Let's face it: Indiana Jones and videogames have not had a very good history. Need I remind you of Indiana Jones Desktop Adventures? I think not. So, as you can imagine there's some trepidation when putting the new Indiana Jones game into my Xbox.
The story is pretty simplistic: It's 1935 and this time you must prevent a powerful Chinese artifact from falling into evil hands. You do this of course with a combination of hot action fighting sequences, puzzles and jumping.
At first glance, the game seems like Tomb Raider with a male protagonist, which really isn't a surprise considering that Tomb Raider had a lot of similarities with the Indy movie. Unlike Tomb Raider, which involved more ranged weapons (like guns), you'll do a lot of hand to hand combat in this game which is a lot of fun especially if you like throwing baddies over cliffs or into giant rock slabs.
Gameplay itself is really a lot of fun and very enjoyable while it lasts. The puzzles are relatively easy and most of the time involves finding a switch to open a door or needing to create a diversion so some baddies won't get you, which personally is fine with me. In addition to your trusty whip and pistol, you'll also encounter some levels where you blast Nazis with guns, which always is enjoyable. As always, you'll be making use of the whip and pistol which are standard items for Indy. In fact, the whip plays a very important part in the game you'll need it in order to get to certain areas of a level.
I would probably classify this Indy game as a first person platformer rather than an 'adventure' game because of the repetition of the jumping and fighting as well as the frequent use of the whip.
Sound is always one area where LucasArts games shine, and this title is no exception. You have the same kind of atmosphere and ambiance as you would in a 'real' Indy movie. Footsteps and the sound of the whip are very well done and just give you that true impression of you being there. Voice acting is very well done as far as we know it isn't Harrison Ford doing the voiceovers, but it sure does sound pretty darn close.
While sounds are very good, the graphics could be better. You seem to be walking through the same tunnels & caves over again like a game of Quake 1. The outdoor environments look nice from afar, but up close, they look very blocky. As seems to be the norm of these types of games, the camera can be very frustrating especially when you're trying to climb to a new platform: the camera sometimes shows the 'other side' of the platform so you really don't know where you are as you climb up the mountainside.
There's nothing really innovative here that you haven't seen before. Unfortunately, it really seems like a sequel to a Lara Croft game than a brand new Indy adventure. The game does have it's moments, but there's really nothing here to put it over the top. While fans of Indy will most certainly love this game and the gameplay is decent, it's very difficult to enthusiastically recommend this game.
-Dan
Company Line
Indy is Tougher Than Ever in this Heart-Stopping, Globe-Spanning Action Adventure for Xbox(TM), PlayStation(R) 2, and PC
SAN RAFAEL, Calif. May 8, 2002: Indiana Jones is back and better than ever! From the crocodile-infested waters in Ceylon to the bustling streets of Hong Kong, perennial action hero Indiana Jones' wits, agility, whip lashing and hand-to-hand combat skills will be put to the test as never before in Indiana Jones(R) and the Emperor's Tomb(TM) from LucasArts Entertainment Company LLC. The exhilarating third person action-adventure is expected to release fall 2002 for Xbox, PlayStation 2, and PC. The game is being developed in collaboration with The Collective, Inc.
Indy's latest adventure plays out in dramatic fashion thanks to new gameplay features such as brawling combat. This time, in addition to using his trademark whip and pistol, Indy can engage in fierce hand-to-hand combat against foes, many of whom are well-versed in martial arts. Improvised weapons such as shovels, chairs and table legs also can be used to fend off adversaries. The result is a more immersive and more Indy-like gameplay experience, set amidst spine-tingling movie-like action sequences, such as a rickshaw chase in Hong Kong and a spectacular battle atop moving gondolas in the South China Sea area.
Indiana Jones and the Emperor's Tomb features The Collective's proprietary 3D engine that supports completely immersive, highly interactive environments. The game will offer 10 levels, all set in unique locales such as a 15th century castle that looms over Prague, an underwater palace in Istanbul, and a mountaintop fortress in China. A sophisticated camera tracking system makes sure that the player always has an optimal view of the third-person action.
"Indiana Jones is back in a bold new way that players have never seen him," says Tom Byron, director of product marketing for LucasArts. "Indiana Jones and the Emperor's Tomb faithfully recreates all the heroism, action and edge-of-the-seat adventure of the blockbuster film series thanks to a state-of-the-art game engine, a rich story, and compelling gameplay."
Indy's whirlwind adventure, set in the Far East in 1935, plunges him into an international crisis of terrifying magnitude. As the game begins, a powerful underground Asian society, the Black Dragon Triad, and a German mercenary, Albrecht Von Beck, have formed an unholy alliance in the hopes of acquiring the Heart of the Dragon, a black pearl that gives its possessor the power to mold minds. Rumored to be buried in the crypt of China's first emperor, it has been safely hidden for more than two thousand years. Now, with this unwelcome coalition in desperate pursuit of one of the most powerful artifacts known to man, it's up to Indy to prevent the Heart of the Dragon from falling into the wrong hands.
Indy enters the race for the Heart at the behest of Marshal K'ai, an Asian businessman who asks him to retrieve the pearl and return it to the government of China. But in order to retrieve the Heart, Indy must first traverse the world to find and assemble the three scattered pieces of the Dragon Seal, the key to unlocking the crypt. Jones is aided in his search by K'ai's stunningly beautiful assistant, Mei Ying, who helps him throughout this epic conflict.
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