Retro Replay Review

Gameplay

Action Pack – 4 Killer Action Games! delivers a varied assortment of first-person shooter experiences that span the golden age of late ’90s and early 2000s PC gaming. Aliens Versus Predator: Gold Edition lets you switch between Marine, Alien, and Predator campaigns, each with its own strengths and tactical considerations. The asymmetric design keeps combat fresh, as you’ll adopt wildly different playstyles—run-and-gun fire fights as a Marine, stealthy stalking as a Predator, and fast, fluid melee combat as an Alien.

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Die Hard: Nakatomi Plaza recreates the iconic movie plot, letting you step into John McClane’s boots to clear floors of terrorists and rescue hostages. While the pacing can feel a bit repetitive compared to modern shooters, the mission structure and interactive environment—venturing through office spaces, ventilation shafts, and the famous rooftop—still make for satisfying encounters. Traps and explosive set-pieces capture the cinematic feel, though the AI can sometimes be predictable.

Gunman Chronicles brings a unique flavor by mixing classic shooter mechanics with objective-based missions and vehicle sequences. Its mod-origin heritage shines through in diverse level design, from underground tunnels to alien motherships. The Operative: No One Lives Forever – Game of the Year Edition introduces stealth, gadgetry, and witty dialogue. NOLF’s gameplay cycles between silent takedowns, clever gadget use, and full-throttle firefights, rewarding exploration and creative problem solving.

Graphics

Given the era these titles originate from, the visuals inevitably show their age—but in a charming, nostalgic way. Aliens Versus Predator uses dark corridors and claustrophobic vents to maximize tension, while the Predator’s glow and pulsing green vision effect remain iconic. Character models are blocky by today’s standards, yet the ambient lighting and atmospheric particle effects still evoke genuine dread.

Die Hard’s environments capture the rough details of Nakatomi Plaza’s offices, stairwells, and service tunnels. Textures may appear low-resolution, but the faithful recreation of key locations (the lobby fountain, the vault, the rooftop) helps maintain immersion. Gunman Chronicles showcases vibrant alien worlds lit with neon accents and metallic corridors that contrast beautifully with dimly lit caverns, proving that creative art direction can trump technical limitations.

NOLF stands out visually thanks to its colorful, mid-century modern styling. Retro fonts, bold color palettes, and period-appropriate props (typewriters, rotary phones, 1960s automobiles) combine for a cohesive spy-fi flavor. Character animations can be stiff, but facial expressions and exaggerated poses inject personality. Overall, the pack offers a window into historical FPS graphics, tempered by each game’s distinctive atmosphere.

Story

The narrative scope of Action Pack ranges from a simple movie adaptation to original, twist-filled plots. Aliens Versus Predator doesn’t waste time with cutscenes—its story unfolds through mission objectives and scattered audio logs, delivering just enough context to keep you invested in the interspecies war. You’ll find yourself piecing together events while clearing hive after hive of Xenomorphs.

Die Hard: Nakatomi Plaza sticks closely to the film’s storyline, complete with authentic voice samples and direct quotes. The plot progression—rescuing hostages, disarming bombs, securing floors—feels true to the source material. While there’s little in the way of narrative surprises, fans of the movie will appreciate revisiting familiar moments and lines like “Yippee-ki-yay!” in interactive form.

Gunman Chronicles spins an original tale of covert operations and extraterrestrial threats, featuring unexpected alliances and betrayals. Its story-driven missions strike a balance between exposition and action, with occasional scripted events that heighten the drama. The Operative: No One Lives Forever perhaps shines brightest in this category, with charismatic protagonist Cate Archer, humorous dialogue, and a tongue-in-cheek Cold War setting. Twists, double agents, and over-the-top villains make every chapter feel like a mini spy film.

Overall Experience

As a bundled collection, Action Pack – 4 Killer Action Games! offers an excellent value for fans of classic shooters. You get four full-length titles that showcase the evolution of level design, AI behavior, and narrative ambition over a roughly five-year span. Some technical hiccups—outdated launchers, compatibility quirks on modern systems—can be ironed out with community patches and source ports, but the core gameplay remains intact and compelling.

The variety in pacing and tone ensures you won’t feel fatigued: switch from the tense, shadow-filled maps of Aliens Versus Predator to the more methodical, back-and-forth firefights of Die Hard, then dive into Gunman Chronicles’ epic sci-fi set pieces, and finally unwind with NOLF’s witty banter and stealthy challenges. It’s like sampling four different studio demos—each with its own identity and strengths.

For newcomers, expect some dated mechanics: rigid movement, simple weapon handling, and linear mission structures. But if you appreciate gaming history or crave a nostalgia trip, this pack is a treasure trove. The individual highlights—three unique campaigns in AvP, the faithful Die Hard adaptation, the inventive Gunman story, and NOLF’s charismatic espionage—combine into a robust package that entertains for dozens of hours. In sum, Action Pack is a worthy addition to any retro-FPS enthusiast’s library.

Retro Replay Score

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