Remember when Indiana Jones dashed out of the cave at the beginning of “Raiders of the Lost Ark”? Who could forget that dusty fedora, John Williams' rousing score or the intoxicating mixture of danger and adventure as that daunting boulder made of Legos rolled after our hero?
After playing through the grizzled archeologist's classic escapades - no crystal skulls here - you too might find yourself fuzzing the line between fact and plastic. “Lego Indiana Jones: The Original Adventures” continues “Lego Star Wars'” fun tradition of translating classic films into toy romps. Harrison Ford's wisecracks are supplanted by witty cut scenes abbreviating the “Jones” series' stories into amusing blitzes of grunts, silly looks and slapstick.
As Dr. Jones, players are placed in key scenes from “Raiders of the Lost Ark,” “The Temple of Doom” and “The Last Crusade.” With a supporting cast ranging from Satipo to Indy's father, Henry, Indy must find the rare treasure of each film while warding off Nazis, Thuggees and any other foes also questing for it.
Given the presence of an iconic Ford character, Williams' music and George Lucas' creative influence, the ties between the “Lego” games are palpable in style. They also share a game play that combines puzzle solving, platforming and light combat, though the fighting feels slightly flatter. Projectile weapons and swordplay are de-emphasized in favor of simple punching and whip-cracking to fall in line with Indy's no-nonsense style. Though true to its subject, this shift in play results in redundant combat sequences. To compensate, the designers smartly emphasize the puzzles and platforming slightly more in “Jones” than in “Star Wars.”
The use of multiple character abilities within a party - such as Willie's high jump and Short Round's crawl - is another dynamic carried over from the “Star Wars” titles to successfully add depth to the game. “Jones” also sets up a new booby trap for players to work around in the phobia system, which paralyzes certain characters in the presence of snakes (Dr. Jones) or rats (for Henry Jones).
The smashing of vases, small relics and any other objects in the environment for the Lego coins they spawn is no less addictive than in “Star Wars,” and the game's amount of unlockable goodies and side treasures both increases its life span and serves the spirit of “Indiana Jones” well.
Staff writer David Wilcox reviews video games for The Citizen. He can be reached at 253-5311 ext. 245 or david.wilcox@lee.net
If you play
Game: “Lego Indiana Jones: The Original Adventures”
Score: B+
Parental rating: E for everyone 10 and older
Publisher: LucasArts
Developer: Traveller's Tales
Platform: Wii (also available on PlayStation 3, PlayStation 2, PSP, Xbox 360, Nintendo DS and Microsoft Windows)
Price: $49.99
Features: 1-2 player
The final boss: Any fan of either “Indiana Jones” or the “Lego Star Wars” games will not regret raiding their video game rental store for “Lego Indiana Jones.”
As Dr. Jones, players are placed in key scenes from “Raiders of the Lost Ark,” “The Temple of Doom” and “The Last Crusade.” With a supporting cast ranging from Satipo to Indy's father, Henry, Indy must find the rare treasure of each film while warding off Nazis, Thuggees and any other foes also questing for it.
Given the presence of an iconic Ford character, Williams' music and George Lucas' creative influence, the ties between the “Lego” games are palpable in style. They also share a game play that combines puzzle solving, platforming and light combat, though the fighting feels slightly flatter. Projectile weapons and swordplay are de-emphasized in favor of simple punching and whip-cracking to fall in line with Indy's no-nonsense style. Though true to its subject, this shift in play results in redundant combat sequences. To compensate, the designers smartly emphasize the puzzles and platforming slightly more in “Jones” than in “Star Wars.”
The use of multiple character abilities within a party - such as Willie's high jump and Short Round's crawl - is another dynamic carried over from the “Star Wars” titles to successfully add depth to the game. “Jones” also sets up a new booby trap for players to work around in the phobia system, which paralyzes certain characters in the presence of snakes (Dr. Jones) or rats (for Henry Jones).
The smashing of vases, small relics and any other objects in the environment for the Lego coins they spawn is no less addictive than in “Star Wars,” and the game's amount of unlockable goodies and side treasures both increases its life span and serves the spirit of “Indiana Jones” well.
Staff writer David Wilcox reviews video games for The Citizen. He can be reached at 253-5311 ext. 245 or david.wilcox@lee.net
If you play
Game: “Lego Indiana Jones: The Original Adventures”
Score: B+
Parental rating: E for everyone 10 and older
Publisher: LucasArts
Developer: Traveller's Tales
Platform: Wii (also available on PlayStation 3, PlayStation 2, PSP, Xbox 360, Nintendo DS and Microsoft Windows)
Price: $49.99
Features: 1-2 player
The final boss: Any fan of either “Indiana Jones” or the “Lego Star Wars” games will not regret raiding their video game rental store for “Lego Indiana Jones.”
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