Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade

Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade – The Adventure of a Lifetime

Originally released in 1989 by Lucasfilm Games, Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade: The Graphic Adventure is an iconic point-and-click adventure game inspired by the famous film of the same name. Designed by legendary developers Ron Gilbert, David Fox, and Noah Falstein, this classic title is fondly remembered for its innovative puzzle design and captivating storytelling.

The Story

The game closely follows the plot of the film. Indiana Jones embarks on a daring quest to rescue his father, Dr. Henry Jones Sr., who vanished while searching for the legendary Holy Grail. Players travel across exotic locations, from Venice’s hidden catacombs to Nazi-occupied castles, ultimately reaching the ancient city of Alexandretta. The story’s cinematic charm and witty dialogue perfectly capture the essence of the movie, immersing players in Indy’s thrilling world.

Gameplay: Puzzles, Whips, and Wit

Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade introduces innovative gameplay elements such as multiple solutions for puzzles, a flexible dialogue system, and even action sequences featuring fistfights. Unlike traditional adventure games, players could approach puzzles in different ways—brute force, stealth, or clever negotiation—offering a remarkable degree of replayability. The innovative "IQ points" system rewarded creative thinking, encouraging players to explore alternative approaches to each challenge.

📜 Grail Diary Bug in the EGA Version

In some EGA versions of Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade: The Graphic Adventure, players encountered a frustrating bug that prevented the Grail Diary from opening. Since the diary contains essential randomized clues needed to identify the real Holy Grail in the final scene, this issue made it impossible to complete the game properly.

The bug was linked to packaging errors and version-specific limitations, most notably in early DOS distributions. If the diary remains unopened, the player is left to guess the correct Grail, often resulting in repeated failure.

A recommended solution is to play the game using ScummVM, which corrects this bug and ensures full access to the diary's contents, allowing for proper puzzle resolution.

Graphics and Sound

For its era, the graphics were beautifully detailed, showcasing the classic Lucasfilm Games pixel-art style. Each location was richly atmospheric, filled with subtle animations and authentic period details. The sound design, though limited by hardware at the time, effectively complemented the visuals, capturing John Williams' iconic themes and adding dramatic tension during key moments.

Multiple Paths, Multiple Adventures

Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade was groundbreaking in its multiple puzzle solutions:

• Dialogue System: Conversations with NPCs can alter the story significantly.
• Puzzle Solutions: Challenges often have several valid diplomatic, stealthy, or combative approaches.
• IQ Points: Creative problem-solving rewards players, encouraging exploration and experimentation.

Legacy

This title paved the way for future LucasArts classics like Monkey Island and Day of the Tentacle. Its blend of story-driven gameplay, humor, and puzzle design set standards for the adventure genre. Today, it's considered a timeless classic, essential for fans of Indiana Jones and adventure games alike.

📖 The Holy Grail Diary

One of the most iconic elements of Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade: The Graphic Adventure is the inclusion of the Holy Grail Diary, a physical replica bundled with the original boxed versions of the game. While visually and narratively different from the film version, it provided essential clues, background lore about Indy and his father, and historical notes on the Grail itself.

The diary wasn’t just a collectible—it was vital to solving the final puzzle. Players had to use its illustrations and descriptions to identify the correct Grail among several choices. Later re-releases included a shortened version or a digital version, but the full printed diary remains a cherished artifact for collectors.

In a clever twist of design, the diary helped ground the adventure in realism, immersing players deeper into the mythology and turning what could have been a random guessing game into a thoughtful archaeological challenge—just as Dr. Jones would have wanted.

🧭 Multiple Paths and Player Choice

One of the most innovative features of Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade is its flexible approach to problem-solving. Many situations offer multiple solutions, allowing players to choose between using fists, wits, or even deception.

• Castle Brunwald Guards: Can be defeated in fistfights, but it's also possible to trick or talk your way past them using the right disguise or dialogue choices.
• Zeppelin Attendant: One of the most infamous challenges—win a tough fight or try multiple conversation options to bluff your way past him.
• Checkpoint Officer in Berlin: With the right uniform and confidence, Indy can talk his way through instead of risking violence.

These options not only affect how you progress through the story but also contribute to your final IQ score. Non-violent and clever solutions often reward more points, encouraging replayability and experimentation.

Here we see Indy getting past a guard skillfully using his tongue...

...and here, his fists!

The Verdict

Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade remains an outstanding adventure game, a true classic that masterfully captures the thrill and spirit of Indy's adventures. It’s an essential piece of gaming history that every enthusiast should experience at least once.

Pros

✔ Engaging storyline and characters.

✔ Innovative multiple-solution puzzles.

✔ Richly detailed pixel art graphics.

✔ Captivating Indiana Jones atmosphere.

Cons

✘ Occasional frustrating action sequences.

✘ Some puzzles can be obscure without hints.

✘ Minimal sound design by modern standards.

Final Scores

PC (MS-DOS): 93%

Amiga: 91%

Atari ST: 89%

FM Towns: 95%

Macintosh: 88%

Suggested Article

If you enjoyed Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade, don't miss our in-depth review of its spiritual successor Indiana Jones and the Fate of Atlantis—a completely original story that many fans consider one of the greatest point-and-click adventures of all time. Read More →