The single-player campaign is spread over 10 new levels, with multiplayer
also getting in on the act thanks to 10 new maps. New weapons, gadgets and
enemies feature as well, with level-building tools coming as part of the package
too.
It's clear from just a few minutes with the expansion that Monolith is looking
to experiment with the NOLF formula a bit. Although both NOLF titles received
heaps of critical acclaim and won numerous awards -- including GameSpy's 2002
PC Game of the Year for NOLF 2 -- the sales never quite matched up (a crime
in a world where crap like Enter The Matrix gets rushed out the door and sells
a million copies). So, it's not surprising that 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. Jack is in every way the opposite of Archer -- tall, dark
and lanky, brooding in a "I'm a gun for hire and I'm really pissed off" sorta
way. The humor should still be there, just don't expect to see flower power
at every corner.
Contract J.A.C.K. is set directly after the events of the original No One
Lives Forever and will see players assuming the role of John Jack, the H.A.R.M.
organization's chief assassin, rather than that of UNITY agent Cate Archer.
Monolith today officially announced its plans for Contract J.A.C.K., a stand-alone
side-story following up the popular No One Lives Forever series. The acronym
stands for "Just Another Contract Killer" -- unlike NOLF heroine
Cate Archer, John Jack is merely a workaday assassin for the evil organization
H.A.R.M.
Explore the dark side of the No One Lives Forever universe as John Jack, a
rugged anti-hero in the services of H.A.R.M. The legendary chief assassin for
H.A.R.M. organization has given Contract J.A.C.K. a mission—whether he wants
it or not.
