Developer: Traveller’s Tales
Publisher: LucasArts — TT Games

“Casual Games” seems to be the buzz word floating around nowadays to label shitty, under-produced games geared at mass-market demographics. A huge corporation brands one of their namesakes on a DS or Wii cartridge and adds create-a-character and thirty mini-games. Then they market these games on TV and little kids scream and scream until their mommy’s buy it for them. The kids inevitably tire of its unabashed shittiness and the game gets tossed in the compost heap with the rest. Thus is the life of “Casual Games.”

I wish all developers and publishers of these abominations could have been standing around the Ark when it was opened. Not only to hear the sizzling of melting flesh (I’d definitely have my eyes closed) but to watch Indiana Jones walk around to each of their corpses and kick all of them directly in the balls after the ordeal was over. This game rocks.

Rated E, Lego Indiana Jones truly has something for everyone. Whether it be Lego defecating elephants or rocket launcher toting Non-Nazis, there’s almost nothing in this game that wouldn’t strike a chord with any type of gamer. As in the previous entry, Lego Star Wars , you follow the story of a classic Lucas protagonist, in this case Indy, through their characters respective trilogy. Cut scenes re-imagined for the Lego universe and drained of political undertones (honestly kind of disappointed the Nazis were little more than blond hair blue eye goose steppers) never fail to charm and are mostly dead-on when it comes to the aesthetic of the original films. In fact, the re-enactments are done so well you’ll find your self giggling, yes giggling, throughout the entire game.

The combat system is surprisingly deep for only two buttons. X attacks and B performs your special (though some specials are not attacks, like the ability of a short character to crawl through tiny spaces for instance). Each character has a variety of moves that are randomly generated when you attack, but never cease to impress. If you time it right you can also dodge bullets with the attack button. Obviously Indy is going to be your character of choice for the bulk of this game what with his ability to disarm and disable baddies with his whip, but the game gives you plenty reasons to change characters. Scholars can decipher hieroglyphs, accessing secret chambers, women can jump way higher and some have screaming abilities which shatter glass. Hit detection works flawlessly. If anything, enemies will crumble at the sight of you. The only real trouble you can get in is if a bunch of rocket or pistol-toting enemies gang up on a weaponless character. Just keep pressing X! Sure it’s not Ninja Gaiden II , but it’s way more fun and just as cinematic and satisfying watching Indy dropkicking Nazis and stealing their machine guns with his whip.

(Thanks, IGN.)

For all of its enjoyable combat this game isn’t really a fighter. Though it does have the distinct mark of a brawler, it’s mainly a puzzler. These riddles vary in difficulty; usually the easy ones progress you through the main story, while the head-scratchers nab you some collectibles. Most importantly, the puzzles never feel condescending. Sure, most of them are easy, usually requiring you smash the room up until you uncover what you need, but rarely are they boring. There’s enough variation to keep you on your toes looking for that extra pile of Legos needed to build some cockamamie contraption. If anything the constant Lego smashing can become monotonous by games end, but is a necessary evil for completing most puzzles. Which isn’t to say they’re set up perfectly — the strategy for defeating Mol Ram on the bridge is about as unclear as it gets, and with little help from the game I found myself checking the internet for help with how to send him to the crocs below.

On the first play through each level, you’re given a party of two to three members, which usually isn’t enough to complete all the puzzles. Free mode allows you to play through each level again with about eight characters, each one with a distinct ability allowing you access to all parts of the level. Free mode often outshines its counterpart as you are able to stop and figure out each puzzle, and not have to wonder if you can, in fact, solve it with the limited abilities offered in story mode.

The best part about Lego games is that they let you play the game with minimal interference. That is to say if you die, you blow into little Lego bits and reappear no matter what the circumstance. I actually wasn’t even aware there were load times until about half way through the game — they are cleverly disguised as the map sequences from the movies. It’s honestly refreshing to play a game that lets you play for as long as you want without having to worry about dying and reloading the level.

The graphics are wonderfully polished, and character design often hits the bulls-eye. (Who’d of thought Lego Major Toht would be so cute?) It’s also good to see color again. I felt like a denizen of The Giver’s society for a few months there. Level design keeps you headed in the right direction and mostly serves to support the puzzle elements. Vehicles mix up the action pretty well and aside from, initially, being impossible to control, they never ever get stuck in the environment. (*cough*Alone in the Dark*cough*) Occasionally the game is unclear about what is a secret area and what is story progression, and sometimes I accidentally triggered a cut scene when I wanted to do some more scrounging.

On the whole, Lego Indiana Jones is a great game that nearly everyone can enjoy. It doesn’t demand insane combos or precision jumps. It usually powers you through problems that would turn into frustrating moments in most games. This game has your best interests in mind while you play and that’s something we don’t see much of in games today. Game devs could take a few cues from Traveller’s Tales on this one: it’s not about casual games, it’s about accessible games.

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