Customer Reviews

Indiana Jones and the Infernal Machine (Jewel Case)

5 star:		(5)
4 star:		(5)
3 star:		(1)
2 star:		(1)
1 star:		(4)

 

 

I happen to enjoy playing "Indiana Jones and the Infernal Machine". Sure the graphics are a bit dated and some of the puzzles can be infuriating (hey, that's why we have walkthroughs) but still this game managages to be great fun. I thought the folks at Lucas Arts really were able to capture that sense of adventure and discovery that are so integral to the films and transplant them fully intact within the confines of a PC game. At times it really felt like being part of an Indiana Jones movie. For the price this game is a worthy investment and I highly reccomend it.

This game is really cool. If you think that it's hard, you can get a walkthru. It's rated t for teens because you shoot [this] guy but it's not really graphical. Great game, favorite level and a cool one if you like to shoot ..., the boat level. If the levels are all foggy, then go to options and somewhere in there you can change it to no fog. Also there's a bonus level!

First, I need to remember that this is a six-year old game. And considering all the delays it endured before its release in 1999, that puts the original conception date closer to 97 or 98. Now, as I try to recollect those ancient years of gaming, what was hot at the time? Oh, yeah, a little franchise called "Tomb Raider." This clearly was the target for LucasArts' "Infernal Machine," and for better or worse they hit the mark.

The programmers essentially copied the scheme of "Tomb Raider," then pumped it up graphically and acoustically for the PC. Which would have been fine if Tomb Raider was ever as good a franchise as the sales indicated. Unfortunately, Infernal Indy moves with the grace of an arthritic Lara Croft, and has all the depth perception problems also. Walking forward and backward, lining up for a simple rock or ladder climb, strafing, firing a weapon: all of these are as bad, if not worse than, Lara on a hangover (don't even get me started on swimming). I found reasonable success with a Logitech dual analog controller, but even then the only analog movement was the walk/run forward stick. No other function was analog compatible, making walking in a circle almost impossible. But mostly the controls are forgiveable, as fast action sequences are few and far between and liberal use of the quicksave minimized vulgar outbursts (by me, not Indy).

Enough griping, now the good stuff: Level design in the Infernal Machine is nearly brilliant. The geography of each exotic location is colorful, lush, and detailed. Each new stage is a visual pleasure. Meroe, the mine cart level, and the Peru bonus level stand out as highlights. And now that I type that, I think back to quite a few lowlights. Hmmm...actually there are some really terrible levels like Palawan Lagoon and the final "Aetherium" disaster (which really sours the end of the game). And lots of pull-switch insert-key puzzles which were old after the first TR game. Uggh.

Let's get positive again. The Infernal Machine "feels" like Indiana Jones. Although Indy's voice actor doesn't even attempt a Harrsion Ford impression, he has a comforting tone that grows on you. All voice work is pretty solid, actually, and the sound effects are fantastic. The whip cracks, boulders crunch and rumble, and the Indy score is inserted masterfully. While it's a backhanded compliment, the Infernal Machine is almost more fun to watch than to play.

One final downer, the code is a disaster. Patches must be downloaded for the game to operate properly, even then there are a number of flaws that are really unexcusable for a big-budget release. And don't even try it in XP. Just don't.

Any Indy fan will love this game! It is your mission, to stop the Soviets, and gain all four powerful machine parts, to unleash a great power. Make Indy jump, climb, swing, and run from boulders, in this great 3D game for Windows 95/98. So remember, if adventure has a name, it must be: INDIANA JONES!

(p.s) The music is great!

While Indiana Jones and the Infernal Machine is an old game, it's still a fun game. I had it awhile back before it got scratched up to where I couldn't play it. But I was younger and didn't really think about the puzzles. I just got aggrivated and quit time and time again. But, I recently decided to give it another try. It took me a long time to figure out some of the puzzles. I have stayed up late into the night playing it. I have beaten the game several times now and each time after I beat it, I always wanted to play it more. This is a great game if you like adventure mixed with action. In a scale of 1-10... I give this game an 8.

Indiana Jones and the Infernal Machines was not that bad a game as some people present it. Sure it has older graphics, but the whole idea of pure adventure is still in the game. Compared to some other adventure games, such as the old Tomb Raider games, this game definitely stands to be a good competitor. The plot and action is very much Indiana Jones!

I have a Dell with a windows xp operating system. My computer does have backward compatible programs but I was only able to play the first level (after much installing, uninstalling, installing, swearing...) so unless you have an old windows 95, 98 PC lying around just say no.

I originally had this game on N64, but it broke, so I decided to get the version for PC, the one I'm reviewing. It's the same game, so this review also applies to the N64 one.

In all, this game was exellant, I don't care much for graphics when I'm gaming, just so long as I can make out what's going on. I focus on gameplay. This game did not let me down... at all. The plot is original, its a change of pace from the usual Jones enemy- Nazis (even though they do need their butt kicked a lot). Here, Jones fights the Soviets in the post WWII era. The gamplay is great. After a few hours you'll start to pick up on the controls- there's an almost "training ground" as your first mission.

Some levels include Utah Canyons, Babylon, Russia, and "other worlds". Shoot, they even have a level where you're in the temple from the opening of raiders. I don't want to give much away, but you'll have a blast uncovering the traps and twists in this game.

Infernal Machine promises hours- no- DAYS of fun gaming. My friend put it in really good words when he said "If you beat this- you pretty much can call yourself Indy".

Order- and good luck!

This is now an older game (as of 2003) but the puzzles and the graffics were very good for the time. The game is very satisfying and it will take a while for you to complete the game. There are not too many people too shoot, you'll find that the bulk of the time you are alone trying to figure out a puzzle. I played the whole game on the hardest difficulty setting and didn't find it too difficult due to the quick save function. Make good use of it. There are more than enough health items to get you through the game, and if you save often as I did, you wont even have to use them because you can go back and load your quicksave. I found myself stockpiling items this way with no real need for them. If you get really frustrated with the puzzles there are some walkthroughs on the internet.

Some people have complained about glitches in the game, and I found myself to be seemingly a victum of a bad CD. This is not the case, on a certain level, you cannot see Indy, all you have to do is go into the video settings and click on "redraw" and the problem is fixed.

All and all it was a great game for it's time, if your ordering another Item, it is more than worth the dirt cheap price you can get it for here, and plus if you qualify for free shipping, there is no reason not to throw it in with your order.

When I ordered this game I thought that it would be a big action packed adventure RPG, well, you could say that I was wrong.
This is more one of those puzzle solving games with about one stars worth of action in it. One thing that I was impressed with though was the dialogue and voice acting in the cut scenes.
No this character is not the indiana jones from the movies, but an okay interpretation. The only thing that really made me want to throw this game out was the babylonian accents, they sound like what the president would sound like if he tried to play ghandi.
Overall this game is mediocre, but I do have to give it bonus points for the captivating storyline. If you have the patience and an up to date system, then get this one.