Super, smashing, great?
There are some nice touches in the game which Indy fans will appreciate, such as his fear of snakes, which is so apparent in the movie. This is replicated by his avatar which freezes and covers its eyes when he comes into contact with a hissing reptile. There are also some great ideas that affect the game-play, such as when you need to escape from the pursuing bolder (an iconic scene from Raiders of the Lost Ark) or when you need to disguise yourself as a guard so you can operate a computer terminal.Aside from solving logical puzzles around the locations, there’s the obligatory bout of ledge jumping that you find in any platformer, in which your judgment can be occasionally hampered by some dodgy camera angle, and there’s also a fair amount of combat to get through.
For me, this is where the game becomes a bit monotonous. It just doesn’t compare to combat in LEGO Star Wars. You can use your fists to pummel opponents into submission or crack out your whip to disarm them. You can also use other objects such as a pistol, bazooka or even a spanner, but none of them are much fun to use. The problem is that combat feels really awkward, partly due to the stiff movements of the characters, but mainly because the combat mechanic is far too simple; the battles just don’t have any real ‘oomph’. Yeah, there’s no force powers or light-sabers on offer which made combat more exciting in Star Wars, but still, it feels a little flat and uninspiring.
*Despite a few sensor issues, where the touch screen didn’t appear to register my thumb movements, the touch screen has been used to good effect throughout the game and while the action takes place on the upper of the two screens, the lower one is used to move your thumb up and down or in a circle in order to rotate a handle, dig a hole or to use Indy’s whip so you can latch onto a ledge or rooftop. You can also use the DS microphone in order to blow up rafts and blow out torches.
You can’t fault LEGO: Indiana Jones for value for money. You get engaging cut-scenes, great audio, exploration, puzzle-solving, tons of playable characters, mini-games, a mammoth amount of things to collect and bouts of combat which includes big boss battles. Despite some of the annoyances that I’ve detailed earlier, the good certainly outweighs the bad.
With the famous Indiana Jones music blaring out of those tiny speakers, you’ll find it hard not to enjoy the experience of searching for mystery artifacts, leaping over ravines and smashing to pieces everything in sight. Admittedly, it’s not as great as LEGO Star War: The Complete Sage, but it’s still another highly enjoyable LEGO adventure.
Bring on LEGO Batman!
* Note: Uncertain whether sensor issues were fault with the game or my DS! You can bypass using the touch-screen totally by using the ‘A’ button.
Pros
Expertly captures some of the best moments from the films
Looks superb
Great variety in the characters
Vast replay value
Two player co-op over Wi-fi
Cons
Could have been funnier
Combat is lame
LEGO: Indiana Jones is a brick-smashing blast
HEXUS Awards
LEGO: Indiana Jones – DS (8/10)
