Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade Review

07-20-2004, 03:51 PM

The third chapter in the Indiana Jones trilogy was a huge hit among all Indy fans. The movie was great and arguably the best movie in the series. Not only that, but Indy 3 did extremely well in the box offices. It only made sense to make the movie into a game.
After several action installments, the license was pretty much worn out. But there was one Last Crusade game that really stood out: the Lucasfilm adventure game.
This game went on to win several awards, though I'm not sure what for. This game is considered a Lucasarts classic, but the criticism is mixed many like the game, many dislike it. So, which side am I on?

Here's my review of Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade.

Story: If you're going to make a game based of of Last Crusade, the thing you need to really focus on is story. Thankfully, the game does a good job of recreating it.
If you didn't see the movie; Indy is recieved a package from Venice, Italy. It's the diary that his father used to search for the fabled Holy Grail. Later, Indy discovers that the Nazis has kidnapped his father! Now it's up to him to rescue his father and beat the Nazis to the Grail.
The game does do some things a little differently than the movie. Indy does much more in Castle Brunwald and the sewers in the game. Unfortunatlly, the game has less suspence and cinamatic quality than the movie.
Story gets an 8/10

Graphics: I consider this game a breakthrough for Lucasarts. Maniac Mansion and Zak Mcracken's graphics were good, but Last Crusade was the first game that I actually stopped playing just to get a better look at the graphics. Crisp, smooth 256 color was the name of the game here. And for 1989, these graphics were an eyefull.
Graphics get a 9/10

Sound/Music: This game is the first Lucasarts game I feel I can rate the sound. The game used the early MIDI soundtrack with even more high-pitched beeps. All the music is catchy and nice. Sound affects are pretty much the same as any 80s adventure game.
Sound gets a 7/10

Gameplay: This game had a lot of much needed improvements to the SCUMM control system. Finally, the got rid of all those useless actions and added two very important "talk" and "look at" actions.
The puzzles, on the other hand were still medeocre. There are too many fight scenes and too many stupid requirements to beat the game. For example, you have to look at a picture of the Holy Grail in the castle before you leave. If you leave without looking at it, you have no chance of finishing the game. You can die in many places as well.
I was going to give the gameplay a 5, but seeing they made a lot of the improvements on the SCUMM system, gameplay gets a 6/10.

This game had limitless potential, but thanks to some frusterating puzzles, this game falls short and is simply a good game. You will probably enjoy it though.
I give Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade a
7.0/10

Kolzig · 07-21-2004, 04:52 AM

Hmm, I seem to recall that the 256 color version was made later?

All the old Lucasfilm games had 16 colors at first.

Petteri · 07-21-2004, 05:28 AM

I love Last Crusade, it was one of the first adventure games I played, about 8 years ago with at my friend's computer. The movie is also one of my favourite movies.

The 256-colour graphics look really nice, I've played only the 16-colour version...

ATMachine · 07-21-2004, 05:58 AM

What's interesting about the Indy games is that all explicit Nazi symbols had to be erased in the German versions due to censorship laws.

There were a lot of swastikas in the Last Crusade adventure which had to be painted out. This is probably why there are very few swastikas in Fate of Atlantis - so the artists wouldn't have to create alternate versions of most of the backgrounds.

However, sometimes the swastikas weren't erased, but laughably changed into black squares, as in this screen:

(By the way, one puzzle in Last Crusade became totally illogical in the German version: at one point Indy hears about a "textbook Nazi" who guards the castle's alarm system. So in order to get that Nazi to leave the alarm unguarded, Indy gives him a copy of Mein Kampf. In the German version, its title was changed to "Biography," so the puzzle makes little sense.)

The Seed · 07-21-2004, 07:09 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by ATMachine

There were a lot of swastikas in the Last Crusade adventure which had to be painted out. This is probably why there are very few swastikas in Fate of Atlantis - so the artists wouldn't have to create alternate versions of most of the backgrounds.

What do they do they do to the movies?

ATMachine · 07-21-2004, 09:21 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by The Seed

What do they do they do to the movies?

Probably nothing. I think the law only applies to toys, but in the German legal system PC games are considered toys.

pleto4_ryan · 08-02-2004, 09:27 AM

I dunno...i never ever liked this game...

what i didn't like most?

It's maps maybe (call me seeing from the upper version into a dark labyrinth that i cannot see what is going on), or the story, just a copy of the movie...i mean...what can someone except from an adventure that everyone know what happens at the end (okay there was this little change you could have at the end, but...).

I hated that game, i played it at an early age and only ended it just for the sake of it...(with brother and friends)
But i have to say that it had one of the best ideas into manual-gameplay i have ever seen. The only good thing for me.
Even the action-atlantis was better than this.

Goldenboy · 08-02-2004, 10:57 AM

Unless I'm mistaken the 256 colour version was only relesed with The White Label version of Last Crusade, that came packaged with Fate of Atlantis. On another note; Black Squares? Why not the German flag instead?

Udvarnoky · 08-02-2004, 06:16 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Goldenboy

Unless I'm mistaken the 256 colour version was only relesed with The White Label version of Last Crusade, that came packaged with Fate of Atlantis.

Nope. A 256 color VGA graphics version was released just a bit after the 16 color EGA graphics version. It also made an appearance in the "Classic Adventures" compilation.

Vel · 08-28-2004, 09:32 AM

In my opinion it is a good game, though not quite a classic. It is better than FoA in some ways - for example, in FoA, when you chose one path, you had to stick to it, and it was pretty much linear, whereas in TLC almost every puzzle has alternate solution. Also, controlling Henry senior at latter stages of the game is a nice move. Still, many dead ends.

Aurebesh · 08-28-2004, 11:56 AM

I heard they deleted the twins in the intro of Runaway for the Us release. If that's true, it's just as stupid as the swastikas. The story of Runaway took place before 9/11, so the twins should have been there! I hate censorship!

Vel · 08-29-2004, 05:16 AM

Swastikas go way way back; long before there were nazis.

Zygomaticus · 08-29-2004, 07:31 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Vel

Swastikas go way way back; long before there were nazis.

Yeah, but the sad thing is, Swastikas are almost universally associated with them now.

And not many know any better.

07-20-2004, 03:51 PM	#1
SamNMax Guest Posts: n/a	Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade Review The third chapter in the Indiana Jones trilogy was a huge hit among all Indy fans. The movie was great and arguably the best movie in the series. Not only that, but Indy 3 did extremely well in the box offices. It only made sense to make the movie into a game. After several action installments, the license was pretty much worn out. But there was one Last Crusade game that really stood out: the Lucasfilm adventure game. This game went on to win several awards, though I'm not sure what for. This game is considered a Lucasarts classic, but the criticism is mixed many like the game, many dislike it. So, which side am I on? Here's my review of Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade. Story: If you're going to make a game based of of Last Crusade, the thing you need to really focus on is story. Thankfully, the game does a good job of recreating it. If you didn't see the movie; Indy is recieved a package from Venice, Italy. It's the diary that his father used to search for the fabled Holy Grail. Later, Indy discovers that the Nazis has kidnapped his father! Now it's up to him to rescue his father and beat the Nazis to the Grail. The game does do some things a little differently than the movie. Indy does much more in Castle Brunwald and the sewers in the game. Unfortunatlly, the game has less suspence and cinamatic quality than the movie. Story gets an 8/10 Graphics: I consider this game a breakthrough for Lucasarts. Maniac Mansion and Zak Mcracken's graphics were good, but Last Crusade was the first game that I actually stopped playing just to get a better look at the graphics. Crisp, smooth 256 color was the name of the game here. And for 1989, these graphics were an eyefull. Graphics get a 9/10 Sound/Music: This game is the first Lucasarts game I feel I can rate the sound. The game used the early MIDI soundtrack with even more high-pitched beeps. All the music is catchy and nice. Sound affects are pretty much the same as any 80s adventure game. Sound gets a 7/10 Gameplay: This game had a lot of much needed improvements to the SCUMM control system. Finally, the got rid of all those useless actions and added two very important "talk" and "look at" actions. The puzzles, on the other hand were still medeocre. There are too many fight scenes and too many stupid requirements to beat the game. For example, you have to look at a picture of the Holy Grail in the castle before you leave. If you leave without looking at it, you have no chance of finishing the game. You can die in many places as well. I was going to give the gameplay a 5, but seeing they made a lot of the improvements on the SCUMM system, gameplay gets a 6/10. This game had limitless potential, but thanks to some frusterating puzzles, this game falls short and is simply a good game. You will probably enjoy it though. I give Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade a 7.0/10 Share Share this post on Twitter Last edited by SamNMax; 07-21-2004 at 09:19 AM.

07-21-2004, 04:52 AM	#2
Kolzig The Reggienator Join Date: Sep 2003 Location: Vaasa, Finland Posts: 5,519	Hmm, I seem to recall that the 256 color version was made later? All the old Lucasfilm games had 16 colors at first. Share Share this post on Twitter __________________ "The old standby, that never got old in the first place. We come back to them weekly, nightly, for hours at a time--and they always deliver. They are pure, timeless, and often taken for granted." - Nick Breckon - Shacknews My gamesale list updated 26.8.2007 Hey, dear people please buy my games, I need money to conquer Europe! Or do something similar.

07-21-2004, 05:28 AM	#3
Petteri Pete. Join Date: Jul 2004 Location: Finland Posts: 12	I love Last Crusade, it was one of the first adventure games I played, about 8 years ago with at my friend's computer. The movie is also one of my favourite movies. The 256-colour graphics look really nice, I've played only the 16-colour version... Share Share this post on Twitter

07-21-2004, 05:58 AM	#4
ATMachine Retired Buccaneer Join Date: Jan 2004 Location: Florida Posts: 779	What's interesting about the Indy games is that all explicit Nazi symbols had to be erased in the German versions due to censorship laws. There were a lot of swastikas in the Last Crusade adventure which had to be painted out. This is probably why there are very few swastikas in Fate of Atlantis - so the artists wouldn't have to create alternate versions of most of the backgrounds. However, sometimes the swastikas weren't erased, but laughably changed into black squares, as in this screen: (By the way, one puzzle in Last Crusade became totally illogical in the German version: at one point Indy hears about a "textbook Nazi" who guards the castle's alarm system. So in order to get that Nazi to leave the alarm unguarded, Indy gives him a copy of Mein Kampf. In the German version, its title was changed to "Biography," so the puzzle makes little sense.) Share Share this post on Twitter

08-02-2004, 09:27 AM	#7
pleto4_ryan After 2 years... Join Date: Sep 2003 Location: Greece Posts: 520	I dunno...i never ever liked this game... what i didn't like most? It's maps maybe (call me seeing from the upper version into a dark labyrinth that i cannot see what is going on), or the story, just a copy of the movie...i mean...what can someone except from an adventure that everyone know what happens at the end (okay there was this little change you could have at the end, but...). I hated that game, i played it at an early age and only ended it just for the sake of it...(with brother and friends) But i have to say that it had one of the best ideas into manual-gameplay i have ever seen. The only good thing for me. Even the action-atlantis was better than this. Share Share this post on Twitter __________________ Interactive storytelling! When dreams are lost and nightmares come to life you are in a Dreamfall

08-02-2004, 10:57 AM	#8
Goldenboy Junior Member Join Date: Jul 2004 Posts: 7	Unless I'm mistaken the 256 colour version was only relesed with The White Label version of Last Crusade, that came packaged with Fate of Atlantis. On another note; Black Squares? Why not the German flag instead? Share Share this post on Twitter

08-28-2004, 09:32 AM	#10
Vel Quo non ascendet? Join Date: Sep 2003 Location: Sofia, Bulgaria Posts: 223	In my opinion it is a good game, though not quite a classic. It is better than FoA in some ways - for example, in FoA, when you chose one path, you had to stick to it, and it was pretty much linear, whereas in TLC almost every puzzle has alternate solution. Also, controlling Henry senior at latter stages of the game is a nice move. Still, many dead ends. Share Share this post on Twitter __________________ http://suzercatel.tk - For Dog Man Star lovers.

08-28-2004, 11:56 AM	#11
Aurebesh Senior Member Join Date: Feb 2004 Posts: 692	I heard they deleted the twins in the intro of Runaway for the Us release. If that's true, it's just as stupid as the swastikas. The story of Runaway took place before 9/11, so the twins should have been there! I hate censorship! Share Share this post on Twitter

08-29-2004, 05:16 AM	#12
Vel Quo non ascendet? Join Date: Sep 2003 Location: Sofia, Bulgaria Posts: 223	Swastikas go way way back; long before there were nazis. Share Share this post on Twitter __________________ http://suzercatel.tk - For Dog Man Star lovers.

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