12th February 2003, 11:02 AM
Indiana Jones and the Infernal Machine Review
By Derek Miller
I have got to be one of the biggest Indiana Jones fans around and when this game came out for the PC I had to have it. I was extremely disappointed. While the game was good conceptually the controls were so horribly awkward that it took away almost all of the fun. The Nintendo 64 version fixes these control problems, making the game a Tomb Raider-type game that is actually fun to play and doesn't need bouncing female body parts to sell. LucasArts and Factor 5 did a wonderful job porting this game to the Nintendo 64 and any fan of Indiana Jones will probably consider this the best Indy game made. Although that isn't saying much, Indiana Jones would make a worthy addition to your N64 library.
Graphics
The graphics for the PC version were pretty good, but, if you can believe it, the N64 version actually improves upon them. The expansion pak, although not required, is used to its full potential to create awe-inspiring landscapes and locations. There is a very long range of vision which produces little pop-up making to feel like you are actually at the archaeological sites. The lighting effects in the game are great, and don't feel like they are overused like they sometimes do in Rare games. The creatures in the game all look very realistic and there is no slowdown to speak of.
9.0
Sound
Factor 5 is known for great sound production and they don't disappoint in Indiana Jones. Ambient sounds pervade the game, making the locations feel all the more realistic, and instead of a constant sound track, ambient music is played when you enter new locations. Of course, the Indy theme is present and there are also various other tracks that get you into the mood of the game. Every character speaks and Indy even sounds like Harrison Ford, even though I know it isn't really him. Surround sound is used expertly in this game which makes it sound much better than its PC counterpart. This is easily one of the best sounding games on Nintendo 64.
9.0
Gameplay
The creators of the Tomb Raider series admitted that they were influenced by the Indiana Jones movies and the creators of Indiana Jones and the Infernal Machine admitted that they took the gameplay of Tomb Raider and applied it to Indiana Jones. I was a fan of the original Tomb Raider game but then the gameplay just didn't evolve at all. Putting Indiana Jones into the Tomb Raider formula just seemed to fit. The gameplay is solid. If you like the Tomb Raider games, at least in concept, then you'll love Indiana Jones. Platform jumping is done well and very rarely do you find yourself frustrated trying to accomplish make a jump or use the whip. The Legend of Zelda's Z-Targeting is implemented and changed slightly to help you aim both the whip and other weapons more accurately. The puzzles in the game will stump you a lot but you will always feel a sense of gratification when you solve them. There are treasures to be found in each level which will earn you IQ points which are needed to truly complete the game. It will take a lot of exploring to find all of them and is something I'm not even close to accomplishing yet. The game is a lot of fun and if you want Tomb Raider-type gameplay it's your only option on Nintendo 64.
8.0
Replayability
Indiana Jones takes an incredibly long time to beat, even for more experienced gamers, so you may not feel the urge to play it again right away. There are hidden treasures to find in every level, however, and this is a task that you probably won't accomplish the first time through. Most of the levels are huge, and fun to explore, making searching for the treasures seem like fun instead of a chore. And it's always fun to go back and shoot some Communist Russian soldiers.
5.5
Buy/Rent
Indiana Jones and the Infernal Machine isn't sold in retail stores so don't bother looking. It is available to rent, however, but it may be difficult to finish with just one rent. You can probably find the game used but be prepared to pay $20 to $35 for it.
Total (not an average) : 8.0
By Derek Miller
I have got to be one of the biggest Indiana Jones fans around and when this game came out for the PC I had to have it. I was extremely disappointed. While the game was good conceptually the controls were so horribly awkward that it took away almost all of the fun. The Nintendo 64 version fixes these control problems, making the game a Tomb Raider-type game that is actually fun to play and doesn't need bouncing female body parts to sell. LucasArts and Factor 5 did a wonderful job porting this game to the Nintendo 64 and any fan of Indiana Jones will probably consider this the best Indy game made. Although that isn't saying much, Indiana Jones would make a worthy addition to your N64 library.
Graphics
The graphics for the PC version were pretty good, but, if you can believe it, the N64 version actually improves upon them. The expansion pak, although not required, is used to its full potential to create awe-inspiring landscapes and locations. There is a very long range of vision which produces little pop-up making to feel like you are actually at the archaeological sites. The lighting effects in the game are great, and don't feel like they are overused like they sometimes do in Rare games. The creatures in the game all look very realistic and there is no slowdown to speak of.
9.0
Sound
Factor 5 is known for great sound production and they don't disappoint in Indiana Jones. Ambient sounds pervade the game, making the locations feel all the more realistic, and instead of a constant sound track, ambient music is played when you enter new locations. Of course, the Indy theme is present and there are also various other tracks that get you into the mood of the game. Every character speaks and Indy even sounds like Harrison Ford, even though I know it isn't really him. Surround sound is used expertly in this game which makes it sound much better than its PC counterpart. This is easily one of the best sounding games on Nintendo 64.
9.0
Gameplay
The creators of the Tomb Raider series admitted that they were influenced by the Indiana Jones movies and the creators of Indiana Jones and the Infernal Machine admitted that they took the gameplay of Tomb Raider and applied it to Indiana Jones. I was a fan of the original Tomb Raider game but then the gameplay just didn't evolve at all. Putting Indiana Jones into the Tomb Raider formula just seemed to fit. The gameplay is solid. If you like the Tomb Raider games, at least in concept, then you'll love Indiana Jones. Platform jumping is done well and very rarely do you find yourself frustrated trying to accomplish make a jump or use the whip. The Legend of Zelda's Z-Targeting is implemented and changed slightly to help you aim both the whip and other weapons more accurately. The puzzles in the game will stump you a lot but you will always feel a sense of gratification when you solve them. There are treasures to be found in each level which will earn you IQ points which are needed to truly complete the game. It will take a lot of exploring to find all of them and is something I'm not even close to accomplishing yet. The game is a lot of fun and if you want Tomb Raider-type gameplay it's your only option on Nintendo 64.
8.0
Replayability
Indiana Jones takes an incredibly long time to beat, even for more experienced gamers, so you may not feel the urge to play it again right away. There are hidden treasures to find in every level, however, and this is a task that you probably won't accomplish the first time through. Most of the levels are huge, and fun to explore, making searching for the treasures seem like fun instead of a chore. And it's always fun to go back and shoot some Communist Russian soldiers.
5.5
Buy/Rent
Indiana Jones and the Infernal Machine isn't sold in retail stores so don't bother looking. It is available to rent, however, but it may be difficult to finish with just one rent. You can probably find the game used but be prepared to pay $20 to $35 for it.
Total (not an average) : 8.0