Let's get crackin', now..

This next game is a personal favorite of mine - also released for the Commodore 64, with versions on Fujitsu FM Towns and Amiga - called Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade. Another Lucasfilm (sensing a trend here?) IP that sticks close to the original story, but adds flair in the dialogue and random encounters Indy will come across.

An adventure much in the style of Maniac Mansion and its point-and-click "verb-noun" sentence structuring, i.e., "unlock door with key." The FM Towns version of the game had a lot of polish, and came equipped with a CD quality soundtrack made specially for this version of the game. It should be noted - as The Last Crusade (and Raiders of the Lost Ark) are themed against Nazi regime antagonists - there will be imagery of swastikas and an appearance of Adolf Hitler in the game, unless you have the German version of the game - in which all swastikas were ordered to be removed to comply with the German Criminal Code. Spoiler alert: there are still some in the German version that were missed.

As mentioned before, the game keeps close to the original content, having Indy and company visiting familiar locations such as Barnett College - where Indy was a professor that taught Archaeology 101 - Venice, the Venetian catacombs, Alexandretta - think "Canyon of the Crescent Moon" - and of course Berlin in Germany and Castle Brunwald in Austria.

The Last Crusade employed a scoring system called IQ, or "Indy Quotient" that would net you higher scores for avoiding fistfights, solving puzzles in the most efficient manner, and sticking somewhat to the original subject matter in dialogue options. Much like Maniac Mansion, there were multiple paths to take and how you progressed was dependent on on a few factors, i.e., you could actually bypass Berlin completely by destroying the radio on the zeppelin and taking out the proper crew members. There were also multiple outcomes, and not all of them were pretty. Take the non-penitent path, stare too long into the abyss, or choose the wrong Holy Grail and you'll see what I mean.

As it can be seen here, the Commodore 64 / FM Towns renditions of "Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade" boasted a diverse range of gameplay mechanics. From intense platforming sequences to mind-bending puzzles, the game successfully captured the essence of the film while offering a unique interactive experience. In my opinion, this game in any of its formats was a definitive beacon in the golden era of video gaming.