Infernal Machine 64 Review and Crappy Code

Posted by Aaron from 63.168.199.162 on December 27, 2000 at 19:11:59:

Hey all.

First of all, I'll get the "crappy code" out of the way because I know that's why y'all came here:

I just finished the game [save for the bonus level], and during the end credits the message "Try REALHARD" comes up. Not a big deal, REALHARD is just the classic "hard mode." However, it seems to me that most of the people who own this game need just the opposite sort of code!

Oh, and a note for those looking for codes: it seems that the two most recent Factor 5 games, Battle for Naboo and Indy, are very specific with their codes: both with this REALHARD for Indy, and all of the currently known codes for Naboo, the codes take up every letter space on the code screen. Keep that in mind when typing in random crap for codes. Oh, and the positive confirmation sound in Indy is a camera click.

And now for the review [suddenly, the sound of people frantically clicking their browsers' "back" buttons!]:

I really think that this game is getting slammed a bit too much. As far as gameplay is concerned, I was really happy with this title. I really thought that the great majority of the levels really provided an excellent Indy experience. The booby traps were especially well executed. The bosses were not bad, per se, they just took some getting used to. It was mainly because of the fact that they are not true "bosses," they are just another puzzle in the level. I mean, none of them require you to fire your guns at all. It was actually kind of refreshing to see this new take on end-of-level bosses. And levels of different styles, such as the rafting, jeep, and boat levels were well placed for variety's sake. However, enemy AI and performance was minimal. Then again, shooting bad guys was never intended to be the selling point of this game. Easily overlooked.

Related to gameplay--I didn't have a real problem with any of the puzzles; they were very satisfying for me. I think that in the case of this game, if you just stick it out when you're confused with a level, you'll be that much more pleased with yourself when you do figure it out. Personally, the only times that I finally resorted to using an online guide were when I was unfamiliar with the uses and limitations of certain items [I was stuck on King Sol's Mines until I read online that the minecar can go backwards! D'oh!].

The story sat pretty well with me. The progression of locales seemed very natural. As far as the supernatural aspect of the game goes, I think that, although we were thrust into that particular fantastic world a bit too early [i.e. the ice boss], the "otherworldly" portion of the story finally found a good balanced place in the complete story arc. Granted, this was not a story that I would want to see Harrison Ford starring in on the silver screen, but that's not the point. It was a fun romp with enough twists to keep it from going bland.

Sound: Well, this is Factor 5 after all--Nintendo 64 sound gurus extaordinaire. The sound was excellent, and the music was as well. I particularly liked the Commies' theme, and both the title screen and end credits mixes. My only complaint with sound is that the music was placed so scantily throughout the levels. I want more! Great job with sound, both on the part of Factor 5 and the original team. Plus, it was great to hear Doug Lee take up the mic again.

Control, as you've heard, is a giant leap upwards from the original PC title. There really is no shame in copying Zelda. Ever. 'Nuff said.

And finally...*sigh*...graphics. Well...they tried. No wait, they didn't! That's the only real annoying part about this game, is that there are a few glitches that were so obvious, it looks like this thing was play tested by monkeys! Blind monkeys! Each level had its own clipping problems [the strange strobing, mirror-in-a-mirror effect that you get when you see past a level's boundaries], and they were often in areas very much on the beaten path. For instance, did anybody else notice that that happened to every window that you shot out on the top floor of the Tian Shan level? A few animations and models were clunky as heck, too--the first three bosses were hideous in this respect.

However, not all is lost in the land of graphics. The loading screens, the Indy-classic map montage scenes, and the vast majority of the cutscenes were very well executed in beautiful hi-res. Also, although it backfired in maybe two or three spots, kudos to Factor 5 for eliminating all traces of fog. All of the grand valleys and sprawling mountains benefited from it, and in that respect, the graphics were beautiful. Still, I suspect that the lack of graphical polish in other areas was one of the reasons this game was held back from the retail world.

The replay value on this game is pretty good, thanks to the side quest of collecting treasure for that bonus level [I can't wait!], and the fact that you can revisit any level you want at any time.

From an Indyfan's perspective, I found that I eventually detached this game from that place in my head where the Indy films reside. The game is another "side quest," like Fate of Atlantis and the Young Indy TV series. In other words, I recognized the hat, the whip, and the treasure hunting, but if it really had been Harrison Ford running around the levels, not a royalty-avoiding likeness with Doug Lee's voice, I would have found the whole thing harder to swallow. It's not a film adventure brought to a gaming console, it is a game on a gaming console. And God bless it.

My advice? Buy the game, overlook the graphics, have patience with the puzzles, and don't expect a two-hour shooting experience. It'll be fun--I swear.

Aaron

[For once I didn't include my email address--please don't look it up and ask me for help with the game! I'll offer help on this forum from time to time, otherwise check out the link below.]

Take my advice and use this as a very very last resort only!

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: Hey all.

: First of all, I'll get the "crappy code" out of the way because I know that's why y'all came here:

: I just finished the game [save for the bonus level], and during the end credits the message "Try REALHARD" comes up.  Not a big deal, REALHARD is just the classic "hard mode."  However, it seems to me that most of the people who own this game need just the opposite sort of code!

: Oh, and a note for those looking for codes: it seems that the two most recent Factor 5 games, Battle for Naboo and Indy, are very specific with their codes: both with this REALHARD for Indy, and all of the currently known codes for Naboo, the codes take up every letter space on the code screen.  Keep that in mind when typing in random crap for codes.  Oh, and the positive confirmation sound in Indy is a camera click.

: And now for the review [suddenly, the sound of people frantically clicking their browsers' "back" buttons!]:

: I really think that this game is getting slammed a bit too much. As far as gameplay is concerned, I was really happy with this title. I really thought that the great majority of the levels really provided an excellent Indy experience. The booby traps were especially well executed. The bosses were not bad, per se, they just took some getting used to. It was mainly because of the fact that they are not true "bosses," they are just another puzzle in the level. I mean, none of them require you to fire your guns at all. It was actually kind of refreshing to see this new take on end-of-level bosses. And levels of different styles, such as the rafting, jeep, and boat levels were well placed for variety's sake. However, enemy AI and performance was minimal. Then again, shooting bad guys was never intended to be the selling point of this game. Easily overlooked.

: Related to gameplay--I didn't have a real problem with any of the puzzles; they were very satisfying for me. I think that in the case of this game, if you just stick it out when you're confused with a level, you'll be that much more pleased with yourself when you do figure it out. Personally, the only times that I finally resorted to using an online guide were when I was unfamiliar with the uses and limitations of certain items [I was stuck on King Sol's Mines until I read online that the minecar can go backwards! D'oh!].

: The story sat pretty well with me. The progression of locales seemed very natural. As far as the supernatural aspect of the game goes, I think that, although we were thrust into that particular fantastic world a bit too early [i.e. the ice boss], the "otherworldly" portion of the story finally found a good balanced place in the complete story arc. Granted, this was not a story that I would want to see Harrison Ford starring in on the silver screen, but that's not the point. It was a fun romp with enough twists to keep it from going bland.

: Sound: Well, this is Factor 5 after all--Nintendo 64 sound gurus extaordinaire. The sound was excellent, and the music was as well. I particularly liked the Commies' theme, and both the title screen and end credits mixes. My only complaint with sound is that the music was placed so scantily throughout the levels. I want more! Great job with sound, both on the part of Factor 5 and the original team. Plus, it was great to hear Doug Lee take up the mic again.

: Control, as you've heard, is a giant leap upwards from the original PC title. There really is no shame in copying Zelda. Ever. 'Nuff said.

: And finally...*sigh*...graphics. Well...they tried. No wait, they didn't! That's the only real annoying part about this game, is that there are a few glitches that were so obvious, it looks like this thing was play tested by monkeys! Blind monkeys! Each level had its own clipping problems [the strange strobing, mirror-in-a-mirror effect that you get when you see past a level's boundaries], and they were often in areas very much on the beaten path. For instance, did anybody else notice that that happened to every window that you shot out on the top floor of the Tian Shan level? A few animations and models were clunky as heck, too--the first three bosses were hideous in this respect.

: However, not all is lost in the land of graphics.  The loading screens, the Indy-classic map montage scenes, and the vast majority of the cutscenes were very well executed in beautiful hi-res.  Also, although it backfired in maybe two or three spots, kudos to Factor 5 for eliminating all traces of fog.  All of the grand valleys and sprawling mountains benefited from it, and in that respect, the graphics were beautiful.  Still, I suspect that the lack of graphical polish in other areas was one of the reasons this game was held back from the retail world.

: The replay value on this game is pretty good, thanks to the side quest of collecting treasure for that bonus level [I can't wait!], and the fact that you can revisit any level you want at any time.

: From an Indyfan's perspective, I found that I eventually detached this game from that place in my head where the Indy films reside.  The game is another "side quest," like Fate of Atlantis and the Young Indy TV series.  In other words, I recognized the hat, the whip, and the treasure hunting, but if it really had been Harrison Ford running around the levels, not a royalty-avoiding likeness with Doug Lee's voice, I would have found the whole thing harder to swallow.  It's not a film adventure brought to a gaming console, it is a game on a gaming console.  And God bless it.

: My advice?  Buy the game, overlook the graphics, have patience with the puzzles, and don't expect a two-hour shooting experience.  It'll be fun--I swear.

: Aaron

: [For once I didn't include my email address--please don't look it up and ask me for help with the game!  I'll offer help on this forum from time to time, otherwise check out the link below.]

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