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(This review was contributed to the site by WastinMyFlavor) 
Release Date: 6/3/08 ESRB Rating: E10+ Genre(s): Action, Adventure Platform: Xbox360 (also available on Nintendo DS, Playstation 2, PS3, PSP, Wii, and PC) Developer: Traveller’s Tales Publisher: LucasArts Players: 1-2 (co-op only on local console)
Controls: These are essentially the same as the previous LEGO Star Wars games, with new actions relative to the Indiana Jones movies (instead of force powers, you find a shovel and dig things up and instead of flying with a jetpack, you swing from vines with your whip, etc.). You can now “hot swap” between characters you are playing (either in Story Mode or Free Play Mode) even if you are not in close proximity to the other character, which is a major improvement when just tag-teaming the missions with the AI support. Graphics: The game runs off of a modified LEGO Star Wars II engine. Still looks all pretty and cartoonish, but it is nice to see different color palettes when going through multiple desert areas. Not quite as razzle-dazzle as the previous games, but how do you top lightsabers? Audio: Again, pretty much the same as previous iterations, however you may notice the small nuanced addition of “hearing” the LEGO studs just waiting to be broken apart and collected (if you stand near a breakable object for a few seconds, it makes a bit of a sparkle sound, in case you were not aware that virtually everything is destructible). Game Play: Very fun to play through scenes you know from the film series, particularly with a second player by your side. Small references to individual series hallmarks are quite humorous (Indy can crack his whip around Marion, Willie and Elsa to pull them near him and make out – do this to all three to earn an achievement!). Each character has his/her own unique ability, so putting together the right character party in Free Play Mode is critical to getting all of the hidden pieces scattered about each level (red parcels unlock bonuses, treasure chests create artifacts, and collecting a certain amount of LEGO studs on each level will give more studs to buy characters or abilities in the store). You can also build and ride vehicles and live through recreated scenes from the movies (like the boulder chase from Raiders of the Lost Ark). Additional hidden bonuses include 6 characters from the LEGO Star Wars games. There are a few times I’ve encountered where it is not obvious what you are supposed to do next or where to go, but these are only minor, and can be solved with any of the online walkthroughs posted online.  Story: The main plot points and fun scenes are shown and played through for each of the three main Indy films. However, to keep it PG for the kids, Traveller’s Tales has decided to alter some of the scenes to make it less violent (in the Raiders scene where the large bad guy is killed with the airplane propellers, the camera cuts away to see the horrified expressions on Indy and Marion’s faces and then shows a popped off LEGO head rolling on the ground). Also, if you haven’t seen the films, you’ll probably be lost, as there is no dialogue outside of a grunt or a moan. Value: The main Story Mode will only take about 7 hours to get through (even less if you are rushing through and don’t care to collect artifacts or the “True Adventurer” status). If you are the collecting type, the Free Play Mode will last another 20 hours or so, as another 1-2 runs through each level are needed to see everything. If you aren’t into collection-type gameplay, you’ll probably want to just rent this. However, if you play through this a few times, it is well worth the value-priced $49.99 price. Overall: A solid effort and fun game play make this a no brainer for anyone who loved the original Indiana Jones films or are a fan of the LEGO video games. It is kid-friendly and wife approved. I give it 4 satisfied wives out of 5. 
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