Indiana Jones and the Staff of Kings – 360 – Preview

Indiana Jones will showcase more
than just the true power of Xbox 360. It’ll harness a power so big it doesn’t
seem real. LucasArts describes the technique as “euphoria,” and what it does
is allow the developers to create a game filled with animations that aren’t
scripted. In other words, what you see is not what you get. Every fist thrown,
every punch taken, every time you dodge an attack or are pushed into a car
windshield will be different. When you fall off a platform, or get attacked
from behind. When you jump from one area to the next, or chase down an enemy
that’s been driving you crazy – every action leads to a reaction, and every
reaction, the developers insist, will be different.

Indiana Jones was not playable at
LucasArts’s booth, so it’s impossible to say exactly how expansive this
feature goes. Also, the game isn’t due till sometime in 2007 – the developers
still have a lot of programming and refining to do.

But what was shown was really
incredible. The graphics are top-notch.  I must back up LucasArts’s
claims by saying that no matter how many times they went through the demo
(which was real-time and playable for them, but no one else), the reactions
always looked different. I paid close attention to every detail, from the way
the characters’ body parts swayed to the environments and the way Indiana
Jones interacts with them. Speaking of environments, in this world there won’t
be many objects you can’t destroy. That’s old news I suppose – a lot of games
have made that claim. But right now Indiana Jones is the only game to make the
reaction claim, and it’s the only game whose technique is actually working.

For gamers, we’ll get an
experience unlike any other. For developers it means more lost sleep! It also
means that they had a hard time putting together a trailer, because the things
they wanted the characters to do wouldn’t happen the way they wanted. Sure,
that’s a bragging point for the finished product, but it does sound
believable. Just think of how hard it’d be to piece together a Star Wars
trailer if every element was based on reaction, not pre-scripted programming.
Hey, wait a minute…

Due for release in 2007, Indiana
Jones is gunning for the top spot in your next-gen lineup. Stay tune
throughout the year as LucasArts reveals more on this incredible title.