The influence of Indy’s character has echoed throughout action/adventure genre ever since Warshaw first proved the validity of digitising such a vibrant and accessible personality. From futuristic games like Project Eden to more recent chart busters Assassin’s Creed, most every adventure game that demands a little keen thinking and a few dangerous stunts has distinct echoes of Indiana Jones rattling around their quest based code; all silently measured up to a character that’s struggled to meet his own gaming demands.

The Last Crusade film made an attempt to return to the same explorative paradigm that had made Raiders such a phenomenon, and while it certainly provided a tale of high adventure, much of its soul was replaced by financial endowment. The tie-ins, while decent enough, were now linked to the profit machine and little was done to give them the ingenuity deserving of the title Indiana Jones.

A worthy addition came from an unexpected source in 1992, however, when a Dark Horse comic mini-series was adapted by LucasArts themselves. Using its renowned SCUMM engine, a graphical adventure was made that rivalled any Jones story in archaeological, action and adventure content. A success on the more suitable machines (such as the Amiga and DOS), it too suffered when its intelligence was later stripped away for the mass market in a similar ‘action only’ rendering as The Last Crusade had seen. Overall, it seemed, no new Indiana Jones game could once again evoke the fundamental authenticity of the big screen character.

Things hit a particular low point when Indy was reduced to a Zelda-esque RPG designed to run on the Windows desktop (esoterically titled Indiana Jones and His Desktop Adventures), closely followed by Indiana Jones and the Infernal Machine. This foray into the 3D realm was, in principle, not a bad one, but suffered from a particularly special form of schizophrenia. This game was a distinct mimic of Tomb Raider which, of course, was more than a little inspired by Jones in the first place. Such a combination could almost have seen Indy’s digital persona coming full circle, but Lara cast a long shadow in terms of gameplay mechanics and no amount of bullwhipping could pull Indy (and his lacklustre play mechanics) into the spotlight.

A further attempt was made to update the franchise in 2001 with Indiana Jones and the Emperor’s Tomb; another intelligent concept on paper that still didn’t quite drag itself out from underneath the savage competition for this style of dexterous exploration genre. Linking itself to the events leading up to the beginning of Temple of Doom (by hinting that Indy’s ‘next’ task is to procure the remains of Nurhachi for Lao Che) was a wise move, however, and did help to retain some of the credibility demanded by this valuable franchise.

Ever since Raiders of the Lost Ark, it seems that each new addition to the Indiana Jones brand has made a moderately sincere effort to deliver a vehicle that we, the avid fans, can use to experience life as the eminent archaeologist. But each one has also served to further dilute the canon of his extraordinary life. With the latest addition to the cinematic story just around the corner, can we finally expect the return to form that gamers have been wanting for over 25 years?

Indeed there is a sincere glimmer of hope. The retro revivalist trend that’s permeated this last decade looks set to be the saviour of Dr Henry Jones Jr.. After the phenomenal success of the LEGO Star Wars games, Indy’s getting the same blocky treatment in time for the new movie, Kingdom of the Crystal Skull. What’s been especially remarkable about these frankly obscure adaptations is their essential faithfulness to the inspiration material; without being bound by it.

It’s exactly that kind of playful, yet sincere gaming realisation of film characters and storylines that Howard Scott Warshaw first crafted in his adaptation of Raiders, and one which appeals hugely to the retro revivalist populace who are currently balancing a pair of khaki pants on the edge of a seat overlooking a gorge full of crocodiles. Such is the anticipation for this abstract translation that any other form of movie tie-in (that most heinous of all videogame crimes) seems to be far distant, if it’s indeed on the horizon at all.

We can only hope that Indy is due for a return to form, across all mediums, in his trip to the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull. But regardless of the scarcity of genuine treasures to be found, there’s still two decades of exploration to be found in the exciting, if sometimes perilous journey we can all take through the booby-trapped world of Indiana Jones games.