Indigo Prophecy

"The elements of a great game is there, but Indigo Propehcy falls short"

Indigo Prophecy could have been something special, perhaps even a classic. Unfortunately the game falls apart at several different levels.

Some critics claim that the story lacks originality, which is true. Drawing inspiration from other video games or movies is all fine and good, but Indigo Prophecy doesn't try to adapt those ideas to the story but rather copies them directly. When I played through, I saw parts of the game that seemed directly stolen from other games and movies. The list is expansive, including elements from The Matrix, Unbreakable, Max Payne, Silent Hill, The Fugitive, Psycho, Dragon Ball Z, and The Sims, to name a few. This makes the story feel like it has ADD. Some parts work. I found the "cops n' robbers" business fairly entertaining. The initial part of Lucas trying to figure out "what the hell is going on" was also fun to watch. Soon though, Lucas's story spirals into chaos, in more ways than one. And the ending(s) is just plain silly.

Graphics is another area where the game needs work. I am not anal about graphics usually, but I do believe they need to suit the game. Indigo Prophecy needed all the stops pulled out, graphically speaking. The PS2 may not be the the most powerful system, but after playing Metal Gear Solid 3 and Resident Evil 4, I know it is capable of more than decent surfaces and and player detail. Some parts of the game that could have been exciting, are less than due to the bland graphics. There is one scene, in the insane asylum, that could of been one of the more memorable moments in video games, but the graphics and shoddy lighting effects ruin it.

Lastly I would say that the characters don't offer much. Lucas is your typical quiet loner that is too serious for his own good. The cop Tyler follows about every racial stereo type for African Americans, I am probably right to assume that none of the creators of the game are black. Tyler walks with a strut, plays basketball, is always sleepy, and has funky disco music as his theme. Clara is sex on a stick and nothing more. But, as evidence through the shower and sex scenes, we realize that she doesn't have any nipples (strange).

I would also like to point out that this game does have a brief sex scene. It is out of place and completely unnecessary. It is about as erotic as stripping Barbie and Ken dolls and has about as much emotion as your typical porno. I don't know what purpose it serves or what the creators were thinking by putting it in (no pun intended).

Reviewer's Score: 6/10, Originally Posted: 11/07/05