The Operative: No One Lives Forever

Monolith Productions · Nov 9, 2000

Mature

About

No One Lives Forever is a story-driven, first-person adventure delivering over-the-top action, tense subterfuge, outrageous villains, and wry humor in the tradition of the great 1960s spy films and TV shows. Players assume the role of Agent Archer, an operative working for a covert anticrime organization. Armed with an assortment of conventional and experimental weaponry and gadgets, players explore exotic locales and contend with deadly agents as they evade traps, unravel mysteries, and become entangled in a cleverly constructed conspiracy that threatens the entire free world.

Trailers & screenshots

Scores by platform

PC

Critic 8.4 (4 critics) · Gamer 8.9

Critic reviews

GameSpot
Erik Wolpaw · Nov 10, 2000
9.3
Whatever minor problems or shortcomings there are in No One Lives Forever are dwarfed by the technical expertise and sheer creativity that went into it. The fact is that Monolith Productions has finally delivered an undeniably superlative action game.
Read review from GameSpot (opens in a new tab)
IGN
IGN Staff · Nov 10, 2000
9.1
NOLF is a shooter with a brain and a sense of humor...let's just hope more developers will jump on the bandwagon and give us a shooter experience like this. It's stylish, it's smart, it's witty, it's campy, and it's a whole lot of fun. What more could you ask for? As much as I'm going to cringe by impersonating Austin Powers, "It's groovy, baby! Yeah baby, yeah!" Feel free punch me in the face now.
Read review from IGN (opens in a new tab)
Cubed3
Athanasios · Oct 12, 2022
7.0
The Operative: No One Lives Forever is a stealth game were stealth doesn't work that well, has plenty of neat gadgets that won't really get many chances to shine, and the adventure as a whole takes about five or so hours more than it should. And yet, it's still hard not to fall in love with its strong '60s spy film vibe, clever and funny writing, cool and sexy protagonist, and fast-paced and varied gameplay. Strictly viewed as a game this is flawed, yet as an experience it has a strange charm that almost makes up for its issues.
Read review from Cubed3 (opens in a new tab)
Euro Gamer
Tom Bramwell · Jan 10, 2001
8.0
Still, although at times little more than a culmination of spy films and stereotypes over the last forty years, No One Lives Forever is an adventure and a half for the single player, and well worth investigating if you're sick of world-threatening plots and Quake-engine oddities. Thoroughly commendable.
Read review from Euro Gamer (opens in a new tab)