Indiana Jones goes next-gen

LucasArts has revealed more info about Indiana Jones 2007 (working title), which is currently in development for PS3 and Xbox 360.

The storyline has been written "with direction by" George Lucas, and begins in 1939 - one year after the events of The Last Crusade, and around the same time as the nazis started kicking off.

Playing as Indy, you'll have to use your fists, whip, gun and possibly even hat to see off all manner of enemies and piece together "a mystery of biblical proportions". Indiana Vinci Code, maybe? There are also "spring-loaded environments" which you can utilise to do over your enemies, and we're promised some thrilling chase sequences. You'll be helped along the way by Mr Jones's allies, but you'll also have to face off with one of his worst enemies.

The game features "revolutionary new euphoria technology" which means characters will "move, act and even think like human beings without canned animations dictating their movements." If characters stumble, they'll attempt to maintain their balance, for example; they'll brace themselves for falls, and grab on to nearby ledges to save themselves from doom. The result, according to LucasArts, is "a series of experiences and payoffs that will never be the same twice."

We got to see the game on show at E3, and we can confirm that this technology appears to be working rather well - we saw Indy trying to cross a wobbly rope bridge, trying to compensate for the wobbliness and grabbing the edge when at risk of falling. There was also a lovely looking level set in San Francisco, where you're decking enemies whilst atop a moving tram - knock 'em off and they go smack bang into oncoming traffic, satisfyingly.

Indiana Jones 2007 is out in, well, 2007. There will also be new Indy games for PS2, PSP and DS, but since they're being developed externally nothing has officially been announced yet.