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Solid, excellent game, but a few flaws nonetheless

4 Rating: 4, Useful: 8 / 8
Date: September 19, 2003
Author: Amazon User

I finished playing through this game recently on my Playstation 2. As a long-time Indy fan, I must say that I was very, very pleased overall. You control the intrepid Indiana Jones as he makes his way through a variety of locales, including Ceylon, Istanbul, Prague, Hong Kong, and others. The goal of the game is to recover an ancient mystical talisman from the titular Emperor's Tomb, all the while fighting off Nazis, Chinese thugs, undead creatures, and others. Indy is present in pure form, including the fact that he occasionally loses his beloved fedora hat during a fight and must go back to retrieve it when the coast is clear. I don't know who they found to do Indy's voice acting in this game, but whoever it is did a great job impersonating Harrison Ford.

The controls are intuitive and easy to master. Indy comes equipped with his revolver, a canteen of water for health replenishment, and of course, his trusty bullwhip. During the game, Indy will gain access to a number of other items, including a variety of weapons ranging from German machine guns, to a crossbow, to a variety of blade weapons. I must admit, though, that whenever I was up against only one or two bad guys, I found much more fun in just wading in with my fists, or else breaking furniture and beating the bad guys senseless with a table leg or breaking a liquor bottle over their heads. Indy has a number of different fighting moves, so fighting enemies never gets monotonous.

There are many puzzles to be solved in order to advance in the game. Some of them involve finding an item to open a secret door, others involve distracting a large, nasty monster so that Indy can quickly get across a dangerous area to safety, others require Indy to have a key item in his posession so he can view invisible obstacles, etc, etc... The action-based levels don't disappoint, either. Whether you are fighting off reanimated statues, dodging flamethrower-wielding Nazi soldiers, or perched atop a Chinese mountain gondola car, trying to shoot down German fighter planes intent on your demise, there is always something new to defeat. I found that the various levels of the game did an excellent job of presenting new challenges, and the action never felt stale.

Having said all this, why 4 stars and not 5? Well, there were a few things which detracted a bit from the gameplay. One was a few graphical glitches, such as an object that is visible from one angle would suddenly disappear when Indy moved. This didn't hurt the gameplay, but it was distracting nonetheless. A more serious problem was the fact that the game crashed a number of times during play, including twice while I was fighting the final boss. There were a few other minor bugs, although nothing too serious, at least as far as I encountered. I get the feeling that maybe they should have tested the game a bit more before releasing it. Also, the graphics themselves just seemed a bit dated and primitive for the PS2. At times, I almost felt like I was playing a very advanced Nintendo 64 title.

Even though the graphics were a bit flawed, I have always felt that graphics mean little if the gameplay itself is worthy. This title has plenty and more of great gameplay value. If you can get past what few flaws there are in the game, then this game will deliver many hours of enjoyable playtime. Highly recommended for all Indy fans and anyone else who enjoys heavy doses of action and puzzle-solving.

So far, this is a top 10 game!

5 Rating: 5, Useful: 8 / 11
Date: June 29, 2003
Author: Amazon User

Stop what you are doing and buy Indiana Jones and the Emperor's Tomb RIGHT NOW! It is a must buy, maybe even a keeper (we'll have to wait and see how it finishes up). The graphics are an A, the music is an A, the punches and revolver action is an A+, the story so far is good, just like a movie script, but I will wait on giving it a rating, the voice acting for Prof. Jones is an A+ (at first I thought it was really Harrison Ford, but it's not, that's how good it is!), great interaction with the environments (you can smash a chair or table and use it to fight bad guys (so even if you are low on bullets, you can find weapons to use in each room), and the missions are just the right amount of hard (I have it on normal) with good use of save points. I held off on getting Tomb Raider and reserved Indiana Jones instead and it was well worth the wait. So far, I have to put this in my top 10 games of all time and I've only just started it.

If Adventure Has A Name...

4 Rating: 4, Useful: 8 / 11
Date: November 11, 2003
Author: Amazon User

Indiana Jones and the Emperor's Tomb is the best rendition of George Lucas and Steven Spielberg's cocky action hero, and, supposedly better than the supposedly lackluster Tomb Raider: the Angel of Darkness. I have not played the Tomb Raider game, but from what I hear, I probably shouldn't bother. This game, however, is only just short of spectacular. The graphics aern't Jak and Daxter or Ratchet and Clank, but they get the job done nonetheless. Indiana Jones looks good, almost looking exactly like the great Harrison Ford.

As Far as gameplay goes, this one handles it well, with a nice balance of action and platforming, with a dash of puzzles thrown in for good measure. Fighting is well balanced, with a good amount of moves and a simple fighting engine. The whip, while useful for getting around, falls short when used in combat. When faced by 2 or more enemies, it's difficult to attack one while another is coming at you. But it's still effective, especially for disarming enemies or yanking them in for a quick hit in the face.

Improvisation also comes into play, as you can lift and wield anything that isn't tied or bolted down. Having trouble with a martial artist ... ? Hit 'em with a chair, or break a table and use the leg like a baseball bat. This helps a lot in combat, seeing as how enemies don't go down easily.

Speaking of enemies, the AI acts realisticly in the game. Armed enemies will retreat until they can find cover to shoot from behind, while others will grab up a melee weapon before taking you on. This makes the game more enjoyable, as the fights never end the same way twice.

Now for flaws. At times there are graphical issues in the game, like clipping or ugly textures, and the camera has problems too. Also, in combat, enemies take forever to take down; a normal enemy takes 10 hits with a machete to take down, or 3 shots to kill with a gun. Some enemies, like the flame throwing guys, are a real pain ... to kill.

Aside from these flaws, this game is one of the most enjoyable I have played. If gaming adventure has a name, it's Indiana Jones or nothing!

Before TEMPLE OF DOOM.

4 Rating: 4, Useful: 5 / 5
Date: March 30, 2005
Author: Amazon User

According to the Indiana Jones timeline, INDIANA JONES AND THE EMPEROR'S TOMB takes place immediately prior to the events in the movie INDIANA JONES AND THE TEMPLE OF DOOM. If you play the movie to it's conclusion, it fits the pieces together well. I'm not really a gamer, but have played more video games in the last few years than any other time in my life except when I was growing up with an Atari. I'm also a fan of Indiana Jones.

With that said, I really enjoyed playing this game. It wasn't terribly difficult, but there were quests in the game that were challenging to complete. The graphics acted up every now and again and didn't appear as defined as they probably could have, but I didn't have any major problems playing the game.

The game's story line goes something like this: Indy is approached by an Asia man who wants to hire him to find an item called the Dragon's Heart that is located in the lost tomb of the first emperor of China. The Nazis are looking for the item, too and mysterious employer wants Indy to find it first. Unbeknownst to Indy, this man from Asia is really in cahoots with the Nazis. Of course, Indy eventually learns of the plot is helped throughout the game by a ninja lady named Mei Ying. Indy travels from the jungles of Ceylon to Prague to Istanbul and finally to China. Along the way you get to fight and kill a ton of bad guys from ivory traders to Nazis to demon-possessed Chinamen; shoot fighter planes from the top of a gondola; spear a giant octopus; and tangle with a Frankenstein-type monster. All for fortune and glory, baby.

In the course of beating the game if you are successful in collecting all 30 artifacts (there are 3 in each level & you can go back and replay a level to collect them later if you wish) you will unlock an art gallery that displays all kinds of concept photos, sketches, and designs. Just by viewing these pictures you can get an idea of the development process because there are several sketches or photos (whole levels) that can be seen which aren't a part of the game. Besides these missing elements it is also rumored that the character of Abner Ravenwood (Marion Ravenwood's father) was to have been in the game, as well as a boat chase level.

Sweet

5 Rating: 5, Useful: 7 / 12
Date: June 07, 2003
Author: Amazon User

Great graphics, cool levels, cool objectives, great cities, awesome design and an extraordinary game! It is so addicting. Easy controls and cool artifacts. You can replay this game a thrillion times!

not bad, not great.

4 Rating: 4, Useful: 3 / 4
Date: July 09, 2003
Author: Amazon User

I like to start with the bad and then move on to the good.
The levels can be tricky to navigate and you may waste a good deal of time trying to figure out how to proceed. The game has a slow start in that you do not get to fight a whole lot for a while. Being that the game is about the "action-hero" Indiana Jones, I would have included a lot more fighting and a lot less figuring out the path. Bullets ( of which there are not enough)don't seem to put men down fast enough and the whip is almost entirely useless against humans.
That aside, the fist fighting is a whole lot of fun(even without slow-motion punches and kicks!). The learning curve of the controls is fairly easy and the graphics are not bad at all. Being that I have only played through the first 4 or 5 levels, I hope the pace of the game picks up. If it does I'll stick with a rating of four stars. If not I would give it three stars. I would recommend that you rent first.

If you like the Indiana Jones Series you will like this game

5 Rating: 5, Useful: 3 / 4
Date: June 10, 2004
Author: Amazon User

When I recieved it I wasn't expecting much, but when I started playing it I soon got addicted. I am a fan of these type of games...Tomb Raider...Resident Evil...Silent Hill. I have to say that this game is enjoyable as well as challenging. If you are a fan of Indiana Jones, this is a must have game.

onehotjedimom

1 Rating: 1, Useful: 4 / 8
Date: January 10, 2005
Author: Amazon User

Ok, are the other reviewers brainless? Lucas Arts should fire the makers 'The Collective' or at the very least not hire them again. The controls are akward, and the views are horrible and change at random. Another horrible feature, there is no way to save any part of the game -- mess up -- tough, you do the level ALL over again. And what's with all of the 'loading' times? I haven't seen this many LONG loading times since playstation one.
My advice. Rent -- if you're really bored. Even on sale this game is not worth the effort. Well, maybe if you can get the game for free it MIGHT be worth your time.
Oh and by the way, I am also an 'advid' gamer. Rating -- only the creative guide book deserves the one star.

The original tomb raider is back!!

4 Rating: 4, Useful: 2 / 2
Date: July 05, 2003
Author: Amazon User

Back when Lara Croft was merely a twinkle in the eyes of some programmer, there was a guy who defined the word "adventure" named Indiana Jones. There have been a few attempts at giving Indy his own game. Well I'm glad to say that after all these years Lucas Arts has finally gotten it right.

Indiana Jones and the Emporer's Tomb is a straight forward action game. There are some stealth elements thrown in but they really don't play a big part in the overall game play. The game really captures the character very well. Lots of "Indy-isms", humor, and above all ACTION! After all that's what made Indiana Jones great. The game also features quite a few puzzle elements which at first can be frustrating, but once you step back and put a little forethought into some of your actions a solution can often be easily found. The sound is top notch. The crack of Indy's whip, the deep POW! of his revolver, hard WHAP! of ever punch is clear and distinct. Lucas Arts also filled the game with alot of ambient sound from jungle environments to city streets. The familiar John Williams score from the films is also included to give the player a more cinematic feel when playing. The game also features quite a unique power up system. Rather than med packs ( there are those) there are fountains scattered through out the gamescapes. Indy is equipped with a canteen he fills that replenishes his health if he becomes injured. I found this to be very interesting and a welcome change from the usual meal packs and med kits of most other games. The controls take some getting used to. There are prompts throughout the game initially instructing you how to use certain items and telling you what to do in certain situations. If you have the misfortune of skipping past some of these you could be in for a more difficult time than you expected. Also the camera is a little trickey. You can recenter it by pressing L3 but it can be a bit inconvienient in some instances.

The graphics are on par with most PS2 games, however the frame rate isn't everything a PS2 game should be. At times the frame rate drops significantly and the game chugs. Slowdown aside, the game does features some nice water effects and some very spacious outdoor settings, as well as some cavernous interiors.

This is a solid game for your money. As always you might want to rent it first before you purchase it. After playing Tomb Raider AOD and being somewhat let down, I can say that Miss Croft needs to take a few lessons from the master of adventure.

Very good game but a few flaws

4 Rating: 4, Useful: 2 / 2
Date: August 01, 2003
Author: Amazon User

This game is very fun to play. Great story, good graphics, and very good sound.This game is addictive, its a preety long game but you might finish it a week. You get to go to places like Celyon, Hong kong and Istanbul. The fighting controls are awsome. You get weapons like the revolver, shotgun, machine gun, and the crossbow. The A.I. is good, which means the enemies won't just stand there there, they will hide behind things and follow you. You will also need to use stelth in some parts of the game (which is cool). There are a good verity of levels too. Now for some of the flaws. A mechete takes about 10 hits to kill somebody. If you shoot sombody in the head they'll still fight you.You will also find yourself using too many bullets on one guy.And one other thing: how do you crounch?The bottem line is this game sounds a lot better than "Tomb Raider AOD". So if you like adventure games definetly get this one.

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