remember well. I remember something bothered me. i don't know, but probably it was that if alarmed, they would stay alarmed the whole time unless you reload.

I think if you alarmed one AI, all the others would be alarmed in the level, or at least a large section of the level.

I have to replay again.

MetalCraze, about being more about setting and characters, I felt the second one don't quite reach the bar set by the first.
 

ghostdog

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OgreOgre said:
OK, playing the first NOLF right now.

The graphics actually seem more than passable (looks like my memory was playing tricks with me), but I don't get what the fuss is all about. It's a straight-up shooter. NOLF2 had a lot of stealth sections, and some missions completely based on stealth (e.g. in India). Also, you didn't have to kill your enemies, you could knock them out and hide the bodies.

I will play some more, but at the moment the game just keeps throwing enemies at me, kinda boring.

There will be a lot of opportunities to sneak. I used sneak in almost all levels. The first mission in Marocco, kind of throws enemies at you but after that you can stealth most missions. Also have in mind that if you sneak behind an enemy and hit him unarmed you can knock him down. You should chose stealth weapons and gadgets each time you start a mission. When you get the crossbow it will do wonders for stealth kills.

As for NOLF2 rendering the enemies unconscious with tranquilizers and carrying their bodies to hide them seems like a good idea and an improvement. Unfortunately you realize that after you do all this the game will probably respawn enemies and you'll have to do this again. Not to mention that after a couple of minutes the enemies will wake up and inform the others of your presence.
 

MaskedMartyr

Liturgist
Joined
Jan 21, 2008
Messages
472
Darth Slaughter said:
Oh, and NOLF 2 engine is used in the game tron 2.0. Which, by the way is great, and is better than nolf 2.

this

get tron 2.0 its a damn good game. It's way more difficult though.
 

bhlaab

Erudite
Joined
Nov 19, 2008
Messages
1,787
NOLF 1 has a lot more stupid shit though. Cheap shot enemies, instant-lose stealth segments...

Still both games are brilliant half life/goldeneye alternatives
 

Double Ogre

Scholar
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Messages
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ghostdog said:
There will be a lot of opportunities to sneak. I used sneak in almost all levels. The first mission in Marocco, kind of throws enemies at you but after that you can stealth most missions.
Indeed, the Berlin mission is much better, lots of sneaking. Hope it stays this way.
 

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