Indiana Jones and The Infernal Machine PC Review GOG edition

Indiana Jones and the Infernal Machine (PC via GOG.COM) (Rated Teen)

This review focuses on the modern updated Good Old Games release linked above, which runs flawlessly on modern systems with controller support and in 1080p!

(Video Review)

There are few games I have such special memories of like Indiana Jones and the Infernal Machine, aw yes, I remember playing this while my Pop asked my Mom for a divorce, good times. This is just one hell of a special game for a 90's kid, if you were a true Jones fan, boy did you get one of the greatest games of its day. For all intents and purposes, this game follows a formula similar to the old-school Tomb Raider games, however, the surprise is that it bests Lara at her own game, in a not so similar fashion as the Uncharted games would later on, and no, that has nothing to do with sexism, there just better games... God, I hate 2019. This is a sprawling fifteen-hour adventure at minimum, the gameplay variety is among the best of its day, but this is the one caveat, this is a game from 1999 and as advanced as it was for the time, it will appear very dated to some. For those with an open mind, and those who enjoy playing classic games to appreciate the difference in style, you're going to find a game that has stood the test of time better than most of its brethren, hey, that reminds me of your Grandmama!
Though let us address the game's biggest cliff to scale, the controls even when customized to your liking are very tank-like and often obtuse for the first several hours, that being said, there is a certain charm to gaining a sense of mastery over Indy's clunky movement. I found it useful to play with a controller and use the keyboard for shortcuts, such as weapons, items and of course the ever-useful quick save! For those who've played games like this on a console before, you will be very surprised to see the ability to save anywhere, anytime, and it makes the game so much less frustrating.
For those unfamiliar with the structure of these styled games, you will spend a great deal of time exploring the environments to progress, this includes traversal based puzzles, and also the standard find this and use it here kind of puzzles. I found that the platforming even with the clunky controls, was far above average, Indy will for the most part lock on to surfaces and grab them, making missed jumps rare and always based on player error, Indy's trademark whip is used to great effect during the game's platforming, as you will swing across many chasms, and also climb up and sometimes away from danger, though it is nearly useless in combat. The enemies are kinda into Fifty Shades because they just act like, "whip me harder Indy, I am nearly there." Still, every time I swung across a gap, with Indy's wonderful theme playing, I could not help but smile as wide as an awestruck kid, and get a boner like a teenager in puberty. Some of the puzzles can seem very incomprehensible at first, but there is a nice pace to discovering the solution for any player, this leads to a great deal of satisfaction that will push you past those brief moments of frustration when your unaware of what to do next.

The game has several difficulty options, however, these only affect the amount of damage Indy takes, depending on how savvy you are with these kinds of games, you may find combat annoying or overly simple. Each weapon Indy can use has a difference that is mostly based upon the accuracy of the auto-aim system, while damage and fire rate play a factor, the biggest difference you will see is how fast and effective the auto-aim is for each weapon. Indy is not quite as agile as Lara Croft, he can dodge roll but cannot fire during these actions, this means placement and range will affect if you're shot up like a gimp, or not hit at all. Enemy A.I is fairly aggressive, even on the lowest settings, however, they are not great shots most of the time, though sometimes a group will become dead-eyed based on their and your placement, which made me think, what the fuck are these guys on? Monkey crack? Combat is on the whole satisfactory, with some moments that will surprise you with how fun they can be, at this point, you may be wondering what is truly special about the game? Well, while gameplay can scale from competent to enjoyable, it excels with incredible levels that are absolute knockouts in both their design, and how gorgeous these locations are to explore.

What makes each of the game's expansive seventeen levels so brilliant, is that they truly feel like they are capturing the mood, style, and feel of Indy's best adventures, this is due to the great mixture of puzzles, and also the unexpectedly fun additions to gameplay, such as rafting sequences echoing The Temple of Doom, and some great Jeep sections that come out of nowhere in the best way. Ok, these sections can also try your patience harder than attempting to find your Mom's dildo, but, still, they have moments you will never forget, just like the moment when you finally found that purple headed wonder. I have saved the game's best asset for last, few games of its day had a fully voiced story, even fewer had stories that were well written and worth playing for the story alone, this is not one of those games. Nearly every level features not only trademark Indy quips, but real story progression with characters and a plot that could have made a great film, even when I was about to put the game down, something would happen to keep me playing. Classic games like this have a certain kind of appeal, I think anyone playing this game today is playing for three reasons primarily, fond memories, curiosity about classic games & mechanics, or a love for the source material, if you are playing for one of those reasons, you're going to have a good time, if you play the game for any other reason, then may God have mercy on your soul.