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LEGO Indiana Jones: The Original Adventures
June 6, 2008 | 5:42 PM PST
Kombo's Review Policy: Our reviews are written for you. Our goal is to write honest, to-the-point reviews that don't waste your time. This is why we've split our reviews into four sections: What the Game's About, What's Hot, What's Not and Final Word, so that you can easily find the information you want from our reviews.
What's the Game About
Developer Travelers' Tales has left no stone unturned when it comes to its LEGO reimagining of the Star Wars movies. In just a few years, the developer plowed through all six films, leaving the studio with no option but to take its LEGO series and expand outward into George Lucas's other beloved trilogy: Indiana Jones. In LEGO Indiana Jones: The Original Adventures, you play through LEGO-ized levels based on the original Indy trilogy, including retellings of Raiders of the Lost Ark, The Temple of Doom and The Lost Crusade.
What's Hot
If you played LEGO Star Wars, you'll feel right at home with LEGO Indiana Jones. The controls feel just like the original Star Wars games, and the title reemploys many of the same mechanics that made the original games a blast. The LEGO theme is lighthearted and fun, distinctly setting the game a part from uninspired movie-to-game adaptations. What's more, the game's graphics are incredibly sharp and its environments overflow with detail. Overall, this is a great-looking title with a fantastic art style.
In comparison to LEGO Star Wars, Indy's LEGO adventure is less focused on combat and more on puzzles, which just fits better with the franchise. Like before, you'll play as several different characters from the films, each of which has his or her own abilities, strengths and weaknesses. Not only have the environments been designed in a puzzle-centric fashion, the characters have too. As a result, you'll have to think more as you play through the game, and as you progress, there's a reoccurring sense of satisfaction.
Although there is single-player, it takes a backseat to the two-player co-op. Playing with a friend multiplies the fun, and suddenly a decently entertaining adventure becomes a surprisingly fun one. The game's multi-character concept is perfect for co-op.
Finally, playing through LEGO Indiana Jones, I can't help but appreciate the subtle touches to the game's design. For example, Dr. Jone's famous fear of snakes is reinvented via the phobia mechanic. Any time you approach a snake as Indy, he'll freeze up, cover his eyes and cower in fear. Often, it's the small things that that make the biggest impact, and LEGO Indiana Jones is fine proof of that belief. It's clear that the game wasn't a quick attempt to cash-in on the recently-revived Indy series. The game's designers must have been true fans of the series because LEGO Indiana Jones shines with careful polish.
What's Not
The newfound focus on puzzles and exploration is well-received, but occasionally, the puzzles are frustrating. It's not so much that puzzles ever become complex. Rather, it's that the solution to some is less obvious than preceding puzzles. As a result, the puzzle design feels slightly inconsistent.
Equally problematic, there's an inherent disadvantage with the Indiana Jones series, which, I think, makes this game less fun than the LEGO Star Wars games. There are no lightsabers and no Force powers. Obviously, the answer would not have been to shoehorn either of these things into LEGO Indy. Rather, the absence of both mechanics -- primarily lightsabers -- automatically makes LEGO Indiana Jones less entertaining. Most of the combat is now hand-to-hand, which just isn't as cool. Occasionally, you'll use weapons, such as swords and guns, but these weapons aren't supplied as often as they should be. Also, when you do use guns, they can't be used very long because they quickly run out of ammunition. Together, these shortcomings make up combat that feels lackluster.
The other problem inherent to the LEGO games is the camera system. It's sometimes hard to gauge jumps when platforming, usually resulting in having to retry the same jump many times. Worse, when playing cooperatively, if two players move too far in opposite directions, one will end up going off screen and dying.
Not everything is inherent, though. There are some new shortcomings to speak of. In a step backwards, LEGO Indiana Jones's co-op mode is just offline, with no online support. This is a bit surprising, considering LEGO Star Wars: The Complete Saga featured online play. On another topic, some of the attempts at humor fall short this time around, resulting in scenes that feel more mute than amusing.
Final Word
I think that the Star Wars universe is naturally a better fit for Travelers' Tales' LEGO series. In LEGO Indiana Jones, for example, the combat isn't as fun, thanks to the lack of lightsabers. That said, this is still a fun spin on the famous Indiana Jones trilogy. The puzzle-centric level design is satisfying and adds depth. Personally, I think I just like the Indy series more than Star Wars, so for me, it's hard not to smile while playing through the game (although I have to say that there are moments where it feels like the game's attempt at humor falls a little flat).
If you're an Indiana Jones fan, check this one out.
What's the Game About
Developer Travelers' Tales has left no stone unturned when it comes to its LEGO reimagining of the Star Wars movies. In just a few years, the developer plowed through all six films, leaving the studio with no option but to take its LEGO series and expand outward into George Lucas's other beloved trilogy: Indiana Jones. In LEGO Indiana Jones: The Original Adventures, you play through LEGO-ized levels based on the original Indy trilogy, including retellings of Raiders of the Lost Ark, The Temple of Doom and The Lost Crusade.
What's Hot
If you played LEGO Star Wars, you'll feel right at home with LEGO Indiana Jones. The controls feel just like the original Star Wars games, and the title reemploys many of the same mechanics that made the original games a blast. The LEGO theme is lighthearted and fun, distinctly setting the game a part from uninspired movie-to-game adaptations. What's more, the game's graphics are incredibly sharp and its environments overflow with detail. Overall, this is a great-looking title with a fantastic art style.
In comparison to LEGO Star Wars, Indy's LEGO adventure is less focused on combat and more on puzzles, which just fits better with the franchise. Like before, you'll play as several different characters from the films, each of which has his or her own abilities, strengths and weaknesses. Not only have the environments been designed in a puzzle-centric fashion, the characters have too. As a result, you'll have to think more as you play through the game, and as you progress, there's a reoccurring sense of satisfaction.
Although there is single-player, it takes a backseat to the two-player co-op. Playing with a friend multiplies the fun, and suddenly a decently entertaining adventure becomes a surprisingly fun one. The game's multi-character concept is perfect for co-op.
Finally, playing through LEGO Indiana Jones, I can't help but appreciate the subtle touches to the game's design. For example, Dr. Jone's famous fear of snakes is reinvented via the phobia mechanic. Any time you approach a snake as Indy, he'll freeze up, cover his eyes and cower in fear. Often, it's the small things that that make the biggest impact, and LEGO Indiana Jones is fine proof of that belief. It's clear that the game wasn't a quick attempt to cash-in on the recently-revived Indy series. The game's designers must have been true fans of the series because LEGO Indiana Jones shines with careful polish.
What's Not
The newfound focus on puzzles and exploration is well-received, but occasionally, the puzzles are frustrating. It's not so much that puzzles ever become complex. Rather, it's that the solution to some is less obvious than preceding puzzles. As a result, the puzzle design feels slightly inconsistent.
Equally problematic, there's an inherent disadvantage with the Indiana Jones series, which, I think, makes this game less fun than the LEGO Star Wars games. There are no lightsabers and no Force powers. Obviously, the answer would not have been to shoehorn either of these things into LEGO Indy. Rather, the absence of both mechanics -- primarily lightsabers -- automatically makes LEGO Indiana Jones less entertaining. Most of the combat is now hand-to-hand, which just isn't as cool. Occasionally, you'll use weapons, such as swords and guns, but these weapons aren't supplied as often as they should be. Also, when you do use guns, they can't be used very long because they quickly run out of ammunition. Together, these shortcomings make up combat that feels lackluster.
The other problem inherent to the LEGO games is the camera system. It's sometimes hard to gauge jumps when platforming, usually resulting in having to retry the same jump many times. Worse, when playing cooperatively, if two players move too far in opposite directions, one will end up going off screen and dying.
Not everything is inherent, though. There are some new shortcomings to speak of. In a step backwards, LEGO Indiana Jones's co-op mode is just offline, with no online support. This is a bit surprising, considering LEGO Star Wars: The Complete Saga featured online play. On another topic, some of the attempts at humor fall short this time around, resulting in scenes that feel more mute than amusing.
Final Word
I think that the Star Wars universe is naturally a better fit for Travelers' Tales' LEGO series. In LEGO Indiana Jones, for example, the combat isn't as fun, thanks to the lack of lightsabers. That said, this is still a fun spin on the famous Indiana Jones trilogy. The puzzle-centric level design is satisfying and adds depth. Personally, I think I just like the Indy series more than Star Wars, so for me, it's hard not to smile while playing through the game (although I have to say that there are moments where it feels like the game's attempt at humor falls a little flat).
If you're an Indiana Jones fan, check this one out.
November 20, 2009
