Indiana Jones goes next-gen

Look out, Lara - your daddy's coming home and he's about to teach you what raiding tombs is really all about.

Yes, LucasArts has revealed that a new Indiana Jones game is in development for next-gen consoles. They're promising “incredibly realistic, detailed environments that will span the globe” and “an interactive story unlike any that's ever unfolded before”, not to mention “a noticeable evolution in physics and artificial intelligence”.

A full title for the game has yet to be announced, but it's slated for a 2007 release and could be a tie-in with the new Indiana Jones film. At the Star Wars marathon in London earlier this week, George Lucas was booed for stating definitively that the SW series is at an end. However, he placated angry fans before they had time to piss in bottles to chuck at him by confirming: “I'm working on the next Indiana Jones.” Harrison Ford is set to star.

LucasArts also announced that it will release its first game for a handheld platform this autumn, in the shape of Star Wars Battlefront II for PSP. It'll feature the same content as the previously released PC, PS2 and Xbox versions, along with new mini-campaigns and Wi-Fi support for four-player co-operative or competitive games. Battlefront II PSP is due out in the autumn.

And finally, there's Star Wars Empire at War for the PC. It's set a few years before the events of Episode IV: A New Hope, which isn't as good as Revenge of the Sith FACT [readers, it's probably not worth arguing with Ellie about this -Ed], and follows the creation of the Rebel Alliance, the strengthening of the Empire and the beginnings of the Galactic Civil War.

You can choose whether to join Darth and chums or the rebel forces, building up your units tactically before unleashing them on the enemy in real-time 3D. Expect lots of resource management and appearances by some classic Star Wars characters. Empire at War is slated for a spring 2006 release.

It all amounts to yet more money in the bank for Lucas, who deserves every dollar bill he earns having created the best series of films of all time. Yes, including the prequels. Especially the new one. NB Top Gun isn't a series.