Although this summer is packed with highly anticipated new releases including Oppenheimer, Mission: Impossible - Dead Reckoning Part One, and Barbie, it’s hard to not put Indiana Jones and the Dial of Destiny at the top of the “anticipation list.” It has been over a decade since Harrison Ford last put on the hat and picked up the bullwhip to play Indy in the highly disappointing Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull, but fans have been back on board with the franchise ever since the iconic “Raider’s March” began playing. In between the cinematic releases within the saga, there were many proposed sequels that never saw the light of day. However, one of the best Indiana Jones sequels wasn’t a movie at all; the 1992 video game Indiana Jones and the Fate of Atlantis had the same action-packed storyline, wry sense of humor, and engaging sense of mystery as the best films in the Indiana Jones saga.
Indiana Jones and LucasArts
During an ample period of growth for the LucasArts division of Lucasfilm Limited, the company began experimenting with the new games centered around their tentpole properties; as the Star Wars franchise began developing the initial Rebel Assault and Super Star Wars games, Indiana Jones and the Fate of Atlantis was pitched as a canonical sequel to Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade. The game takes place in 1939 during which Indy discovers that his former archeological collaborator Sophia Hapgood has given up her profession to become a psychic. Fearing that she’ll be targeted by the Nazis, Indy teams up with his old flame on an adventure to discover the ancient city of Atlantis and unlock its secrets before the Nazis take it for themselves to use as weaponry in World War II.
Compared to Lucasfilm’s Star Wars franchise, the Indiana Jones saga doesn’t quite have the same extensive expanded universe. While there are a few novel series, comic storylines, and adventure games focused on different aspects of Indy’s life, they’re merely a fraction of the massive expanded timeline developed in the Star Wars “Legends” and modern canon sagas. However, Indiana Jones and the Fate of Atlantis didn’t just expand upon the character and tease a new chapter of his story; it developed Indy’s motivations under dire circumstances and featured a compelling storyline that actually surpassed some of the cinematic installments. Even if it never hit theaters, it’s easy to rank Indiana Jones and the Fate of Atlantis among the best projects in the Indiana Jones universe.
'Indiana Jones and the Fate of Atlantis' Has Stakes and Story
One of the best aspects of the Indiana Jones films is that while they’re certainly paying homage to classic adventure films and series from the 1930s, they’re also grounded in the history of that era. The rising threat of the Nazis had been interwoven throughout the original trilogy, and both George Lucas and Steven Spielberg had taken note of how the Nazis attempted to steal ancient artifacts from history. This has always given Indy a compelling motivation; not only does he want to put these relics to proper use so that they can be studied, examined, and used to educate, but he must prevent the forces of evil from unleashing supernatural powers that would give them an edge in the upcoming conflict. This concept has rarely been as evident as it becomes in Indiana Jones and the Fate of Atlantis.
The game begins at the dawn of World War II as the Nazis begin their worldwide invasion; with the United States still neutral within the conflict, the threat of global fascism seemed all-too real. Indy knows that if the Nazis unleash the powers of Atlantis, it could (literally) turn the tide of the war. It gives him a reason to get back into the action, as the stakes have never been higher. The wicked Nazi agent Klaus Kerner, whose clues Indy must track as he travels from New York to Algiers, the Mediterranean, and Monte Carlo, proves to be a cruel antagonist worthy of the rogue’s gallery in Raiders of the Lost Ark and The Last Crusade.
Of course, Indy is also a bit of a womanizer, and his relationship with Sophia Hapgood is developed in an interesting way. Considering their previous romance and work together, Indy is shaken by Sophia’s cryptic new abilities and her connection to the supernatural. He has more compassion for her going into the story, and her knowledge of his background makes her far more dynamic than just another “damsel in distress.” Sophia was such a well-written character that her adventures were continued in subsequent Indiana Jones comics and games.
'Indiana Jones and the Fate of Atlantis' Lets You Solve Puzzles and Punch Nazis
One of the reasons Indiana Jones is generally ranked as one of the great cinematic heroes of all-time is his intelligence; beyond being a guy who can hold his own in a fight (he certainly punches a lot of Nazis), Indy has a practical knowledge of history and science that allows him to get out of tricky situations. He makes for the perfect protagonist in a game; Indiana Jones and the Fate of Atlantis uses the early “point and click” decision-making levels for players to solve puzzles, interact with other characters, and explore their environments while they search for clues. The games’ writers were keen to incorporate as much historical detail about the era and the legend of Atlantis to make the story authentic.
Additionally, the dynamic gameplay allowed the players to access different elements of Indy’s personality in their gameplay. Players must choose between the Team Path (which develops his growing relationship with Sophia), the Wits Path (which explores Indy’s interest in history as he solves ancient puzzles), and the Fists Path (where he trades fists with the ruthless Nazis that pursue him). This allows for sufficient character development along the way.
With a more interesting love interest and villain than Indiana Jones and the Temple of Doom and a much more historically grounded storyline than Kingdom of the Crystal Skull, Indiana Jones and the Fate of Atlantis stands as one of the best installments in the series. An early example of how good writing could improve a game, Indiana Jones and the Fate of Atlantis is a classic for both hardcore gamers and Indy fans alike.