The Operative: No One Lives Forever

 PlayStation 2
Metascore
67

Mixed or average reviews - based on 23 Critic Reviews

Critic score distribution:
  1. Positive: 6 out of 23
  2. Mixed: 15 out of 23
  3. Negative: 2 out of 23
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  1. Games Radar
    71
    This is as close as you'll come to a sense of believable espionage this side of MGS2.
  2. PSX Nation
    70
    A very amusing and well-designed first-person shooter that suffers from outdated graphics and an unfriendly control scheme, but also remains surprisingly engaging.
  3. Game Informer
    70
    Unfortunately, the game looks a tad dated and isn't quite as smooth as its PC counterpart. Great action, but mediocre production. [Dec 2001, p.95]
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  5. Electronic Gaming Monthly
    70
    Now if it wasn't for the blasted controls! [May 2002, p.108]
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  6. Official U.S. Playstation Magazine
    70
    Its excellent art direction pulls you, heart and soul, into the environment...[but] NOLF's lack of a save-anywhere function gets to be a real pain in the arse. [May 2002, p.102]
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  7. Game Over Online
    70
    The degradation of graphics and gameplay diminishes how great this game truly is.
  8. Electric Playground
    70
    A fun game; those with the patience to master the controls, and those not overly concerned with graphics will discover a challenging, rewarding, and genuinely funny experience awaiting them.
  9. Adrenaline Vault
    70
    This title deserves strong consideration if you're willing to put style over substance and overlook a few flaws.
  10. IGN
    69
    If you can look past the hampered, out-of-date graphics, sticky, annoying controls, and crummy framerate, you'll enjoy it.
  11. Game Revolution
    67
    The solid firefights make for fun action sequences and the laugh-out-loud NPC dialogue really helps the progression of an otherwise uninspired storyline.
  12. TotalPlayStation
    65
    It'll require a Herculean effort to control your rage as you watch 20 minutes of sneaking around evaporate into nothing with just a single misfired shot, but that doesn’t mean the game shouldn’t be tried.
  13. GameCritics
    65
    Despite its flaws and the fact that I went through a great deal of frustration with the game, I would still recommend No One Lives Forever for what it is: a solid though ultimately unremarkable first-person shooter who's biggest asset is not its gameplay or controls, but its heroine and clever and compelling story.
  14. Armchair Empire
    64
    Unfortunately for all of NOLF’s good points, the controls just make the game too frustrating to be worth investing any time in the title.
  15. GamerWeb Sony
    60
    There isn’t much fun to be found in the game despite its solid gameplay mechanics.
  16. Play Magazine
    60
    It may be a bit flat and aged, but the game's visual aesthetic casts a nice atmosphere and sense of location. [Mar 2002, p.45]
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Awards & Rankings

89
#89 Most Shared PS2 Game of 2002

User Reviews

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User Score
8.1

Generally favorable reviews- based on 19 Ratings

User score distribution:
  1. Positive: 14 out of 19
  2. Mixed: 4 out of 19
  3. Negative: 1 out of 19
  1. aspentitan
    Feb 14, 2022
    5
    Back in the day I could see me giving this a chance but nowadays this is a hard pass because of the non existent save system. Should you dieBack in the day I could see me giving this a chance but nowadays this is a hard pass because of the non existent save system. Should you die you start right back at the start of a mission and you can't speed up the game to speed run it to make up for lost time. It's a painful memorization game and it didn't take me long to become bored of the repetitive do-overs. Back in the day as a youngster this game would have occupied me differently but nowadays with the evolution of games and choices this one belongs in the past.… Full Review »
  2. CoryK.
    May 7, 2005
    8
    This game is one funny game. I rarely laugh at videogames, but I found myself laughing during this one. THe story is long and is fun to play. This game is one funny game. I rarely laugh at videogames, but I found myself laughing during this one. THe story is long and is fun to play. It's obviously not as good as the PC version, the graphics are bad and there is no multiplayer. However, this is one of the best FPS on PS2(which is pretty sad).… Full Review »
  3. ScottM.
    May 5, 2003
    9
    This game is smart clever tricky and fun. the graphics arn't much but they are stylish.
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