Gamespot gave it a 3.5, I gave it a 10. Somewhere in the middle you'll find that Staff of Kings is actually pretty cool.
When you start this game up you will pass by the title screen and then have to select a game file save slot to use, from amongst three choices. Once this is done you are then taken to the main menu of this title, which takes the form of Indiana Jones' office. Various items around Indy's office represent the different options you can choose, in total there are seven choices you can possibly make. The first of these options is called "Journey Onward!" and is the main, single player story mode of the game. When you select it the story begins, you are then tasked with completing six missions which take you to various areas including "Sudan", "San Francisco", "Panama", "Istanbul", "Nepal" and "Odin" (one of the German's zeppelins). Each mission is linked by a series of cutscenes that help develop and expand the plot. When you first select the Journey Onward! game mode you are taken to a screen where you can shuffle through each mission (once you've completed them). On this screen will be displayed the name of the mission, how many artifacts you've previously collected in said mission, and your mission completion percentage. Each of these missions have save points located at various points throughout, so on this screen you can cycle between each save point and see a brief description of that part of the mission. You can choose to start play at any of these save points also, you don't always have to start from the beginning of the mission (again, only once you've previously completed the mission). Complete all six missions and save the Staff of Kings from being bent to the Nazis' evil designs, and you've beaten the game!
The second option I'll mention is called "Co-op Journey!", which is the game's multiplayer mode. When you select it you and a buddy can play through eight shorter missions that feature Indiana Jones and his father, Henry, working together in various situations, such as navigating a violent river in an inflatable raft. Like I said there are eight of these missions in total, only the first one is available for play at the outset, you must unlock the rest as you go along, by completing the preceding mission.
Third is the "Journal" option. When you select it a binder will open up that features five different sections. Each section has it's own tab, and the tabs correlate to the six different game missions. The sections include "Story so far" (here you can click on a series of images that gloss over the basic story of each mission, with short descriptions), "Characters" (icons representing the key characters in each mission, when you click on them you get a brief rundown on said character), "Notes" (random images and descriptions focusing on interesting elements of each mission), "Fortune" (there are a small number of artifacts hidden throughout each mission, taking the form a glowing icon in the shape of Indy's hat, when you collect them you can then view their image/description here) and "Glory" (in each mission there are a small number of objectives to complete, such as finishing a certain fight while taking no damage, utilizing certain environmental objects, etc., you can view each objective here and whether or not you've completed it).
Fourth comes the "Extras" option, which is where all the unlockable content can be found, and it is broken up in to five sub-options. The first of these sub-options is called "Movie Trailers", where you can go to view the movie trailers for all four Indiana Jones films. Second is the "Concept Art Gallery" sub-option. Here you can view images that were used in developing the game, broken up in to categories such as Allies, Enemies, Extras, Sudan, San Francisco, Panama, Istanbul, Nepal, Odin and Seabed, Coop Levels, and Cutting Room Floor. "Skins" is the third option, here you can choose to alter Indy's look in the game by using the Big Heads, Henry Jones, Tuxedo Indy, or Han Solo skins.
The fourth sub-option needs a paragraph all to itself, and it is called "Extra Game Modes". There are a few of these to choose from, first is the "Multiplayer Combat Games" option. When you choose it you then select how many players will be partaking in the action (2-4), the combat method (planes or tanks), the arena to play in (blue sky or pillars of the earth), the game mode (last man standing, total score, or countdown), and then how many lives each player gets (1-5). After that the mayhem begins. Second is the "Combat Arenas" game mode, which focuses on hand to hand combat instead of vehicular carnage. When you choose it you then select how many players will be partaking in the action (1-4), the arena to play in (Sudan Camp, Lao Che Lounge, Secret Store, Harem, or Odin's Mess Hall), and the game mode (survival or countdown). Once this is complete the brawling ensues. The third and final game mode is called "Fate of Atlantis", which is a point and click game that was released by LucasArts way back in 1992. Back to the main Extras option the fifth and final sub-option you come to is called "Credits", where you can view the names of the great people who are responsible for giving us this engaging title. It is important to note that to unlock a lot of these extras, such as the skins and additional game modes, it is required for you to collect most of the artifacts hidden throughout the game, as well as perform all of the Glory objectives.
Back at the main menu the fifth option we have is "Tutorial". When you select it you are then presented with 16 pages of information that diagram how to execute the various controls behind Indiana Jones' moves in this game.
Sixth is the "Passport" option, which is where you go to manage your game save profiles. When you select it the three profiles appear, and listed on each one (if applicable) are some vital statistics such as your game completion percentage, total artifacts collected, time spent playing, etc. From this menu you can choose to load or delete any one of these save profiles.
The seventh and final option on this game's main menu is "Options", and is divided up in to three sub-options. The first of these is "Game Options", where you can alter certain gameplay aspects such as the difficulty level (normal or hard), toggle the rumble feature on/off, toggle the subtitles on/off, toggle the invert camera x on/off, and toggle the invert camera y on/off. Second is "Sound Options", where you can adjust sliders that control the levels for music, sfx, and speech volumes. You can also choose to toggle the sound mode between stereo and surround here. And third is the "Screen Calibration" function, where you can adjust the game's visual display so that it is represented on your TV screen properly.
Once you are out in the game and exploring your various surroundings, there are just a couple things to look out for. The hardest items to find are the artifacts that are scattered throughout each mission. Some of them are just out in the open, but many are tucked away in alcoves, or located behind walls you have to bash through. The other thing you need to be aware of are environmental objects, many of which can be used as weapons to help you smash your way through the Nazi ranks. Things like wrenches, pipes, oars, plates, chairs, bottles, all of these can be picked up and then hurled at or swiped at your enemies. Other, larger environmental objects can also be used to your advantage, like hanging from a pipe and kicking a guy in the face, or using your whip to bring a book shelf or other such structure down on top of multiple enemies. Other than that there isn't much to be aware of, just navigate your way through each level and be prepared for a fight at all times.
The game screen for Indiana Jones and the Staff of Kings is very sparse, giving you a full view of all of the great action that unfolds throughout this game. In the top left hand corner of the screen is Indy's power gauge. As you take damage this gauge will deplete, once it is drained completely you perish and must restart from the last save point. When you get in to a gun fight sequence an icon of a pistol's barrel chamber will appear in the upper right hand corner of the screen, indicating how many bullets you have left. In the bottom right hand corner of the screen instructions will appear from time to time when Indy must perform a move or gesture to proceed at a certain area, kind of a reminder if you will. When Indy needs to sprint away from something, or if he slips and is hanging from a ledge, the sprint gauge or last chance gauge will appear in the bottom middle of the screen. If you let the gauges fall to minimal levels you will perish and have to restart from the last save point. Also on the game screen you will find your enemies' power gauges, which appear just above them. You will also notice little round icons called action icons. These appear around any items or environmental objects that you might be able to use in your fight against the Nazis, taking the guess work out of what is in play in this game and what is not. Lastly, when in a gun fight, your targeting reticle will pop up on the screen. It is red by default, but when you've got a lock on something you can shoot at it will turn green.
Another screen worth mentioning is the pause screen. When you halt the game action six options will be available to you and include Resume Game, Tutorial (same as the option from the main menu), Game Options (same as from the Options menu, but without the difficulty level setting), Sound Options (same as from the Options menu), Restart Level, and Quit to Menu.
Now for the game controls, and there are many of them! This is a game that really lets you get in to the spirit of Indiana Jones with a lot of different moves. The control stick is how you move Indy around his environments. It has some other functions like climbing ladders, climbing and dropping down from ledges, etc. Also, when in a gun fight it is how you pop out from behind your cover. The C button is used to reset the game's camera. The Z button is how you initiate a grapple with an enemy, making Indy grab on to him with two hands. From a grapple there are a few things you can do like shoving your opponent, punching them, etc. As for the Wii remote, you point it at the screen to aim your reticle when in a gun fight, and you shake it to reload after you run out of bullets. It is also used in certain sequences like when you're flying a plane, you hold on to it just like you would a plane's control stick, moving it in various directions to steer the vehicle. The control pad let's you adjust the camera angle slightly in all four directions. Now, the A button has many different functions. It is used to pick up and then put down any items or objects that you might find lying around (hold the A button and flick the Wii remote to throw such an object). It is also used to initiate wall shimmies, lunges, and also to grab on to larger objects (which you can then use the control stick to either push or pull). The B button is what breaks out Indy's whip. Hold the button down and then flick the Wii remote to unleash a blow with said whip. When dealing with enemies, there are different ways of flicking the Wii remote that will make you latch on to certain parts of their anatomy or simply disarm them. Flicking up, down, and sideways all have different effects. The B button is also what you use to fire your gun, both in a gun fight or when you're flying a plane. Pressing the A and B buttons together will make Indy dodge, good for avoiding enemy punches. With regards to punching, you simply swing the Wii remote and nunchuk like you would if you were really punching someone. Depending on how you swing you can execute different blows like jabs, uppercuts, and roundhouses. At certain points you will have to shake the Wii remote and nunchuk at the same time when you are trying to get out of trouble, like when you are being chased by a boulder or hanging from a ledge. Finally, the – button will bring up Indy's Journal for you to peruse, while the + button pauses the game. There are other controls that are specific to certain scenarios once you are out and about, but the game does a good job of reminding you along the way so you won't have any trouble.
The presentation behind this game is just fantastic. During the cutscenes especially the graphics can look a little blocky, like they needed a bit of extra work put in to them, but during the actual gameplay this game looks like gold! I love the wide variety of terrain and surroundings that come up through the game, they really showcase a lot of different looks and feels. The sound is great too, it helps set the tone and pushes the story along intensely. Although Indy's voice can sometimes be a little hard to hear, if they didn't get Harrison Ford to do the voice over for this game, they sure got somebody that sounds a whole lot like him! The camera functions just fine, and the control scheme is diverse and well laid out. Although there are a lot of controls to worry about they become second nature pretty quickly.
The pros far outweigh the cons for this title, I can't believe Gamespot only gave it a 3.5 rating!! What I like about this game are many things. First of all, like I just mentioned, the look and sound of this game are just great. It all combines to make you feel like you are truly smack dab in the middle of an Indiana Jones adventure. They balanced a good mix of fighting along with the treasure hunting, to bring forward a very diverse and intriguing experience. I also really love the game's length. It only holds six missions in total, but these missions (for the most part) are super long. Add to this the various different game modes that you can obtain and you really get a lot of bang for your buck!! The only downside to this game is that sometimes the controls can be a little bit unresponsive, and I mean this is a very minor matter. It's nothing a half assed gamer can't work around though, if this issue factored in to Gamespot's rating of this title then they've got to pull their collective heads out of their arses as they've got their priorities mixed up.
In terms of tips and tricks I can offer, there's not really much to dish out. All I can say is just make sure you explore every nook and cranny of each mission, that is if you want to collect all of the unlockables. They can literally be hidden just about anywhere. As you gain experience you'll recognize, for example, the outlines on walls that indicate they can be knocked down. These are the sort of visual cues that you should always be on the lookout for when trying to locate all of the extras. Also, before you start a mission make sure to check and see what Glory objectives are available to perform on your respective mission. Being prepared for them the first time around means you won't have to go back and try them again once you complete the mission the first time around.
Well, there's really not much else for me to say when it comes to this game . . . other than it friggin' rocks! And it's amazing to think that I'm going to give it a 10 while Gamespot gave it a measly 3.5 . . . remarkable. Anyhoo, there is just so much included with this game, and it is so well executed, I don't see how you can't love playing it. Here's to hoping they make another one!!