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| The Entertainment Review |
| Developer: Travellers Tales Publisher: LucasArts |
creating a new video game that is just as much fun as those from a galaxy far, far away. The developer decided to work with LucasArts
again to bring another one of its franchises to life in the way that only LEGOs can with “LEGO Indiana Jones: The Original Adventures.”
Those who have played any of the “LEGO Star Wars” games will feel right at home with the formula that the game follows and the
controls for the game because they are almost exactly the same as the past games. There is a little more adventuring to be had this
time around, with more emphasis being placed on players needing to solve puzzles and collecting keys or parts to unlock the next
area. However, the main part of the game still consists of players smashing through everything in sight in order to collect as many
studs, the in game currency, as possible.
The game follows the original three Indiana Jones films, and while it follows the stories well, there are some areas that have been
added to the game or changed a little bit to ensure that it will fit better in the game. One example is at the end of The Last Crusade,
players will have to complete much more than three tests to pass the area, with plenty of non-lethal puzzles to complete before reaching
the Holy Grail.
Players will obviously notice that there are no Force powers to use this time around and rightfully so. However, Travellers Tales has
done a great job of providing distinct character groups based on what the characters are able to do. Indiana Jones’s whip always
comes in handy and he is the only one that can open a large amount of the game’s sections. Thugees, the guys from The Temple of
Doom, are able to “talk” to statues and up secret areas and Henry Jones Sr. or Elsa can decipher hieroglyphs and open more secrets.
Some of the characters have shovels or wrenches which allow them to dig up objects of fix broken objects.
A large difference between the “LEGO Star Wars” games and “LEGO Indiana Jones” is the focus on combat. “LEGO Star Wars” had
most of its characters fighting with a lightsaber or blaster, offering the chance to block incoming shots or take out enemies from a
distance. “LEGO Indiana Jones” is mostly hand to hand combat, with the occasional gun that an enemy may drop. Sadly, the guns are
only good for a few shots before they expire. While this is alright, it can get to be a little frustrating when a group of armed enemies
attack and players have no choice but to try and avoid the barrage on oncoming bullets. Players will get hit, a lot, and will probably die, a
lot. While players have infinite lives to play with, it is still very frustrating to know that there isn’t much of a chance of getting through
these attacks without being killed a couple of times. Combat in these circumstances requires charging and keep attacking until
everyone is dead.
Travellers Tales has proven that it is able to create cooperative games, and “LEGO Indiana Jones” is no exception. A second player is
able to hop in and out of the game at anytime, while still allowing the game to flow exactly the same with or without two players playing.
There isn’t an online option this time around which is a little disappointing.
Along with the great co-op experience brought to the game, there is also a lot of replayability to the game. “LEGO Indiana Jones” has a
lot of hidden objects in each levels that requires player to return in Free Play mode to unlock. Many of these objects tease the players
the first time through, with treasures hidden right behind objects in view of the player that need to be broken, but the story members
aren’t able to break. This requires players to find someone with a rocket launcher and return to the level to collect the treasure. Co-op
is really great this time around when players get together to search the levels for every last piece of treasure.
Unlocking bonuses this time around, like Stub Multiplies or Regenerating Hearts, is a little but more difficult and involved this time
around. It doesn’t consist of simply finding a red brick, instead players need to find parcels in each level that need to be taken to a
nearby mailbox and sent back to the college where they can then be bought. This means that many times players will be able to find the
parcel, but they can’t find the mailbox in order to send it, meaning players can’t buy to extra. Again, players will need to return in Free
Play mode to collect everything that is hidden in each level using characters with different abilities.
Once again Travellers Tales has delivered a great gaming experience that simply consists of smashing objects over and over again
while searching for hidden objects. They manage to make the formula fun and very addictive. Though it isn’t a huge leap from what
was offered in the “LEGO Star Wars” games, and it does still have a few issues that need to be resolved, such as the camera, the
game will immediately pull players into the game and will offer them a fun adventure that is worth taking, especially if traveling with
family and friends.
again to bring another one of its franchises to life in the way that only LEGOs can with “LEGO Indiana Jones: The Original Adventures.”
Those who have played any of the “LEGO Star Wars” games will feel right at home with the formula that the game follows and the
controls for the game because they are almost exactly the same as the past games. There is a little more adventuring to be had this
time around, with more emphasis being placed on players needing to solve puzzles and collecting keys or parts to unlock the next
area. However, the main part of the game still consists of players smashing through everything in sight in order to collect as many
studs, the in game currency, as possible.
The game follows the original three Indiana Jones films, and while it follows the stories well, there are some areas that have been
added to the game or changed a little bit to ensure that it will fit better in the game. One example is at the end of The Last Crusade,
players will have to complete much more than three tests to pass the area, with plenty of non-lethal puzzles to complete before reaching
the Holy Grail.
Players will obviously notice that there are no Force powers to use this time around and rightfully so. However, Travellers Tales has
done a great job of providing distinct character groups based on what the characters are able to do. Indiana Jones’s whip always
comes in handy and he is the only one that can open a large amount of the game’s sections. Thugees, the guys from The Temple of
Doom, are able to “talk” to statues and up secret areas and Henry Jones Sr. or Elsa can decipher hieroglyphs and open more secrets.
Some of the characters have shovels or wrenches which allow them to dig up objects of fix broken objects.
A large difference between the “LEGO Star Wars” games and “LEGO Indiana Jones” is the focus on combat. “LEGO Star Wars” had
most of its characters fighting with a lightsaber or blaster, offering the chance to block incoming shots or take out enemies from a
distance. “LEGO Indiana Jones” is mostly hand to hand combat, with the occasional gun that an enemy may drop. Sadly, the guns are
only good for a few shots before they expire. While this is alright, it can get to be a little frustrating when a group of armed enemies
attack and players have no choice but to try and avoid the barrage on oncoming bullets. Players will get hit, a lot, and will probably die, a
lot. While players have infinite lives to play with, it is still very frustrating to know that there isn’t much of a chance of getting through
these attacks without being killed a couple of times. Combat in these circumstances requires charging and keep attacking until
everyone is dead.
Travellers Tales has proven that it is able to create cooperative games, and “LEGO Indiana Jones” is no exception. A second player is
able to hop in and out of the game at anytime, while still allowing the game to flow exactly the same with or without two players playing.
There isn’t an online option this time around which is a little disappointing.
Along with the great co-op experience brought to the game, there is also a lot of replayability to the game. “LEGO Indiana Jones” has a
lot of hidden objects in each levels that requires player to return in Free Play mode to unlock. Many of these objects tease the players
the first time through, with treasures hidden right behind objects in view of the player that need to be broken, but the story members
aren’t able to break. This requires players to find someone with a rocket launcher and return to the level to collect the treasure. Co-op
is really great this time around when players get together to search the levels for every last piece of treasure.
Unlocking bonuses this time around, like Stub Multiplies or Regenerating Hearts, is a little but more difficult and involved this time
around. It doesn’t consist of simply finding a red brick, instead players need to find parcels in each level that need to be taken to a
nearby mailbox and sent back to the college where they can then be bought. This means that many times players will be able to find the
parcel, but they can’t find the mailbox in order to send it, meaning players can’t buy to extra. Again, players will need to return in Free
Play mode to collect everything that is hidden in each level using characters with different abilities.
Once again Travellers Tales has delivered a great gaming experience that simply consists of smashing objects over and over again
while searching for hidden objects. They manage to make the formula fun and very addictive. Though it isn’t a huge leap from what
was offered in the “LEGO Star Wars” games, and it does still have a few issues that need to be resolved, such as the camera, the
game will immediately pull players into the game and will offer them a fun adventure that is worth taking, especially if traveling with
family and friends.
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