Indiana Jones and the Great Circle: An In-Depth Review
Home - Adventure Games - Indiana Jones and the Great Circle: An In-Depth Review
Indiana Jones and the Great Circle, developed by MachineGames and published by Bethesda Softworks, has been one of the most anticipated titles in recent years. Combining classic Indiana Jones storytelling with immersive first-person gameplay, this action-adventure game delivers a cinematic experience worthy of the legendary archaeologist. Released in December 2024 for Windows and Xbox Series X/S, with a PlayStation 5 version expected in Spring 2025, The Great Circle is an homage to fans of the franchise and action-adventure enthusiasts alike.
In this article, we explore every facet of the game—from its engaging narrative and stunning visuals to gameplay mechanics, environments, and overall experience. Let’s uncover whether Indiana Jones and the Great Circle succeeds in capturing the magic of Indy.
1. Story and Setting
A Classic Indy Adventure. Set in 1937, Indiana Jones and the Great Circle takes place between Raiders of the Lost Ark and The Last Crusade. The developers have created an original story that aligns perfectly with the tone and style of the films, offering an epic, globe-trotting adventure. Players take on the role of Indiana Jones as he investigates ancient sites that form a mysterious geometric pattern, the “Great Circle,” spanning the globe.
The narrative wastes no time in introducing the stakes. A shadowy faction, led by the Nazis, seeks to unlock the secrets of the Great Circle, believing it holds untold power. Indy’s goal is clear—to uncover the truth behind these ancient sites while ensuring their secrets don’t fall into the wrong hands.
The Mystery of the Great Circle
The Great Circle is a fascinating and mysterious concept. It ties together multiple ancient sites—each based on real-world archaeological locations—that form a perfect circle when mapped. This intriguing premise adds a sense of wonder and urgency to the plot as players piece together clues to reveal the secrets of the circle.
Key Locations in the Game
The game is truly global, taking players to diverse and beautifully rendered environments:
The Vatican – Players explore underground catacombs, crypts, and hidden chambers within one of the most iconic locations in history. Rich with detail and atmosphere, this section blends exploration with religious and historical lore.
Thailand – Dense jungles and ancient temples set the stage for deadly traps and intricate puzzles. The overgrown ruins feel alive, with dynamic wildlife and treacherous pathways.
Egypt – Indy ventures into long-forgotten tombs beneath the sand. These segments feature labyrinthine corridors, hieroglyph puzzles, and traps reminiscent of classic Indiana Jones films.
Shanghai – A stark contrast to the ancient sites, Shanghai is fast-paced and vibrant. Here, players experience thrilling chase sequences through the crowded urban environment, blending stealth and action.
The combination of real-world inspiration and fictional embellishments creates a sense of authenticity while keeping the mystery fresh and engaging.
2. Gameplay Mechanics
Exploration: The Joy of Discovery
Exploration is the heart of Indiana Jones and the Great Circle. The game rewards players for their curiosity, encouraging them to interact with the environment and uncover hidden secrets. Whether you’re using Indy’s whip to swing across ravines or carefully prying open ancient chests, every corner feels ripe for discovery.
The whip is one of the standout mechanics. It serves multiple functions:
Traversal: Swing over gaps, pull down obstacles, and access hard-to-reach areas.
Combat: Disarm enemies, stun foes, or trip them up during fights.
Puzzle Solving: Activate levers or retrieve distant objects.
The whip’s versatility ensures it remains an integral part of gameplay, not just a gimmick.
Puzzles and Traps: Engaging Challenges
MachineGames has done an excellent job designing puzzles that challenge players without being overly frustrating. Players must observe their surroundings, manipulate ancient mechanisms, and solve riddles to progress. Traps are equally well-implemented, keeping players on their toes with rolling boulders, spike pits, and pressure-sensitive platforms.
Examples of puzzles include:
Hieroglyph Matching: Decipher ancient scripts to unlock doors.
Light and Shadow: Use mirrors or torches to direct light onto specific symbols.
Environmental Manipulation: Rearrange objects in the environment to create pathways or open hidden chambers.
The combination of puzzles and traps delivers an experience that feels quintessentially Indiana Jones.
Combat System: Balance Between Action and Stealth
While exploration and puzzles take center stage, combat provides a welcome layer of excitement. The game employs a mix of first-person shooting and melee combat:
Revolver and Tools: Indy’s revolver is reliable for quick, precise shots. Players can also use improvised tools, like torches or debris, during combat.
Whip Tactics: Disarm enemies, pull them closer, or trip them up to gain the upper hand.
Stealth: Players can opt for a quieter approach, sneaking behind enemies for takedowns or avoiding encounters altogether.
The combat may not be as deep as some dedicated shooters, but it fits well within the game’s overall design philosophy.
3. Graphics and Visuals
The visuals in Indiana Jones and the Great Circle are nothing short of breathtaking. MachineGames uses a modified id Tech engine to deliver environments and character models that are both realistic and highly detailed.
Environmental Design
Each location feels alive, thanks to meticulous attention to detail. Whether it’s the flickering torchlight in the Vatican’s catacombs or the lush greenery of Thailand’s jungles, the environments are immersive and atmospheric.
Dynamic Weather and Lighting: Changing weather conditions and time-of-day effects add to the realism. Sunlight pierces through temple cracks, while torchlight creates dynamic shadows.
Interactive Environments: Players can interact with destructible objects, levers, and gears, making exploration feel rewarding.
Character Design
Indiana Jones is rendered with exceptional detail. His iconic outfit—fedora, leather jacket, and whip—is instantly recognizable, while facial expressions bring Indy’s character to life. Supporting characters, including villains and allies, are equally well-designed.
4. Sound Design and Voice Acting
Sound plays a significant role in immersing players in Indy’s world.
Music: John Williams’ classic Indiana Jones theme makes a triumphant return, accompanied by original orchestral tracks that elevate the game’s emotional highs and tense moments.
Voice Acting: Troy Baker’s performance as Indiana Jones is pitch-perfect. He balances humor, wit, and grit, capturing the essence of the beloved character. Supporting characters, including villains, are voiced with equal care.
Sound Effects: Environmental sounds—like creaking wood, distant whispers, and the crack of Indy’s whip—add to the tension and atmosphere.
5. Immersive Environments
The environments are more than just backdrops—they are integral to the gameplay and narrative. Each location is filled with rich visual storytelling:
Vatican: Crypts and catacombs reveal long-forgotten secrets hidden beneath centuries of history.
Thailand: Overgrown temples teem with wildlife, deadly traps, and mystical carvings.
Egypt: Labyrinthine tombs test players’ skills with traps and environmental puzzles.
Shanghai: The city’s narrow alleys and rooftops offer thrilling chases and stealth opportunities.
6. Replayability and Collectibles
Replayability is one of the game’s strongest aspects.
Collectibles: Hidden artifacts, journals, and relics encourage players to explore every nook and cranny.
Alternative Routes: Levels offer multiple paths, allowing players to approach challenges in different ways.
Difficulty Options: Higher difficulties add new challenges, including tougher enemies and more complex puzzles.
7. Performance and Technical Aspects
The game runs smoothly across all platforms, with excellent optimization for modern hardware. Highlights include:
4K and Ray Tracing: High-resolution visuals with realistic lighting effects.
Immersive and engaging narrative that captures the spirit of Indiana Jones.
Stunning visuals and meticulously designed environments.
Challenging and satisfying puzzles with clever traps.
High replayability with collectibles and alternative routes.
Excellent sound design and voice acting, led by Troy Baker.
Cons:
Combat mechanics, while functional, lack depth compared to other action games.
Occasional pacing issues in longer exploration sections.
Limited variety of enemy types, leading to some repetitive encounters.
8. Final Verdict
Indiana Jones and the Great Circle successfully captures the essence of the Indiana Jones franchise. Its combination of exploration, puzzles, and narrative-driven gameplay makes it a standout title in the action-adventure genre.
Customer reviews for Indiana Jones and the Great Circle
If you love Indiana Jones.. if you love games that push exploration and discovery over shoot outs... if you love tomb raider.. this game is brilliant. It is a love letter to fans. It is gorgeous and well done. Just finished the main content and will be starting the DLC shortly. I hope there is more coming soon from this franchise and developer.
PS, I have been to several locations in game through Italy and Africa. The Vatican was very period accurate for some things. I could even walk down certain streets in game and they were exactly like they were in real life. Actual photos to prove the accuracy. That attention to detail just put it on another level.
Indiana Jones was a huge part of my childhood. I never thought an Indiana Jones game of this quality would ever be made, let alone another Indiana Jones game. Any one who is fond of the films, or is just interested in a super detailed puzzle/adventure/stealth game should absolutely check this out!
I really love this game. It's genuinely so good and I wasn't expecting that at all. Story is great, stealth is alright, puzzles are well-made but often a bit too easy and the hand-to-hand combat might be one of the best I've experienced. Voice acting is splendid. Surprising amount of content as well! I would buy this even at full price - it's a great experience. 10/10
Love letter to Indy fans! This game 7 hours in, has soooo much to offer and sooo many things to do! SO MANY THINGS! You will never be bored playing this game. They did Indy right.
One of the best games I've ever played. Perfect mix of exploration, puzzles, collectables, and combat. I especially love how accurate to the films they made the game. And the puzzles are the perfect blend of hard but not too difficult. The graphics also are absolutely gorgeous. I hope MachineGames continues with this franchise for further games.
Amazing experience! The story and characters are done very well. Each level is absolutely stunning and I often found myself admiring the scenery. The exploration and puzzles are super fun, although not very challenging. Combat is simple and can feel a bit clunky sometimes but once you get the hang of chaining moves, it's not too bad. I would 100% recommend this game if you're a fan of the Indiana Jones franchise or enjoy great level scenery and puzzles!
One of the best games I've ever played. Perfect mix of exploration, puzzles, collectables, and combat. I especially appreciate how you can collect every single achievement on a single playthrough, and how you can do everything without having to restart the game. And the puzzles are the perfect blend of hard but not too difficult. This game scratches every itch for me from exploring, to looting, to thinking. 10/10 for me
I got this game because I love the old Indiana Jones movies...AND MAN THIS FEELS LIKE IT CAME OUT IN THE EARLY 90s!! The story I mean. The atmosphere! Its AWESOME if you love Indiana!Theres alot to explore and alot to find. Secrets are EVERYWHERE! I mean its Indiana, thats what he does... finds secrets! Theres so much to see and do just when an area begins to overstay its welcome you are introduced to a new awesome area with great atmosphere.It even features some over the top silly sci fi like from the movies. It was a great ride the whole time and I wholeheartedly recommend this game to fans of adventure games. Its a great adventure and Machinegames knocked it out of the park!!!
I didn't think this game would have any issues on my very powerful laptop, but I may have underestimated Bethesda's capacity to screw over their fans. It worked perfectly for 2 hours till I reached the Vatican, (coincidentally the EXACT time steam turns down refunds when played that length of time) then said "failed to allocate video memory" and crashed consistently despite 10+ hours of debugging. What is even more rich is Bethesda support will tell you your PC is not capable of running it when an Xbox actually has less than the specs it calls for and runs as perfectly as the first two hours did for me. This is easily as painful as fallout 3 and NV's absolutely insane hoops needed to be gone through just to play. Thanks for ruining a weekend Bethesda.
That DLC is NOT worth $20. the main game is excellent enough, but if you dont buy the premium edition the DLC is a scam. avoid it. 3 hours of content at best.
Great, this has quickly become one of my favorite story-based games. Hours passed; I was captivated. Machine Games has a great track record for producing amazing titles, this is most definitely one of them.Indiana Jones was not let down, the way he's been written is very faithful to the character. Other characters are also thoughtfully crafted, making for a very engaging experience while playing. There's a lot of variation in locations you will be making your way through, and in traditional Machine Games style, you can choose if you want to be a stealthy menace or an All Guns (whips) Blazing powerhouse.If I had drop one criticism, I would have to say there are some bugs when you're attempting a 100% run... For example, there are icons on the map that lead you to points of interest for one of the games mechanics. They often still remain even after you have collected what it was representing. This does make getting the collectibles slightly more frustrating.Overall an absolute banger of a game, well worth your time...
I didn't love the gameplay but the story, performances and the feel were great. They absolutely nailed the Indy feel and the voice work is spectacular - still struggle to believe it's not Harrison Ford. Very enjoyable for Indy fans, perhaps not so much for others.
Despite being on the easiest mode of the game, the guards would repeatedly spawn in, causing a very 'fair' 20 versus one. Not to mention, if you shoot such as a singular shot the entire continent find you and you're specific location. Leading out to an all out brawl with me dying due to being able to only use a wooden stick for protection. As for the amour on the guards, you would've thought you can shoot them with a 12 gauge shotgun and they would die or fall to the ground... nope just get shot and act as if feather bullets hit them, to be blunt to not worth 60 quid. Never the less to be fair despite all of this a very good game overall.
The game is good. I won't lie. When the game came out my computer could run it without a problem, but with every update it ran worse. Now, with the release of the dlc and fancy new hair rtx; it crashes on launch. I guess if you have a gigacomputer this isn't a problem, but I doubt i'm in the minority here. pls optimize the game. It was fine how it was.
Just completed the main story for this game and can say I am more than pleasantly surprised. Lucasfilm has not been exactly quality lately so I waited a while to play this one.The Pros - The story is excellent. It captures the spirit of the original trilogy but adds some great new flavor to it. The main protagonists you meet are fun and compelling while the antagonists are some of the best written villains I have seen in years. The main story is fairly long, but does not overstay its welcome. There are moments I was completely jaw dropped from the spectacle as well!The Cons - The animations are rather clunky, up to the point that some cutscenes can be a little comical. The AI is also not exactly the smartest out there but it's not game breaking. On the narrative side, there are quite a few "modernisms" that don't exactly fit the time period, one character in particular felt more like something out of Far Cry than Indiana Jones. Again, not game breaking but it was noticeable enough to break my immersion for a minute.Overall I highly recommend this game and regret waiting so long to give it a go, definitely grab a copy!
What a shitty gameplay, all you do is sneaking around, getting killed. As there is ONLY ONE WAY TO SUCCEED you have to do the same bloody thing again,and again, and again, and again, and again, and again, and again, and again, and again, and again, and again, and again, and again, and again, and again, and again, and again, and again, and again, and again, and again, and again, and again, and again, and again.
the gladiator maze puzzle it ruined the dlc for me as i could not complete it nor could i skip it a total waste of money for dlc i am pissed!!! the game i finished!