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The Indiana Jones game that LucasArts doesn't want you to know about ... yet
Click to embiggen var digg_url = 'http://digg.com/gaming_news/Indiana_Jones_game_that_LucasArts_doesn_t_want_you_to_know'; I was lucky enough to be able to go up to George Lucas' ranch this Sunday to see a screening of The Clone Wars and to interview the man himself, along with director Dave Filoni and producer Catherine Winder. To top that off, they gave us an insider's tour of the inner working at Lucasfilm and LucasArts.There's a gallery below filled with highlights from the tour, including the LucasArts gaming lounge, the playtester's room, and their mocap studio. However, the real highlight was... tons of concept art from the "so secret we won't even talk about it" Indiana Jones game that is still forthcoming. It was all dated 2005, so who knows if it'll still feature in the game, but the above image of Indy watching the Golden Gate Bridge being built gives us hope. Find out more after the break.%Gallery-29193%
Missing@E3: Indiana Jones and the Vanished Game
One notable absence from LucasArts E3 room was any presence of Indiana Jones whatsoever. While they were highly touting Star Wars: The Clone Wars, Star Wars: The Force Unleashed, and Fracture, they didn't even have a poster featuring a silhouette of Indy and the Hat anywhere to be seen. Not only that, but LucasArts employees visibly bristled whenever we asked about it. "No comment" stung us like a whip several times.Matt Shell, marketing manager at LucasArts, finally let us know that yes, they're working on something. However, they didn't want to talk about it at all. It just seems odd that they have one of the highest grossing movies of the year, based on one of their most iconic properties, and they don't even want to show us a photo of a whip and say "It's in the game." Jump on that opportunity, Lucas! Especially after you were honking your Euphoria physics engine so loud in 2006.
Cinemassively: Indiaena Jones in Legend of the Second Empire
(If you haven't seen Indiana Jones 4, you should view this with caution. Some of the plot elements of this machinima are directly inspired by the movie, thus qualify as spoilers.)Torley Linden called attention to this Japanese machinima, Indiaena Jones: Legend of the Second Empire, by 5959 Mopp. 5959 is a serious Second Life machinima enthusiast with 34 videos under their belt in two months time. They take full advantage of the beautiful scenery in the various sims that they film in as they go on their epic SL adventure, which somewhat mirrors part of the plot of the actual film. While the film doesn't really get into the swing of things until about six minutes in, it's definitely worth a watch -- if you can get past the quarky robotic voices drowned out by the music.[Via Torley Linden]If you have machinima or movie suggestions from any MMO, please send them to machinima AT massively DOT com, along with any information you might have about them. Please note that due to the high volume of Second Life submissions, we would prefer submissions from other platforms.
Indiana Johnny and the Epic Escape Campaign
Likely capitalizing on this year's box office release for Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull, developer and publisher Success has announced a new adventure title that features a very familiar-looking archaeologist. Sporting a dusty brown fedora hat, Jonathan Westwood stars as an escape route specialist in Johnny's Epic Escape Campaign (Jonny no Dasshutsu Taisaku Ikusa). Though he isn't armed with a whip and he doesn't have a short Asian sidekick named Short Round, Jonathan will be escaping from four different scenarios that sound a lot like Indiana Jones movie titles: Akumu no Gamble Night (Nightmare Gambling Night) Nessa no Nuikyuu (Labyrinth of Hot Sand) Nuifu kara no Sasoi (Invitation from Hades) Wasurerareta Kaizokusen (The Forgotten Pirate Ship) Johnny's Epic Escape Campaign hits stores in Japan this August 26th, the same day Kingdom of the Crystal Skull opens in Japanese theaters. Swing into our gallery below for screenshots from the game!%Gallery-25084%[Via Game Watch, Siliconera]
Summer movies raise demand for associated classic games
Summer blockbusters aren't just good for propping up the sales of crappy new movie-based games ... it turns out they're also good for pumping up the prices of crappy old games based on the same characters. For proof, look no further than the always interesting Video Game Price Charts blog, which shows a distinct and recent uptick in the selling prices for older games based on the Speed Racer, Iron Man and Indiana Jones franchises. Never mind that these games aren't directly related to the new movies, or that the games are universally awful (well, almost) -- once that old clunker of a game gets attached to a hot new movie, the asking price can get inflated by up to 170%.We can almost see the logic behind the increased demand, from the average consumer's perspective. After all, why waste $50 on the crappy new Iron Man game that junior is begging for when you can pick up a crappy old Iron Man game for half the price (even after accounting for the recent uptick). The little punk won't know the difference anyway, and the game will get him out of your hair so you can get back to having an affair with the pool boy. It's win-win!
LucasArts denies latest rumor of more layoffs, internal closure
Hoping to drive its axe into a rumor about even more layoffs, LucasArts has reaffirmed its commitment to its internal studios currently working on Star Wars: The Force Unleashed and Indiana Jones. Said director of public relations Margaret Grohne (via Shacknews), "We've always had a good balance between the internal studio and working with external partners. Expect that to continue."The new rumor stems from Shacknews, who was reportedly told by a reliable source that LucasArts plans to cut 100 more jobs upon completion of The Force Unleashed and outsource the remainder of Indiana Jones. Last Friday, LucasArts confirmed with Joystiq that they had laid off "a portion" of the staff.
LucasArts: next-gen Indy still in development
The "next-gen" console adventures of Henry "Indiana" Jones, Jr. will continue ... and not just in LEGO form. LucasArts has confirmed to Joystiq that the Indiana Jones title first revealed in 2006 is still in development internally at the company's San Francisco offices. Despite yesterday's staff downsizing, there are "no plans to outsource its development to an external studio."As previously reported, the new Indy title will make use of the Euphoria animation engine from NaturalMotion. LucasArts is also employing Euphoria in The Force Unleashed, and we've already gotten a taste of what to expect from GTA IV's stunning character interaction. Development of "Next-Gen Indy" moving ahead at full steam hopefully means we'll learn more about the title at next month's E3.
LucasArts cuts staff, remains committed to internal development
LucasArts has confirmed to Joystiq that the company laid off "a portion" of its workforce yesterday, June 5. Margaret Grohne, director of public relations for LucasArts, could not comment on the number of employees affected or which departments they came from. She could confirm that Peter Hirschmann, vice president of product developer, did depart the company yesterday in what was a "mutual decision" with management, and that his "passion and humor will be missed."According to Grohne, the layoffs are not the result of a shift away from internal product development. "We remain committed to both our internal teams and working with external partners," Ghrone told Joystiq, adding that "[sites] are definitely reading too much into the layoffs; [LucasArts] is not halting internal development." To that end, Ghrone stated that no titles have been canceled or put on-hold as a result of the layoffs, and that the company is "very proud" of the work done by the internal team creating Star Wars: The Force Unleashed, as well as that done by the staff of Day 1 Studios, who are developing the upcoming original IP Fracture for LucasArts. Regarding various reports of now ex-employees of the company divulging information online concerning titles such as the next Star Wars: Knights of the Old Republic, Star Wars Battlefront 3, and a "lightsaber game" for Wii, Grohne stated that the company cannot comment on unannounced products.The LucasArts layoffs follow THQ's elimination of at least 200 jobs last month.
Producer hints at LEGO Indiana Jones sequel
It's only been days since LEGO indiana Jones found itself sitting on a retail shelf and now producer Shawn Storc is already hinting at a sequel. When asked about the latest Indiana Jones film being absent from the new LEGO Indiana Jones game, Storc said "There is so much content in the first three 'Indy' movies that we wanted to maintain focus on those adventures." Makes sense, we suppose. Those looking for more Indy action should not fret, though. Although nothing has been revealed, Storc still wants you to know there's a chance the latest film can be adapted into a LEGO game. "We don't have anything to announce, but there's always a chance," he comments. That's all well and good, but with the previous titles containing plenty of levels, spanning across several films, could they even make a title based on one movie work?%Gallery-15539%
Metareview: LEGO Indiana Jones
With LEGO Indiana Jones releasing this week, many of you were likely dying to get your hands on it. But, wouldn't you like to see what some reviews say before you decide if this is a rental or a purchase? Well then, check out the snippets of text below. IGN (80/100) liked what they played, lauding the game for keeping the formula fun: "Traveller's Tales has once again delivered an experience that boils down to smashing stuff over and over again while searching for secrets, while also managing to make that formula fun and addictive. It's certainly not a huge leap over the LEGO Star Wars titles, and in fact still has some of that series' issues, but it's no less enthralling and certainly a fun adventure worth taking on." Gamespy (80/100) says that the game is quite fun, even if a bit simplistic: "The gameplay may be relatively simplistic, but with their great sense of humor, clever level design, and tons of hidden secrets, gamers of all ages can enjoy them. Now the real question is, how long do we have to wait until we see a LEGO-ized "Kingdom of the Crystal Skull"?" Gamespot (80/100) found the game to be quite charming: "Lego Indiana Jones serves as the expected progression from the Lego Star Wars games. The great pacing, humorous cutscenes, and challenging-but-not-cheap puzzles make this the most enjoyable Lego game yet. It's not the hardest game, but it has enough hidden goodies to make you play through more than once. Both newcomers and diehard fans of Traveller's Tales' previous Lego offerings will find plenty to enjoy here." Nintendo Power (75/100) says: "Ultimately, the main draw of LEGO Indiana Jones is playing through many of the movies' most memorable moments in the charming LEGO style, and the game definitely succeeds in doing that." [July 2008, p.87] %Gallery-15539%
DS releases for the week of June 2nd
No one told us it was licensed game week. Amidst all the movie property-influenced titles, try not to miss Summon Night: Twin Age if you're interested in it -- it'll be the one with fewer copies at your local gaming store, most likely. Gotta have space for Kung Fu Panda, after all. The Incredible Hulk Kung Fu Panda Lego Indiana Jones: The Original Adventures Summon Night: Twin Age
Piecing together more Indy with new screens
We've got old man fever as hardened adventure veteran Harrison Ford once more steps into the shoes of Indy in the latest movie, and lends his block-headed likeness to Lego Indiana Jones. In preparation for the explosion of cool on the big and small screen, this blogger had a marathon session of all three original films. Checking out these latest screenshots for LEGO Indiana Jones after having just watched the movies gets one all giddy. LEGO Elsa looks so much like her real-life counterpart it's uncanny. Stop, Indy! She's evil!Honestly, who never played Indiana Jones with their old LEGOs? Nobody, that's who. Break out your old box of bricks and head to the gallery to check out the latest!%Gallery-15539%
Readers pick best webcomic: Lego my statue
Tim Harding has redeemed his score change. His one-half contribution to 2P Start's "Lego my statue" strip this week one-half earned him one-half of the award for the week's best game-related webcomic. Second and third place go to Fanboys Online – from a week prior but we tragically missed it – and XKCD, respectively. Thanks to everyone who voted, and be sure to let us know of any game-related webcomic you stumble upon this week!
The DS Life: Indiana
Today's profiled figure: "A professor of archeology, expert on the occult, and how does one say it? Obtainer of rare antiquities." You already know who it is, but grab your hat and whip, anyway, and meet us past the post break for some look-alike treasure.
Steal (or win) Indiana Jones' Xbox 360 Elite
To go along with your new Indiana Jones gamer pictures, Xbox.com is offering gamers the chance to win one of five seriously attractive Indiana Jones Xbox 360 Elites. For teh free!For a chance to win, simply make your way over to the official registration page, accept some agreement terms, submit and voila! Instant sweepstakes entry. Good news too, the giveaway is only open from today through May 18th, so the amount of entrants shouldn't be too large making your odds better. The bad news is that we posted this blog meaning the X3F-effect has already been unleashed as tens of thousands of fanboys race to Xbox.com to enter. So, we'll call it an odds of winning wash ...
New LEGO Indy trailer is chock full of the right stuff
If you're a human being and not a robot hiding in stolen skin (robots have not yet perfected the science of manufacturing a lifelike skin substitute, thankfully), then you're likely excited for the fourth Indiana Jones film. Well, releasing just shortly after the movie is a LEGO title that covers the first three movies. What? You had no idea? Well then, you need to read us more!Above, you'll find a new trailer for the game, showcasing a few select scenes from each of the movies represented, as well as something we hope for in every single game trailer we see: lots of in-game footage.%Gallery-15539%
Free Indiana Jones XBLM downloads
Do NOT remain calm. We repeat, do NOT remain calm, because this is a FREE Xbox Live Marketplace download alert for U.S. Live subscribers. Now get excited!To celebrate the upcoming release of Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull (wow, that's one long movie title) the powers that be have put up a free six pack of Indiana Jones gamer pictures as well as an Indiana Jones theme. Make your way to the "New Releases" section of the XBLM to grab your free goods and to admire Harrison Ford's unnatural ability to fend off old age.
Lego Indiana Jones gameplay video swings into our hearts
Though we were already excited about Lego Indiana Jones, our desire for the game is something more akin to fever pitch now that we've seen the above gameplay video. It features almost all our favorite Indy moments just as we remember them from our childhood only, you know, stubbier. One of the more pleasant surprises is that although the characters all look (as you would expect) as if they were created from molded plastic, the environments are really nicely rendered. We say that so we have a grown up reason for being so excited, but the truth is that there's a part where he whips Willie and kisses her and it's adorable.
LEGO Indy whips a small portion of the internet into shape
For all of you whipoholics out there, we've got an adventure for you. The website for the upcoming LEGO Indiana Jones game has gone live. What is the adventure? Exploring the deepest, darkest and most dangerous corners of the small slice of internet it occupies.It's a little light on the DS side, instead offering up screens and other media from the console versions of the game, but there's some nice concept art to look at, as well as a link to a demo of the game you can play on your PC. That's something, right? Right?
Fresh round of screens for LEGO Indy
Call the underside of a rock your home? Then you might not have heard that Indiana Jones is finally back in cinemas on May 22nd, and that as Harrison Ford is dragging his creaking frame around the silver screen again, there'll be a game released to milk the event some more. We'd like to be really cynical about LEGO Indiana Jones, but heck, the LEGO Star Wars games were actually surprisingly fun affairs, and we suspect this will be much of the same, only with a daft number of characters. Oh, and it's Friday evening. We're in way too good a mood to be horrible about games on Friday evenings.Flee from a giant boulder and past the break for more screens, courtesy of our French chums at Wiiz.%Gallery-15539%
