Contract J.A.C.K. Critic Reviews

For thirty bucks though, I would advise shooter fans not to miss out on the opportunity to hear some fun dialogue and engage in a very entertaining fast-paced action experience with lots of personality and gallons upon gallons of animated blood.

NOLF fans will likely find it lacking most of the series' charm, and as an action title, it feels strangely unpolished, falling victim to any number of basic problems.

Easily beaten within a few hours, with no memorable moments has me questioning what Monolith was thinking.

Drab enemies and weapons, average graphics but below average levels make this a "prequel" that does not do the series justice.

Fun, but too short and shallow to be a full-priced expansion pack.

There is very little story present and no emotional attachment to the lead character. All of the “fun” aspects of the NOLF legacy are gone.

Feels like a throwback to the old ways of action gaming that the genre moved beyond a while ago, from the dated graphics to the trigger spawns to the tiresomely repeated music.

Jack may have all the guns and firepower, but he lacks finesse. And he reminds us of why we like to watch heroes like James Bond. It's not all about the big bangs and fiery explosions. It's the martinis, women and one-liners that keep us coming back for more.

Merely a mediocre shoot-'em-up that can be finished in four hours.

The gunplay is bland, the graphics are solid but repetitive, and most of the multiplayer aspects can be found in a free patch for "NOLF 2."

It's just no fun. There have been a lot of classic shooters that are just mayhem with no story to speak of ("Quake") and shooters that depended on tiny details and story as much as the graphics engine ("No One Lives Forever 2"). Contract Jack does neither story nor mayhem well.

While the multiplayer modes offer something worth playing, Contract JACK ultimate disappoints with below-average gameplay unworthy of the series.

The inferior prequel to the outstanding "No One Lives Forever" series, having none of the charm, humor, or creative gameplay of the other games under the NOLF umbrella.

A twenty-pound sledgehammer of wall-to-wall action.

I was so frustrated at the game, the entire experience was comically agonizing, sort of like a newer Martin Short "film" that tries to be funny but winds up being hilarious for all the wrong reasons.

Sadly, this particular iteration of the series is a dismal and distant cousin, better known for its lead paint-eating habits than engaging dinner banter. Not to be recommended to series fans, initiates, or those trawling the bargain bin at the software store.

Boss battles are so routine as to be laughable, and that's about all the laughter you'll be doing, as NOLF's great comedic dialogue is noticeably absent. The entire game feels slapped together.

It's all dull and straightforward, except for the moments where the designers pad things out with annoying quests that make you backtrack in order to open a blocked door. All of these "puzzles" have obvious solutions, too, so that you're really just putting in time and walking around a lot.

Lacks the slightest spark of life or inspiration. It has no character, both literally and figuratively, and its action is stilted and crude.

To be brutally honest, I'm not entirely sure why Monolith wasted their time making this game, other than to cash in on the franchise. It doesn't look any better, and there is absolutely nothing new in the way of gameplay.