Indiana Jones® and the Fate of Atlantis™

Developer: LucasArts | Publisher: LucasArts / Lucasfilm / Disney Interactive | Release Date: 1992 | Genre: Point & Click Adventure | Website: N/A | Purchase: Steam

Indiana Jones and the Fate Of Atlantis is a Point & Click Adventure, made by Lucasarts, starring Indiana Jones. If you’re not salivating by now then you must be brain dead. Starring one of the coolest movie heroes of all time in one of the coolest game genres made by the undisputed masters of the genre is just too good to be true. Everyone knows who Indiana Jones is and the game has a story that is just as good as those in the movies. Indy must stop a group of Nazis from finding the lost city of Atlantis before they can learn it’s secrets and use it for their own twisted purposes. Featuring locations from all over the globe and more twists and turns than a snake with a broken back (snakes… I hate snakes…) there is never a dull moment in this adventure. However, you are not alone in this adventure. Tagging along is a female archaeologist, turned psychic who helps you out and annoys you in equal measures. Standing in you’re way is a bunch of Nazis and some very cool puzzles.

The graphics in Fate of Atlantis might look a bit dated, but for such an old game it’s still pretty good. The graphics are in VGA and although it’s not full screen there are still some nice animations and backgrounds, not to mention some very cool effects. Characters get a bit pixelated when they move closer to the screen, but this never gets in the way of the story or gameplay and you’ll get used to it. The sheer amount of locations and scenes that you move through is unlike any other point & click and really captures the mood of the Indiana Jones movies.

The sound is just as good and there are some nice atmospheric tunes as well as some more funky ones. Exploring a dark labyrinth underneath Crete might feature some sinister music in the background while solving a puzzle or doing something daring will strike up the familiar Indiana Jones theme song. All in all very cool. The sound effects could have used a bit more bang though, but that was due to the technology of the time. If you are lucky enough to get your hands on the cd-rom version of the game you will be treated to some nice voice acting as well.

The gameplay is some of the best you’re likely to find in a point & click game. Lucasarts are the masters, there’s no denying that and yet again their SCUMM control system is back in use. Actions are performed by stringing together verbs like look, talk, walk etc. and is very easy to use. It might have been updated by later games like Sam & Max, but it’s still way ahead of the others in the pack. The puzzles in this game is so brilliantly laid out you have to admire them. Everything has a logical solution and the answer is usually the last thing you try out before giving up completely. This makes for some very satisfying gameplay. As added value for money there is a part in the game before the real adventuring begins where you can choose how you’re going to play the game. There are three ways. Fighting will have you making progress in the game by beating people up instead of outsmarting them. You’re alone on this path. Thinking will have you tackling all the obstacles in the game with logic, also by yourself. The best however is in a team with you’re partner Sophie where you have to work together and sometimes help each other out. The great thing is that the puzzles change depending on you’re choice so there are some replay value which is usually not found in this genre. From the cool animations, excellent music and beyond brilliant story and gameplay, this is simply one of those games that you must own. Saying you like adventure games, without having completed this one, is just not possible. A classic if ever there was one.

*Review originally published 1995.