The Two Best And Two Worst Indiana Jones Games Ever Made
"Indiana Jones" is more than just a series of beloved adventure films. The media franchise has delved into other mediums as well, including video games. In fact, there are over 21 "Indiana Jones" video games, the first being an adaptation of "Raiders of the Lost Ark," which came out for the Atari 2600 back in 1982. Since then, games based on the adventures of Indiana Jones have spanned decades and many different platforms, though some only survived as comics.
With so many titles to choose from, fans of the franchise who haven't delved into its video games might be wondering which ones are worth playing and which ones to avoid. Having gone through the entire catalog and seen the opinions of gamers, we've come to the conclusion of what two games in the series are undeniably the best. We've also determined which two are the worst and absolutely not worth your time. Some of them are old, and some of them are more modern. But overall, the following games represent the very best, and worst, that the "Indiana Jones" series has to offer.
The worst: Lego Indiana Jones 2 and Staff of Kings
While the first "Lego Indiana Jones" game was undoubtedly very good and well received (more on that in a minute), "Lego Indiana Jones 2" didn't quite live up to its predecessor's influence and seemed to fall short of all expectations. Released in 2009, the game received a mixed reception from critics, with criticism being levied towards its lack of a coherent narrative. On Reddit, one user considered it to be the worst of the "Lego" video games due to its restrictive open world, short levels, poor design, and clunky controls.
"Indiana Jones and the Staff of Kings" was another disappointing entry into the franchise's lore. Released in 2009 for the PlayStation 2, PlayStation Portable, Nintendo DS, and Wii, the game received very underwhelming reviews from critics. The game came out in the aftermath of the poorly received film "Kingdom of the Crystal Skull" and, honestly, it didn't do the franchise any favors. Writing for the A.V Club, David Wolinksy lambasted "Staff of Kings" for being poor in virtually every facet. "After 'Kingdom Of The Crystal Skull,' fans haven't exactly been clamoring for more 'Indiana Jones.' But if 'Skull' was the final nail in the franchise's coffin, consider 'Indiana Jones And The Staff Of Kings' the cremation," Wolinsky wrote.
The best: Fate of Atlantis and Lego Indiana Jones
While its sequel certainly left something to be desired, the first "Lego Indiana Jones" game was extremely well received and serves as one of the best "Indiana Jones" games that players can experience. Though its critical reviews were more on the mixed-to-average side, the first "Lego Indiana Jones" game was frequently cited as a game fans of the franchise must play in a Reddit thread asking for suggestions. On Metacritic, most reviews of the game were positive with several critics noting the sheer amount of fun the game contains.
Without a doubt, though, the best "Indiana Jones" game there seems to be is "Indiana Jones and the Fate of Atlantis." A point-and-click adventure title released in 1992 and later revived for the Wii in 2009, "Fate of Atlantis" drew rave reviews from critics, with reviews listed as "Very Positive" on Steam. On Reddit, one user couldn't find the words to describe how good it was. "Fate of Atlantis is, to me, the unofficial 4th Indy movie. It's just that good," they claimed. Another user also fondly recalled the title. "This is my favorite game of all time and the first game I ever beat," another Redditor wrote. "No strategy guide, no nothing; at times I resorted to just clicking around aimlessly but [darn] was it satisfying to beat all three paths."