Video Game Freaks

Unlike the often uneven source material from which the game is based, Lego Indiana Jones 2: The Adventure Continues actually makes you glad that the creators decided to continue the playing in the world they had previously created. The sequel game improves on its predecessor in almost every major way, creating an overall fun and even exciting game appropriate for all ages. Taking the bulk of its inspiration from the over the top fourth Indiana Jones movie, Indiana Jones and the Crystal Skull, the creators decided on a silly, happy interpretation that lets the player laugh at the movie a little.

The improvement in how levels are structured in this game creates a free and more customizable playing experience. Instead of a linear storyline, each level has a hub world that allows you to explore and solve puzzles at your own pace and in whatever order you like, creating a much more expansive sense to the play that really increases the overall enjoyment of the game. Stuck on a difficult puzzle? Just skip it and come back later without getting frustrated or hopelessly stalled.

Other improvements include the new importance of currency, requiring the studs you collect throughout the game to purchase items to solve later puzzles. Each new character you control has special skills that allow for plenty of variety in game play, keeping the action fresh instead of repetitive. Crack Indy’s whip to hang from ceilings or even drag around enemies, control a character who has a wrench to fix broken items, or have fun just blasting things to pieces with a bazooka. What’s more, the ability to build your own customized levels is a fun bonus feature. Sure, there are weak elements – vehicle controls in particular are complicated and frustrating – but the overall experience of the game is a puzzle addict’s dream, and we think you’ll be sad when the action is over.

While the high tech geek in me can love the Avatar movie for the colorful, wondrous work of technology that it was, I can’t help but be brought back down to Earth by the overwhelmingly disappointing tie in game. Everyone knows that movie tie ins are vastly hit or miss, and when they miss, they miss big. Never was this more true than with Avatar, which takes what was already a thread bare plot from the movie and beats it to death. Although in this version you’re offered the choice of staying with ecoterrorist group RDA or siding with the peaceful blue Na’vi, neither path will lead you anywhere interesting.

A bad script and even worse voice acting strips any sense of magic from the plot line, instead leaving you with an overlong, fairly basic first person shooter game. In Na’vi mode, you can use a variety of melee weapons that offers some entertaining combat options. However, in RDA mode, the completely lack of interesting choice only points out the technical glitches the game is prone to with even more stark clarity. AI characters often make moves that offer no logical sense, and even you can end up stuck in weird positions.

The scenery, although impressive at first, quickly becomes about as humdrum as the game, offering little but monotony and distinct sense of deja vu. It might be helped by decent vehicle play, except that when you’re in a vehicle the camera bounces so violently that all you’ll want is the monotony of walking through the jungle back. While the 3D aspect of the game is a nice feature (if you have a hi-def TV, anyway), it certainly doesn’t make up for the variety of ways in which the game fails to be anything interesting.

Thrusting you directly into the action where its prequel left off, Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2 immediately immerses players in a thrilling and adrenaline-pumping battle to keep the world safe. With rotating characters, exotic locations, and creative battle sequences, game play is intense, rewarding, and thoroughly addictive. The main campaign is a bit short, clocking in at around five hours. While it’s a bit disappointing to be able to blow through it so fast, the smooth game play helps console you. Challenging enemies mean that winning actually offers a sense of satisfaction missing in so many of today’s games.

What I do sort of wish was missing, however, were some of the more disturbing undercurrents that the occasionally muddy plot offers. While I suppose the ethical questions raised by the infiltration of a terrorist cell (during which you must behave as an actual terrorist) are worth examining, I can’t help but feel that the tightly paced plot doesn’t allow the proper time for a full resolution and processing of the issues the game is trying to examine. The result is a dark, occasionally disturbing muddle of ethical gray area that makes victory a little less sweet – fine for a TV show, perhaps, or a movie, but maybe a bit much for a video game to handle properly.

The Special Ops Mode subverts all of these problems by concentrating solely on single campaign based missions you can perform solo or with a friend. Varied in both nature and the different skills required, this mode allows a lot of excellent action without all of the confusing emotional fallout. Playing with friends is a rewarding experience that can really enhance the game play. What’s more, the tried and true Multiplayer function made so successful in Call of Duty 4 is still a shining star in this game. With loads of new perks, features, and weapons, this aspect of the game will keep old fans thrilled with both its consistency and its improvements.