It’s an irony that only a master criminal being devoured alive by his own bionic piranha could savor—that No One Lives Forever and its sequel, jaunty pokes-in-the-eye at the Bond movie franchise, are far better games than one starring the venerable superspy himself.
In Nightfire, you’re James Bond, Britain’s MI6 playboy secret agent. Sophisticated, suave, cocksure—in this first-person shooter, you’re none of these things. You see, the game’s secret is that you’re not Bond, but M’s gun valet: a stunt double who shoots the bad guys while the Pierce Brosnan–modeled 007 has all the fun during the game’s tortured cinematic cutscenes.
A Spy Caper Derailed
Before launching the game, players are treated to one of the title’s high points—an introductory sequence modeled on the opening vignettes from the Bond films, complete with a sexy power ballad. The intent is to relay the message that Nightfire’s original storyline is a thrilling cinematic adventure. However, the game’s nine missions are actually a skeleton strung together by disjointed clichés. These are presented with a perfunctory half-hearted yawn rather than silver-screen sizzle.
The head of Britain’s secret service, M, has entreated you to investigate Rafael Drake, a slick industrialist and utterly forgettable evil super-genius who heads the Phoenix International Corporation. He’s acquired some nuclear missiles, but the narrative is vague, with missions ranging from attending a fancy dress party to infiltrating Drake’s secret underwater lair, and eventually blasting off into outer space.
Buggy Beginnings and Poor AI
Despite sounding cooler than they play, Nightfire is loaded with sloppy bugs and rotten AI. From the first level, attempts at stealth can go awry due to bugs that send the player careening off cliffs, and guards often fail to react to visible firefights. Multiple camera shots are sometimes required before mission objectives register as completed, and these irksome glitches can occur within the first 30 minutes of gameplay, leading to frustration.
Furthermore, the game suffers from some of the worst AI seen in a big-budget release. Guards are frequently depicted as being incapable of hearing gunfire or noticing a fallen comrade, yet can immediately detect the player once within their line of sight, even when the player is hidden. This inconsistent AI makes certain levels particularly grating, especially mandatory stealth missions. The manual suggests shooting out lights to remain hidden, but many lights appear to be indestructible. Enemies also seem to possess bulletproof shielding, with a dubious damage model that allows for one-shot sniper kills while pistol rounds to the face barely faze them. Boss battles are similarly uninspired, with the common strategy being to run away and shoot.
Moments of Shine and Lasting Disappointment
Nightfire does offer some redeeming qualities. The set design is a highlight, with missions taking place in a variety of minutely detailed environments, from a Japanese estate to rocket-ship hangars to Drake’s opulent sanctum. Some sequences show promise, such as being trapped in a dangling elevator and needing to snipe enemies before they can shoot through the supporting cable. Infiltrating Drake’s island facility is also noted as fun, offering more latitude in choosing stealth versus brute force.
Bond can carry up to four firearms at a time, including machine guns, sniper rifles, and missile launchers, alongside grenades and body armor. Gadgets include a cigarette lighter-slash-minicamera, pen-darts, a laser-watch, and X-ray specs. However, a driving mode present in console iterations was jettisoned from the PC version.
The multiplayer game is merely okay, offering deathmatch, team deathmatch, and CTF modes. Some classic Bond villains and girls are selectable skins, though likenesses are inconsistent. Ultimately, for a compelling spy caper, Nightfire falls short, with its Bond feeling bland compared to other titles in the genre like No One Lives Forever 2.