Legendary archaeologist/grave robber Indiana Jones returns in a new Nazi-thrashing romp across the world, bridging the gap between Raiders and Last Crusade in epic style. MachineGames’ new adventure title is a lovingly crafted tribute to the cranky adventurer, seeing Indy whip, shoot and punch his way into a classic conspiracy, attempting to stop the Axis powers from getting their hands on an ancient power that could rewrite the world as we know it. You can expect gorgeous graphics, that legendary soundtrack and some of the finest voice acting in a long time (Troy Baker more than earning his chops aping Harrison Ford!)
Is this game good? Well, I’d say it belongs in a museum!
True story, friends, I haven’t watched an Indiana Jones movie in over a decade. It’s not like I’ve been avoiding them like the good doctor would avoid a snake, it is more that I just haven’t felt that itch in a long time. I mean sure, Dial of Destiny is supposed to be decent (better than Crystal Skull at any rate) but eh, I don’t know, I just feel like Harrison Ford isn’t at the top of his game anymore, let alone any of the other players in those movies.
But then I heard rumours about a new Indiana Jones game in the works, developed by MachineGames, a studio I deeply respect as a fan of the recent Wolfenstein games and, back when they were StarBreeze Studios, The Darkness. Even better, it was going to be downloadable on my GamePass subscription! Nice!
Well, the game has been out since 9th December 2024. I have downloaded it, played it and, yeah, I have unearthed many thoughts and opinions, like ancient relics from the sands of Egypt!
First musing here, The Great Circle is one gorgeous-looking game. I was playing it on my Series X and the scenery, objects and character models all look stunning. The first thing to really catch your eye is the familiar faces – you are playing as Indy around the time of Raiders and The Last Crusade and MachineGames have done an outstanding job of realising this. It pretty much is a younger Harrison Ford on your screen, featuring alongside other familiar faces like Marcus and that bloke who tries to stitch Indy up at the start of Raiders. And wow, is that the late, great Tony Todd as well?
Best of all, the backdrops to the adventure are all beautiful too. Whether it’s a Nazi zeppelin over the Vatican, a thick heat haze obscuring the Great Pyramid of Giza or the oppressive rainforest of Thailand, there is plenty to get immersed in here. My favourite level is the Himalayas, which somehow features snowy mountains, a Kriegsmarine warship, and a brief tour of Shanghai, all in the space of an hour. Talk about video game tourism.
Sound is another treasure, and yes it should belong in a museum. The soundtrack is bombastic when it needs to be, atmospheric more often than not and often uses musical styles relevant to the region Indy is currently exploring. Voice acting is also a standout, with strong performances from every character. Special props go to Alessandra Mastronardi as Gina, Marios Gavrilis as the evil Voss and, delivering perhaps the most perfect Ford impression I have ever heard, the immortal Troy Baker as Indiana.
Gameplay in The Great Circle is immersive, easy to pick up and, most importantly, fun. Indy spends the game globetrotting, visiting several hub maps where he can advance the story, find side tasks, and gather equipment and skill books to level up his skills. Each area has a different gang of fascists to thrash, though stealth is advised as Indy will not last long in a drawn-out fight. There are guns, but they are noisy and messy, so getting your fists to make contact with Nazi face is ideal.
It’s not all fighting, though. Just like in the movies, Indy will be getting stuck with plenty of puzzles, running the gamut from decoding Enigma messages, solving light-based puzzles in Egypt and moving pipes around to channel water into various ancient machines in Thailand. Some of them were very taxing and admittedly I had to consult the oracle (Google) on one or two, but the rest were just challenging enough that I could work them out myself. I felt really clever when I did too!
There isn’t much to bring up in criticism here, but I still want to mention a few points. While the main quests in each region are gripping, and the side quests also kept me immersed and entertained throughout, the treasure/medicine-hunting quests that exist on each map can become rather tedious. Even when Indy is successfully disguised and has a map showing all the item locations, traipsing around the desert, jungle or Vatican City can get a little boring. It is also worth stating that this Indiana Jones adventure doesn’t reinvent the wheel here. There are no revolutionary new approaches to adventure gaming, but what it does do is weld many different existing concepts together very well.
Anyway, that’s enough waffling from me. My recommendation is this: if you are going to buy just one game from 2024, make sure it’s Indiana Jones and the Great Circle. Just do not pirate it, or ghosts will come out of your hard drive and 100% melt your face!
Some call him Winst0lf, others the Bizzaro Mage, and some people just call him Craig. Whatever you wish to call him, he’s a writer, reviewer and podcaster, all while somehow maintaining a day job. Maybe one day he won’t have to… one day…
