By Greg Kulevich

     This time the adventure takes place in Mexico.  And the name of the game is trading!  In each adventure there is a sequence of items that have to be obtained by Indy in order to complete his final quest.  During the course of Indy’s adventures he will either find, run across, or be given items that will somehow be used to get the next item in the sequence.  Most of the items will be gotten through trade, but some could be found lost in the jungle or lying in some ancient ruin.  Needless to say this game is fun.  And each adventure is short, so you can always find time for a game!

     What is nice about this game is that it is a simple, yet fun game that can be played in an hour or less.  Another thing is that ever single game that you play will be different thanks to Desktop Adventures ability to pick every adventure at random.  The characters that Indy meets and the locations that he goes to and the artifacts that he finds are all varied and randomized in each game.  This produces some fun dialogue between Indy and the characters with some great quests.

     During the course of his adventures Indy will chop through jungles, raft down rivers, hitch rides on airplanes and blimps, explore ancient temples and ruins, and outwit many enemies in order to protect some of Mexico’s finest treasures.

Graphics: 3 out of 5

     Very simple, but effective.

Sound: 3 out of 5

     The sound could be annoying at times and is not real creative.  But it serves its purpose.  Sound in this game tells you:

1. When Indy is hurt.
2. When Indy finds an important item.
3. When Indy completes an important task.
4. When Indy encounters something supernatural.

Controls: 3 out of 5

     Again simple controls.  But I have noticed that the controls delay once in a while.  This can cause Indy to take damage if he his in the middle of a fight.  Also, some enemies can kill Indy very quickly, like snakes and jaguars.  If you are trying to run away from these creatures and the controls delay, you can get killed within seconds.  I find this very frustrating.  For new players, I would suggest to turn the difficulty down low until you get a feel for the controls.

Fun: 5 out of 5

     As I said before this game is fun.  Indiana Jones and his Desktop Adventures is very enjoyable, even when its graphics, sound and controls are not so great.  The adventures that Indy goes on and the artifacts that he finds in this game are very creative and entertaining.  Where else do you get to use and ancient Aztec Sword as a weapon?  That is why I give it a 5 out of 5.

Synopsis:

     It's the mid-1930's, and Indiana Jones, Ph.D., excited by the fantastic finds emerging from the deserts and jungles of Middle America, travels south of the border to make his mark on archeology.  The stated purpose of his expedition is to survey a temple complex known as Site R, but no sooner have Indy and his colleague, Marcus Brody, set up headquarters in the little town of Lucasio than they realize more important issues are at stake.  Everywhere they turn, thieves and scavengers, many calling themselves scientists, are ransacking historical sites and selling off their priceless treasures to the highest bidder.

     Soon Indy is embroiled in a dangerous contest, rushing to find a series of dazzling artifacts and get them into safe hands before his unscrupulous rivals, led by the shady collector Dr. Victor Van Loon and a crackpot Nazi general, Anton Schlossberg, can steal them.

     In his adventures he encounters fierce warriors and deadly banditos, poisonous spiders and vicious jaguars...and even a snake or two.  As well as, uncanny forces of the Ancient Gods, including the mighty feathered serpent, Quetzalcoatl.

Stuck?  Email Greg with any questions: kulevich@uchicago.edu