The basic theme of No One Lives Forever mimics that of a spy novel: national pride versus the villains. The game also includes a theme of self-discovery, but that exists mainly as a function of the player's increasing insight into Cate's past.
The diction of No One Lives Forever is right in line with the game's overall look and feel. For the most part, it was lifted straight out of a '60's era spy movie. There's generous use of slang (groovy!) and inuendo. Each character speaks in his or her own voice.
The music of No One Lives Forever is also inspired by the era. The game uses a large amount of ambient sound to create the mood (a technique borrowed from stage and cinema). The game's theme song provides an excellent example of the spy movie-influenced music.
Fox Interactive also sponsored a No One Lives Forever Music Search to solicit music inspired by the game's theme.
The entire game is founded on the notion of spectacle. It derives itself from the campy 1960's spy movie culture and generally seeks to exaggerate for comic purposes. To that end, the game designers have chosen to embellish everything from the dialog and clothing to the plot construction and settings.