Indigo Prophecy

"Played any good movies lately?"

Indigo Prophecy. The title alone first caught my attention.

At first, I had seen this game on the shelves at Circuit City when it first came out and was around $40. I briefly glanced at the back of the package and moved on.

Flash forward to last week, when I was casually browsing through the bargain bin at Circuit City. I spotted one copy of this game left, and I looked at the price tag. $10. Only after I bought and played through the game did I realize that the fact that Indigo Prophecy now sells at that price is downright criminal. It is worth so much more.

This game is astounding. Not only as a video game, but as a cinematic experience. In the following review, I will rate five basic categories of the game: Graphics, Sound, Story, Gameplay and Replay Value.

Graphics: 10/10

The first thing that catches any player's eye when they pop a game in are the graphics. And in this game, they are simply great. Detailed character models, scenery and textures abound in this game. I was impressed by the fact that this game has a very unique art style: gritty and realistic at times, yet highly animated and fantasy-like at others. They blend together to form spectacular looking imagery that builds a very unique atmosphere and feeling.

Sound: 10/10

Wow. This is one aspect of the game that really dragged me in and didn't let go. The voice acting is nothing short of superb, with the actor playing the main character Lucas Kane giving the best performance. This is some of the best voice acting in video game history, second only to the Metal Gear Solid series. The soundtrack is also wonderful. I wasn't much impressed with the band that was licensed for some songs on the soundtrack (the name escapes me at the moment, but is mentioned on the packaging) but the ambient music, especially during Lucas Kane's story sections is absolutely amazing. The action sequence music is also very gripping, and was stuck in my head days after I had completed the game.

Story: 10/10 (I wish I could somehow go higher!)

This is the main attraction in Indigo Prophecy, and believe me, it DELIVERS. Without giving away too much, I'll say that what starts off as a slightly supernatural murder mystery turns into a sci-fi adventure of epic proportions, rivaling most actual movies in its genre. Many interesting characters populate the game's story, and you will become attached to at least one of them, I guarantee it.

Gameplay: 9/10

The actual gameplay of Indigo Prophecy will leave you satisfied, although it is quite simple. Some parts, especially towards the beginning of the game, involve searching for clues to uncover the mystery of the murder that starts off the game. Later in the game, these become scarce in favor of action sequences, which require you to move the analog sticks in certain patterns within seconds (sort of like the QTE sequences of Shenmue) in order to pass the scene. And while I'm on the subject of analog sticks, you'll be using them almost exclusively in this game. The left stick moves your character during "investigation" sequences, while the right stick performs actions such as picking objects up or turning switches. It's a bit strange at first, but it soon becomes second nature as you become wrapped up in the game.

However, gameplay loses a point for the fact that while you are in an "investigation" sequence, the camera angles and character control tend to be a bit awkward. I would often find myself moving my character in the opposite direction that I actually wanted to go in due to the camera angles.

Replay Value: 10/10

It may not seem like it at first, but I believe this game has a lot of staying power. After you complete it for the first time, it will be on your mind for quite awhile. You may not want to play through it again immediately, but one day, you will want to play through this masterpiece again. It would be like popping in one of your favorite movies and watching it from time to time. There are also three different endings depending on what happens in the final scene, and you'll definitely want to at least go back to see all of them.

Final Score: 10/10

Rent or Buy? Buy, definitely. And at the price it now goes for now, you can't lose. Go for it!

Reviewer's Score: 10/10, Originally Posted: 02/20/07