Indiana Jones and the Emperor's Tomb
Encyclopedia
Indiana Jones and the Emperor's Tomb is an action
video game developed by The Collective
and published by LucasArts
in 2003
for PlayStation 2
, Xbox
, Macintosh and Windows
. It features cover art by Drew Struzan
. The game is a new adventure of fictional archeologist Indiana Jones
. The story is set in 1935, just before the events of Indiana Jones and the Temple of Doom
. The tomb mentioned in the title is that of China's
first Emperor
Qin Shi Huang
.
, Chinese officials Marshall Kai Ti Chan and his assistant Mei Ying inform Jones of the Heart of the Dragon, a black pearl
buried with the first emperor of China, Qin Shi Huangdi. Mei Ying breaks open the Ceylon idol to find the first piece of the "Mirror of Dreams", an artifact
that will help navigate through the Emperor's Tomb and reveal the entrance to Huangdi's crypt.
Jones flies to a castle in Prague
to acquire the second piece of the mirror, only to be knocked out and captured by Von Beck, who had survived the crocodile attack (albeit hideously scarred and blind in his right eye). They then take the two mirror pieces. Jones wakes up in a prison cell in Istanbul
when Mei Ying appears and frees him. He makes his way to the sunken palace of Belisarius
to collect the final piece of the mirror. He eventually falls into a sunken amphitheatre
and battles the Kraken
guarding the piece. Indy defeats the beast and recovers the final piece of the mirror. Mei Ying appears again and tells him that Kai is the leader of the Black Dragon Triad, the most powerful crime organization in China. He had formed an alliance with the Nazis to get the Mirror for himself and control the Heart of the Dragon. At the Golden Lotus Opera House in Hong Kong
, Mei Ying and Jones wait for Wu Han, a character from Indiana Jones and the Temple of Doom. When Mei Ying is kidnapped by Kai's men, Jones and Wu Han chase them down to the dock
, where they discover that the kidnappers are heading to Kai's private island. Wu Han and Jones follow them in a junk
.
After infiltrating a Nazi submarine base, Jones sees Von Beck and Kai arguing abou their deal: Von Beck can take the Heart to Adolf Hitler
when Kai will rule China. Fighting Nazis and using disguise, Jones makes his way to the peak of Penglai Mountain
, the site of the Black Dragon Fortress, where he finds Mei Ying guarded by the Feng twins, Kai's female bodyguards. After killing the twins, he falls down a shaft into the temple of Kong Tien, where he finds a magical Chinese boomerang
-like weapon called the Pa Cheng, the Dragon's Claw. Jones finds Kai assembling the Mirror of Dreams and sacrificing
Mei Ying to the demon, Kong Tien, who possesses
Mei Ying. Indy frees her and escapes with the mirror to the Emperor's Tomb. In the temple, Jones faces Von Beck, who pursues him in a tank, bent on having revenge for the crocodile attack. The Nazi is killed when his tank falls down a chasm and Jones enters a portal
to the Netherworld.
After crossing a Netherworld Great Wall of China
, he finally finds Huangdi's crypt and the body of Qin Shi Huangdi. When Jones takes the Heart of the Dragon, the emperor awakens but is killed by the souls of his victims. Unable to control the power of the Heart of the Dragon, Indy collapses while Kai takes the pearl from Jones. He uses its power to summon a dragon
to battle Jones, creating a shield to protect himself. Jones uses the Pa Cheng charged with mystical energy to penetrate the shield and destroy the Heart of the Dragon. At that moment Kai loses control of the dragon, and spirits of his victims rise and mistake Kai as the first Emperor of China. Jones and Mei Ying flee as Kai is devoured by the dragon.
Back in Hong Kong, Jones gets to share some romantic time with Mei Ying, but Wu Han is quick to remind Jones that Lao Che has hired them to find the remains of Nurhachi, leading into the opening of Temple of Doom.
. Jones can block some attacks. He can grab enemies and punch them. Jones can use his whip to go on zip-line
s, or swing along objects. He can jump and shimmy along edges.
was composed by Clint Bajakian
, utilizing The Raiders March by John Williams
. Thirty-three minutes of music were recorded by a 65-piece orchestra at the Bastyr University Chapel. Additional, synthesized music - mostly in the realm of softer, non-action music - was created by Bajakian. Samples of the score were for a time available for download on the game website.
, with critics praising it for recreating movies's feel and well-designed gameplay while criticizing bad camera, controls and some graphical issues. On the other hand, the PlayStation 2 version (which was actually a rushed port of Xbox version) was received poorly for being too glitchy and sloppy.
The PC version has an average score of 71.23 while the Xbox version has an average score of 70.32
The Playstation 2 version has a score of 68.92.
Action game
Action game is a video game genre that emphasizes physical challenges, including hand–eye coordination and reaction-time. The genre includes diverse subgenres such as fighting games, shooter games, and platform games, which are widely considered the most important action games, though some...
video game developed by The Collective
The Collective, Inc.
The Collective, Inc. was an American video game development company located in Newport Beach, California. The company has created several games based on movies and television shows since its founding in 1997.-History:...
and published by LucasArts
LucasArts
LucasArts Entertainment Company, LLC is an American video game developer and publisher. The company was once famous for its innovative line of graphic adventure games, the critical and commercial success of which peaked in the mid 1990s...
in 2003
2003 in video gaming
-Events:*February 27 — Academy of Interactive Arts & Sciences hosts 6th Annual Interactive Achievement Awards; inducts Yu Suzuki of Sega to the AIAS Hall of Fame....
for PlayStation 2
PlayStation 2
The PlayStation 2 is a sixth-generation video game console manufactured by Sony as part of the PlayStation series. Its development was announced in March 1999 and it was first released on March 4, 2000, in Japan...
, Xbox
Xbox
The Xbox is a sixth-generation video game console manufactured by Microsoft. It was released on November 15, 2001 in North America, February 22, 2002 in Japan, and March 14, 2002 in Australia and Europe and is the predecessor to the Xbox 360. It was Microsoft's first foray into the gaming console...
, Macintosh and Windows
Microsoft Windows
Microsoft Windows is a series of operating systems produced by Microsoft.Microsoft introduced an operating environment named Windows on November 20, 1985 as an add-on to MS-DOS in response to the growing interest in graphical user interfaces . Microsoft Windows came to dominate the world's personal...
. It features cover art by Drew Struzan
Drew Struzan
Drew Struzan is an American artist known for his more than 150 movie posters, which include all the films in the Indiana Jones, Back to the Future and Star Wars film series. He has also painted album covers, collectibles, and book covers.- Early life and education :Drew Struzan was born in Oregon...
. The game is a new adventure of fictional archeologist Indiana Jones
Indiana Jones
Colonel Henry Walton "Indiana" Jones, Jr., Ph.D. is a fictional character and the protagonist of the Indiana Jones franchise. George Lucas and Steven Spielberg created the character in homage to the action heroes of 1930s film serials...
. The story is set in 1935, just before the events of Indiana Jones and the Temple of Doom
Indiana Jones and the Temple of Doom
Indiana Jones and the Temple of Doom is a 1984 American adventure film directed by Steven Spielberg. It is the second film in the Indiana Jones franchise and prequel to Raiders of the Lost Ark . After arriving in India, Indiana Jones is asked by a desperate village to find a mystical stone...
. The tomb mentioned in the title is that of China's
Qin Dynasty
The Qin Dynasty was the first imperial dynasty of China, lasting from 221 to 207 BC. The Qin state derived its name from its heartland of Qin, in modern-day Shaanxi. The strength of the Qin state was greatly increased by the legalist reforms of Shang Yang in the 4th century BC, during the Warring...
first Emperor
Emperor of China
The Emperor of China refers to any sovereign of Imperial China reigning between the founding of Qin Dynasty of China, united by the King of Qin in 221 BCE, and the fall of Yuan Shikai's Empire of China in 1916. When referred to as the Son of Heaven , a title that predates the Qin unification, the...
Qin Shi Huang
Qin Shi Huang
Qin Shi Huang , personal name Ying Zheng , was king of the Chinese State of Qin from 246 BC to 221 BC during the Warring States Period. He became the first emperor of a unified China in 221 BC...
.
Plot
Indiana Jones and the Emperor's Tomb begins in the jungles of Ceylon, where Indiana Jones is searching for the idol of Kouru Watu. After retrieving the idol, Jones meets a Nazi named Albrecht Von Beck, who is attacked by a giant albino crocodile, allowing Jones to escape. Back at school in New York CityNew York City
New York is the most populous city in the United States and the center of the New York Metropolitan Area, one of the most populous metropolitan areas in the world. New York exerts a significant impact upon global commerce, finance, media, art, fashion, research, technology, education, and...
, Chinese officials Marshall Kai Ti Chan and his assistant Mei Ying inform Jones of the Heart of the Dragon, a black pearl
Pearl
A pearl is a hard object produced within the soft tissue of a living shelled mollusk. Just like the shell of a mollusk, a pearl is made up of calcium carbonate in minute crystalline form, which has been deposited in concentric layers. The ideal pearl is perfectly round and smooth, but many other...
buried with the first emperor of China, Qin Shi Huangdi. Mei Ying breaks open the Ceylon idol to find the first piece of the "Mirror of Dreams", an artifact
Artifact (archaeology)
An artifact or artefact is "something made or given shape by man, such as a tool or a work of art, esp an object of archaeological interest"...
that will help navigate through the Emperor's Tomb and reveal the entrance to Huangdi's crypt.
Jones flies to a castle in Prague
Prague
Prague is the capital and largest city of the Czech Republic. Situated in the north-west of the country on the Vltava river, the city is home to about 1.3 million people, while its metropolitan area is estimated to have a population of over 2.3 million...
to acquire the second piece of the mirror, only to be knocked out and captured by Von Beck, who had survived the crocodile attack (albeit hideously scarred and blind in his right eye). They then take the two mirror pieces. Jones wakes up in a prison cell in Istanbul
Istanbul
Istanbul , historically known as Byzantium and Constantinople , is the largest city of Turkey. Istanbul metropolitan province had 13.26 million people living in it as of December, 2010, which is 18% of Turkey's population and the 3rd largest metropolitan area in Europe after London and...
when Mei Ying appears and frees him. He makes his way to the sunken palace of Belisarius
Belisarius
Flavius Belisarius was a general of the Byzantine Empire. He was instrumental to Emperor Justinian's ambitious project of reconquering much of the Mediterranean territory of the former Western Roman Empire, which had been lost less than a century previously....
to collect the final piece of the mirror. He eventually falls into a sunken amphitheatre
Amphitheatre
An amphitheatre is an open-air venue used for entertainment and performances.There are two similar, but distinct, types of structure for which the word "amphitheatre" is used: Ancient Roman amphitheatres were large central performance spaces surrounded by ascending seating, and were commonly used...
and battles the Kraken
Kraken
Kraken are legendary sea monsters of giant proportions said to have dwelt off the coasts of Norway and Iceland.In modern German, Krake means octopus but can also refer to the legendary Kraken...
guarding the piece. Indy defeats the beast and recovers the final piece of the mirror. Mei Ying appears again and tells him that Kai is the leader of the Black Dragon Triad, the most powerful crime organization in China. He had formed an alliance with the Nazis to get the Mirror for himself and control the Heart of the Dragon. At the Golden Lotus Opera House in Hong Kong
Hong Kong
Hong Kong is one of two Special Administrative Regions of the People's Republic of China , the other being Macau. A city-state situated on China's south coast and enclosed by the Pearl River Delta and South China Sea, it is renowned for its expansive skyline and deep natural harbour...
, Mei Ying and Jones wait for Wu Han, a character from Indiana Jones and the Temple of Doom. When Mei Ying is kidnapped by Kai's men, Jones and Wu Han chase them down to the dock
Dock (maritime)
A dock is a human-made structure or group of structures involved in the handling of boats or ships, usually on or close to a shore.However, the exact meaning varies among different variants of the English language...
, where they discover that the kidnappers are heading to Kai's private island. Wu Han and Jones follow them in a junk
Junk (ship)
A junk is an ancient Chinese sailing vessel design still in use today. Junks were developed during the Han Dynasty and were used as sea-going vessels as early as the 2nd century AD. They evolved in the later dynasties, and were used throughout Asia for extensive ocean voyages...
.
After infiltrating a Nazi submarine base, Jones sees Von Beck and Kai arguing abou their deal: Von Beck can take the Heart to Adolf Hitler
Adolf Hitler
Adolf Hitler was an Austrian-born German politician and the leader of the National Socialist German Workers Party , commonly referred to as the Nazi Party). He was Chancellor of Germany from 1933 to 1945, and head of state from 1934 to 1945...
when Kai will rule China. Fighting Nazis and using disguise, Jones makes his way to the peak of Penglai Mountain
Penglai Mountain
Mount Penglai , or Penglai Island , is a mystical land found in Chinese mythology. The legend also passed into Japan, where it took shape as the legend of .-Location:...
, the site of the Black Dragon Fortress, where he finds Mei Ying guarded by the Feng twins, Kai's female bodyguards. After killing the twins, he falls down a shaft into the temple of Kong Tien, where he finds a magical Chinese boomerang
Boomerang
A boomerang is a flying tool with a curved shape used as a weapon or for sport.-Description:A boomerang is usually thought of as a wooden device, although historically boomerang-like devices have also been made from bones. Modern boomerangs used for sport are often made from carbon fibre-reinforced...
-like weapon called the Pa Cheng, the Dragon's Claw. Jones finds Kai assembling the Mirror of Dreams and sacrificing
Sacrifice
Sacrifice is the offering of food, objects or the lives of animals or people to God or the gods as an act of propitiation or worship.While sacrifice often implies ritual killing, the term offering can be used for bloodless sacrifices of cereal food or artifacts...
Mei Ying to the demon, Kong Tien, who possesses
Demonic possession
Demonic possession is held by many belief systems to be the control of an individual by a malevolent supernatural being. Descriptions of demonic possessions often include erased memories or personalities, convulsions, “fits” and fainting as if one were dying...
Mei Ying. Indy frees her and escapes with the mirror to the Emperor's Tomb. In the temple, Jones faces Von Beck, who pursues him in a tank, bent on having revenge for the crocodile attack. The Nazi is killed when his tank falls down a chasm and Jones enters a portal
Portals in science fiction
A portal in science fiction and fantasy is a magical or technological doorway that connects two distant locations separated by spacetime. It usually consists of two or more gateways, with an object entering one gateway leaving via the other instantaneously....
to the Netherworld.
After crossing a Netherworld Great Wall of China
Great Wall of China
The Great Wall of China is a series of stone and earthen fortifications in northern China, built originally to protect the northern borders of the Chinese Empire against intrusions by various nomadic groups...
, he finally finds Huangdi's crypt and the body of Qin Shi Huangdi. When Jones takes the Heart of the Dragon, the emperor awakens but is killed by the souls of his victims. Unable to control the power of the Heart of the Dragon, Indy collapses while Kai takes the pearl from Jones. He uses its power to summon a dragon
Chinese dragon
Chinese dragons are legendary creatures in Chinese mythology and folklore, with mythic counterparts among Japanese, Korean, Vietnamese, Bhutanese, Western and Turkic dragons. In Chinese art, dragons are typically portrayed as long, scaled, serpentine creatures with four legs...
to battle Jones, creating a shield to protect himself. Jones uses the Pa Cheng charged with mystical energy to penetrate the shield and destroy the Heart of the Dragon. At that moment Kai loses control of the dragon, and spirits of his victims rise and mistake Kai as the first Emperor of China. Jones and Mei Ying flee as Kai is devoured by the dragon.
Back in Hong Kong, Jones gets to share some romantic time with Mei Ying, but Wu Han is quick to remind Jones that Lao Che has hired them to find the remains of Nurhachi, leading into the opening of Temple of Doom.
Gameplay
The player controls Indiana Jones throughout the game. The player can make Jones climb up walls by running into them, and climb vines. The game uses the same combat engine as in Buffy The Vampire SlayerBuffy the Vampire Slayer (Xbox)
Buffy the Vampire Slayer is a 2002 Xbox video game based upon the Buffy the Vampire Slayer franchise. It is the second video game based on the franchise to be released, though the earliest in terms of setting and the first for a console...
. Jones can block some attacks. He can grab enemies and punch them. Jones can use his whip to go on zip-line
Zip-line
A zip-line consists of a pulley suspended on a cable mounted on an incline...
s, or swing along objects. He can jump and shimmy along edges.
Music
The game's scoreFilm score
A film score is original music written specifically to accompany a film, forming part of the film's soundtrack, which also usually includes dialogue and sound effects...
was composed by Clint Bajakian
Clint Bajakian
Clint Bajakian is an American video game composer and musician.-Biography:Bajakian was born in Massachusetts, United States. He was linked with music since age of 8. In middle school Bajakian played in marching bands, and also played in range of rock bands...
, utilizing The Raiders March by John Williams
John Williams
John Towner Williams is an American composer, conductor, and pianist. In a career spanning almost six decades, he has composed some of the most recognizable film scores in the history of motion pictures, including the Star Wars saga, Jaws, Superman, the Indiana Jones films, E.T...
. Thirty-three minutes of music were recorded by a 65-piece orchestra at the Bastyr University Chapel. Additional, synthesized music - mostly in the realm of softer, non-action music - was created by Bajakian. Samples of the score were for a time available for download on the game website.
Reception
The Xbox and PC versions of the Emperor's Tomb were received well like its predcessorIndiana Jones and the Infernal Machine
Indiana Jones and the Infernal Machine is a multi-platform action-adventure video game by LucasArts released in late 1999. The first 3D installment in the series, its gameplay focuses on solving puzzles, fighting enemies, and various platforming sections...
, with critics praising it for recreating movies's feel and well-designed gameplay while criticizing bad camera, controls and some graphical issues. On the other hand, the PlayStation 2 version (which was actually a rushed port of Xbox version) was received poorly for being too glitchy and sloppy.
The PC version has an average score of 71.23 while the Xbox version has an average score of 70.32
The Playstation 2 version has a score of 68.92.