No One Lives Forever 2: 3 Open Source Clones Compared
lithtech and LTJS are both unfinished attempts to build a modern engine around the GPL-released LithTech Jupiter source, but lithtech is further along — it's actively developed, already runs NOLF2's game code on both Windows and Linux, and is also working toward supporting other LithTech-era games — while LTJS is explicitly described as work-in-progress and currently unplayable. No One Lives Forever 2 Modernizer takes a different approach entirely: rather than reimplementing the engine, it's a mod for the existing retail game that adds widescreen support, anti-aliasing, and a rewritten input system, though its new control scheme is incompatible with the base game's saved controls and other mods.
Comparison table
Availability
- Status
- Semi-playable
- Platforms
- Windows, Linux
- Play in browser
- No
- Mobile
- No
Project health
- Development status
- Active
- Last updated
- 2mo ago
- Stars
- 101
- Contributors
- 4
- Engine
- SDL2
Compatibility
- Requires original assets
- YesRequires retail NOLF2 or TRON 2.0 game assets; the GPL release includes incomplete assets for only the first part of the first level.
- Modding support
- —
- Multiplayer
- —
Availability
- Status
- Unplayable
- Platforms
- Windows
- Play in browser
- No
- Mobile
- No
Project health
- Development status
- Sporadic
- Last updated
- 5mo ago
- Stars
- 70
- Contributors
- 1
- Engine
- —
Compatibility
- Requires original assets
- —
- Modding support
- —
- Multiplayer
- —
Availability
- Status
- —
- Platforms
- Windows
- Play in browser
- No
- Mobile
- No
Project health
- Development status
- Sporadic
- Last updated
- 7mo ago
- Stars
- 49
- Contributors
- 2
- Engine
- —
Compatibility
- Requires original assets
- YesRequires the original No One Lives Forever 2 game to be installed.
- Modding support
- YesSupports custom controller mappings via SDL_GameControllerDB and localization via CRes.dll modification.
- Multiplayer
- Online
| Title | lithtech | LTJS | No One Lives Forever 2 Modernizer |
|---|---|---|---|
| Status | Semi-playable | Unplayable | — |
| Platforms | Windows, Linux | Windows | Windows |
| Play in browser | No | No | No |
| Mobile | No | No | No |
| Project health | |||
| Development status | Active | Sporadic | Sporadic |
| Last updated | 2mo ago | 5mo ago | 7mo ago |
| Stars | 101 | 70 | 49 |
| Contributors | 4 | 1 | 2 |
| Engine | SDL2 | — | — |
| Compatibility | |||
| Requires original assets | YesRequires retail NOLF2 or TRON 2.0 game assets; the GPL release includes incomplete assets for only the first part of the first level. | — | YesRequires the original No One Lives Forever 2 game to be installed. |
| Modding support | — | — | YesSupports custom controller mappings via SDL_GameControllerDB and localization via CRes.dll modification. |
| Multiplayer | — | — | Online |
| Preview | | |
Known limitations
- compatibility: Debug builds of NOLF2 trigger exceptions in the standard library, likely due to Microsoft's secure CRT differences.
- compatibility: NOLF2 retail data files differ from those supplied with the GPL release; not all retail data formats are supported.
- audio: Linux builds require DXVK-native to enable audio rendering.
- development: This is a work-in-progress project.
- graphics: Anti-aliasing causes a ~1 pixel offset at the edges of 2D elements.
- audio: Jukebox singles take a full second to load.
- compatibility: Controls saved in controls.cfg are not compatible with the base game or other mods.
- features: Controller support only works during gameplay, not in menus.
- ui: Cate is missing from the main menu.
Frequently asked questions
Are the No One Lives Forever 2 clones on this page open source?
Yes — every clone catalogued here is an open-source project. Availability, license, and development-status details for each one are listed in the comparison table above.
Do I need to own the original No One Lives Forever 2 to play these clones?
lithtech and No One Lives Forever 2 Modernizer require original game assets to play.
Which No One Lives Forever 2 clone is the most actively maintained?
lithtech is currently under active development, based on recent commit activity. See the "Development status" row above for every clone's current status.
See the full write-up for each clone, or go back to No One Lives Forever 2.