"I found myself pulverizing fascists with shovels, clubs, sledgehammers, and loaves of bread" — Indiana Jones and the Great Circle is amazing, with only minor flaws

As a longtime enthusiast of the Indiana Jones franchise, I must say that my expectations for this game were sky-high, and I am thrilled to report that it has exceeded them in every way possible. With its immersive sim elements seamlessly integrated into cinematic storytelling, Indiana Jones and the Great Circle feels like a love letter to the series that captures the spirit of adventure and wit that made the movies so iconic.

I use my whip to strike a Nazi soldier, causing him to drop his weapon. A single punch knocks him off a cliff. With only two bullets left in his gun, I eliminate another guard. However, three more are approaching. To avoid them, I grab onto a grappling hook and swing across the cliff, evading their gunfire and escaping into the Egyptian desert.

In Indiana Jones and the Great Circle, you’re embarking on another thrilling journey. This is a fresh tale filled with globe-trotting escapades, brain-teasing puzzles, and fistfights against the Nazis. For MachineGames, this marks a significant step forward, yet there are familiar touches reminiscent of their previous Wolfenstein series. Clearly, they’ve demonstrated the boldness to venture into uncharted territory with this title.

In this rephrased version: Indiana Jones and the Great Circle closely matches the pacing and quality of the classic films, yet it isn’t shy about pausing for moments of puzzle-solving and exploration that fit the atmosphere of an enigmatic, conspiratorial world. Apart from a few glitches, this journey is well worth embarking on as it remains faithful to its origins while offering unexpected twists and turns.

What is Indiana Jones and the Great Circle?

The mostly single-player action game, titled Indiana Jones and the Great Circle, was created by MachineGames and released by Bethesda Softworks.

In 1937, I find myself slipping into the role of the legendary archaeologist himself, just before the thrilling events unfolded in The Last Crusade. I’m unwittingly entangled in a global conspiracy that demands my undivided attention. To unravel the enigma of the Great Circle, I must complete various objectives scattered across iconic locations such as the Vatican, Egypt, the Himalayas, and beyond.

You can achieve these objectives in multiple ways, either by choosing stealth or going all-out with guns, yet regardless of your chosen method, you’ll encounter peculiar riddles and find yourself dealing with an excessive number of Nazis. At times, it might be smarter to don a disguise and slip past several guards, but other times, you’ll need to take charge and act swiftly.

Certain regions offer opportunities to deviate from the main path, engaging in optional sub-stories. These mini-adventures vary greatly, often rewarding you with perks that facilitate the acquisition of new abilities. Accumulating these abilities can provide advantages like quicker reloading of your weapon or reduced chances of stamina depletion.

Indiana Jones and the Great Circle review — Story and characters

In Indiana Jones and the Great Circle, it’s clear that the main character, Indiana Jones, steals the limelight. Troy Baker, a seasoned actor in the industry, brings this version of Indiana Jones to life flawlessly. He embodies the character perfectly, with the camera focusing on his subtle mannerisms and awkward moments, which make watching him as an adventurer such a delight.

Alongside Jones, there’s Alessandra Mastronardi as Gina Lombardi, an Italian reporter who joins for personal motives. At first, Gina and Indy interact in a familiar pattern seen often in this series where the male lead is initially annoyed by his female counterpart. However, things change when Gina proves her worth, and the storyline thankfully moves beyond some recurring tropes of the franchise.

In this storyline, Emmerich Voss serves as the antagonist, a role perfectly suited for him. Marios Gavrilis portrays Voss with an arrogant demeanor, intelligence, and air of superiority that fits well for someone associated with the Nazi regime. Fascinated by psychological analysis, his conversations with puzzled soldiers and Indy are consistently intriguing to observe.

Completing the ensemble is Locus, a cryptic character who initiates the storyline by burglarizing Marshall College and making off with a peculiar statuette. Locus, portrayed by the late Tony Todd, who departed on November 6, will be featured posthumously in this game, marking a significant release for the revered horror legend. Locus isn’t just a formidable presence; he harbors a deeper role than simply serving as Indy’s secondary adversary.

The narrative progresses at a steady, adaptable speed, changing based on whether you opt for additional exploration or stay on the primary route. In summary, it maintains a connection to the films that inspired it.

Each time I began to feel a little anxious that events might prolong, the journey suddenly took an unexpected twist, and the landscape transformed. Interspersed with numerous cinematic sequences, traversing the Great Circle at moments seemed more like watching an Indiana Jones movie, yet the control was never relinquished for extended periods.

Indiana Jones and the Great Circle review — Gameplay and features

In contrast to the first-person perspective of the Wolfenstein games by MachineGames, Indiana Jones and the Great Circle presents a distinctly different experience when you swap B.J. Blazkowicz’s role for that of Indiana Jones. Unlike Blazkowicz who can function as a one-man army, Indiana is more reliant on his physical skills like punching, whip manipulation, and revolver usage, but he’s not invincible alone.

As a researcher, I often find it advantageous to move covertly amidst enemy encampments, using cautious investigation to uncover disguises that facilitate my stealth. However, even with these disguises, elusive elite commanders may still detect my presence if I venture too near.

In a pinch, almost anything could serve as an improvised weapon. Amazingly, I ended up using shovels, clubs, sledgehammers, and even loaves of bread to fight off extremists.

In case a fight ensues, there’s a reliable melee combat system in place, enabling you to dodge and exchange blows to knock down your adversaries. A trustworthy whip can also be employed to pull enemies closer to you and off dangerous edges. However, if your opponents wield ranged weapons, you might find yourself at a disadvantage, so it’s crucial to search the surroundings for any helpful items.

Almost anything around you could serve as a makeshift weapon in a pinch, and I discovered myself reducing fascists to dust using shovels, sticks, sledgehammers, and even loaves of bread. You too carry a revolver, which can swiftly conclude any one-on-one encounter, but be cautious, as the sound might summon additional adversaries nearby. Additionally, you can grab weapons like rifles and shotguns, but remember to discard them once the ammo runs out.

When Indiana Jones and the Great Circle isn’t about battles, it’s about discovery, and this is where the game really excels. The open-world sections are enjoyable to navigate, and sometimes, finding a route from one location to another becomes a puzzle in itself. It’s incredibly rewarding to go on an exploration spree — figuring out how to scale a building with your whip, then unlocking the front door for later use — all while evoking games like Dishonored that immerse you deeply.

At some point, I caught a conversation between two nuns expressing their desire for a specific picture. It occurred to me that I could simply provide them with the photograph I had taken previously.

Essentially, the game is filled with numerous challenges (some obstructing your path directly and others hidden off the main route) that demand creative pipe manipulation, cipher decryption, and careful examination of abandoned papers. Your camera serves as an essential tool in this adventure, offering chances to snap photos for ‘Adventure Points.’ These points accumulated can be traded for learning new abilities from books discovered along the way, so remember to keep your photography skills sharp!

The images you collect aren’t merely for scoring purposes; instead, they are saved in your game log as you advance, transforming it into a sort of dynamic record that can capture memorable instances. At one point, I heard two nuns express their wish to have someone’s photo, and I understood that I could simply give them the picture I had taken earlier.

During my playtime with Indiana Jones and the Great Circle, I encountered a few technical glitches. Most of these issues were relatively small, such as the camera zooming excessively close when inspecting an object, which could be quickly fixed by merely setting the item down and picking it up once more.

The checkpoint system caused a more irritating issue. While the game autosaves at regular intervals (usually without issue), I got stuck at one point, with the game reloading me outside of where I was supposed to be and making it impossible for me to escape before getting noticed by Nazi guards. I was able to use the save rollback feature to get to a checkpoint about 20 minutes prior, but I can see this issue causing problems for others if it isn’t patched.

Indiana Jones and the Great Circle review — Visuals and audio

MachineGames, a long-term partner in id Tech collaborations with sister studio id Software, showcases its technical expertise effectively here. I had the pleasure of experiencing Indiana Jones and the Great Circle on an Xbox Series X, and visually, it’s impressive. Both lush and cold landscapes are depicted with remarkable clarity, whether it’s the jungles of Sukhothai or the darkest depths beneath the Vatican.

In one large section, there was a burst of greenery that appeared unexpectedly, but other than that, the overall display is consistently stunning. The Indiana Jones series is known for its exploration, and this game delivers by offering numerous locations to discover in intricate detail. The lighting effects are particularly noteworthy, creating stunning rays reminiscent of Egypt’s hot desert landscapes. The game runs smoothly at 60 FPS, with the only minor hiccup occurring when I accidentally triggered an explosive trap up close.

The impact is significantly heightened due to the camera work, which is remarkably film-like in its execution, even down to the precise timing of slapstick humor and the lingering shots that reveal the moment Indiana Jones makes a mental link to a concealed clue.

MachineGames has done an exceptional job with the game’s sound design, and it’s truly a treat to experience it using top-tier headphones. In one nail-biting infiltration mission, I could pinpoint the exact location of every enemy commander within the structure just by listening to the distinct sounds of their footsteps on different surfaces like wood or stone floors. This feature made it fairly simple for me to snatch some Nazi gold.

Gordy Haab’s composition for the soundtrack is an admirable attempt that unmistakably echoes the legendary themes of John Williams’ timeless scores. It’s a fine soundtrack that meets expectations, providing the right mix of excitement and anticipation, perfect for stirring your curiosity about ancient ruins and inciting adrenaline for necessary brawls.

Indiana Jones and the Great Circle review — Accessibility and approachability

Similar to numerous contemporary games, Indiana Jones and the Great Circle offers a variety of accessibility features aimed at accommodating diverse needs, such as color blindness or motion sensitivity. Beyond adjustable difficulty levels that influence the challenge in combat sequences, players can independently customize the puzzle difficulty, simplifying many puzzles for those primarily interested in the storyline.

Additionally, there’s a helpful hint system available via the mentioned camera. This feature (applicable only to essential puzzles, not optional missions) lets you ask for progressively clearer tips when needed. It offers a nice balance, and I found it refreshing that no character would blurt out solutions immediately when I took over 30 seconds to ponder.

Regarding the game’s accessibility, its self-contained narrative (similar to any Indiana Jones movie) ensures that you don’t have to be an expert on Indiana Jones to enjoy it. While being a longtime fan might enhance your experience due to some recurring themes woven into the storyline, newcomers should still find it welcoming and enjoyable overall.

Indiana Jones and the Great Circle review — Final Thoughts

In the game Indiana Jones and the Great Circle, I’ve spent an engaging 25 hours immersed in the world. The journey has been nothing short of delightful, and I must say that I underestimated how much fun I would have. What truly caught me off guard was the game’s impressive blend of interactive simulation aspects with captivating narrative storytelling, making it an unforgettable experience for me.

It’s evident from the way each line is spoken and every scene is framed, the sly grin on Indy’s face when solving mysteries, that everyone at MachineGames truly understands what makes Indiana Jones extraordinary. This game stands tall, deserving to be placed alongside the original trilogy with honor.

Apart from a few minor glitches and technical problems, I hope the developers can fix them quickly; Indiana Jones and the Great Circle is an exhilarating game fitting for the legendary adventurer’s reputation. I can’t wait to replay this game again (and explore the upcoming DLC) as much as I enjoy watching Raiders of the Lost Ark and The Last Crusade over and over.

On December 9, 2024, Indiana Jones and the Great Circle will be released for Xbox Series X|S, Windows PC, and both Xbox Game Pass Ultimate/PC Game Pass. Premium Edition owners can start playing from December 6. A PlayStation 5 version is planned to release sometime in Spring 2025.

2024-12-06 03:09

“I found myself pulverizing fascists with shovels, clubs, sledgehammers, and loaves of bread” — Indiana Jones and the Great Circle is amazing, with only minor flaws