Indiana Jones and the Emperor's Tomb

"Whip it! Whip it GOOD!"

Opening Arguments

Anyone remember the Raiders of the Lost Ark game for the Atari 2600? Wow, I do. Just dredging up those dormant memories makes me want to stab myself with an ice pick through both eyes. The game was abhorrent, a hideous amalgamation of poorly designed graphics (which in it's defense WAS on the Atari 2600), abysmal gameplay, and a ridiculous amount of frustration. I managed to beat the game and swore I'd never play another Indiana Jones game again... as the movies were good enough for me. Until now... The Collective, the developers responsible for Buffy on the Xbox, has taken the Indy license and finally given new life to his video game adventures.

The Grim Reality

Or not so grim... frankly, this is one of those games that I have trouble finding faults with. In every way, this is what I had always wanted Tomb Raider to be like. The first level (or levels, as it is split into several areas), serves as a rather lengthy but fun tutorial which is very reminiscent of the opening scene from Raiders of the Lost Ark. You'll face of against gun toting lackeys, crocodiles (and one extra large croc), and traps of all sorts. It's an Indiana Jones fan's dream come true!

Gameplay

Retaining some of the fighting engine used in Buffy, the Collective has provided players with a simple yet fun way to dispatch enemies. Two buttons, X and A are your attack buttons... combinations can be used to form pretty wicked combos, too! For large portions of the game, Indy will go bare knuckle and beat the hell out of his foes. This is incredibly entertaining, as some of the combos you link together are very Indy-esque in nature. As you progress, Indy will find all kinds of items he can use to kick ass with, such as shovels, chairs, bottles, shotguns, pistols, and his whip.

The game makes the use of Indy's items, especially the whip, with the greatest of ease. The d-pad controls your inventory and pushing up on the selected item equips it. Every now and again, the game will show you an icon, indicating which item is needed (usually the whip)... by pressing the Y button the item is auto-selected for your convenience.

The game itself is loaded with puzzles and traps of all kinds. Of course, these puzzles aren't mind-numbingly difficult, but some are very creative and fun to figure out. It seems as if the focus of the game is more on exploration and combat, which is fine by me.



Graphics

Here's where the game take a bit of a hit. The graphics, while really nice, are nothing to write home about. You've got a fair amount of clipping going on and the graphcis can often-times look blocky or less detailed. While these destractions are minor, they still could've been improved upon. On the positive side, the characters move well and Indy looks like Harrison Ford. Most of the locations are also very nicely developed... but that damn clipping!!

Sound

Basically it's the classic John William's score, so of course the soundtrack is nothing short of brilliant. The voice acting is also incredible. The man who voices Indy is NOT Harrison Ford, but you'd never be abl to tell the difference... he's that good. Sound effects, however, seem tinny and less powerful than they should. From the crack of Indy's whip, to a Luger being fired, the sound effects are somewhat dissapointing. Not in a major way, but enough to be noticed.

Closing Comments

This is a great game. Period. It's a license that has been given justice, finally, and will hopefully have some sequels. With a great musical score, fantastic gameplay and great graphics (for the most part), this is one adventure you do not want to miss!

Reviewer's Score: 9/10, Originally Posted: 02/26/03, Updated 02/26/03