Indiana Jones and The Infernal Machine

***

LucasArts

PC

$99.95

Review: Peter Eley

We've been Indy game fans since The Fate of Atlantis, and eagerly installed The Infernal Machine. The first true 3D game featuring the intrepid adventurer, it's stunning to look at.

The level of background detail, the 3D character modelling and lighting effects are all excellent, capturing the mood of the films quite convincingly. And the plot could come straight from one of the movies.

It's set at the start of the Cold War, with both the United States and Russia trying to retrieve a mystery object from ancient ruins near the biblical city of Babylon.

The Infernal Machine is more of an action game in the mould of the Lara Croft Tomb Raider series, than a traditional adventure game like The Fate of Atlantis. Most of the puzzles involve climbing or using that trademark whip to swing across something, and mastering a cumbersome and less than intuitive control system is an essential skill.

Although at times this becomes frustrating, The Infernal Machine is saved by its great graphics.