Not only is Raiders of the Lost Ark my favorite Indiana Jones movie, it’s one of my favorite movies of all time. It also tends to absorb everything else this franchise has to offer. I’ve played games up to Indiana Jones and the Fate of Atlantis, Infernal Machines, Tomb of the Emperor, and even Staff of Kings.
The Uncharted series is actually my favorite game series, but I was really intrigued by it at first. That’s because the idea was to provide a similar treasure hunting and globetrotting experience in video game form. As you can imagine, Indiana Jones and the Great Circle has captured my attention since it was announced in 2021.
Now that I’m finally here, I can safely say I’ve played the best Indiana Jones game of all time. That’s a big ask, but let’s try one more thing. That may not seem like a high bar these days, but this is the best Indiana Jones property of any kind we’ve had since the original trilogy of movies.
But it’s also a great game in its own right, thanks to its functional and versatile gameplay mechanics. As far as the script and character development go, combine it all with an original story that feels like it belongs in the best movies. I think it’s safe to say that the team at Machine Games has created one of the best adventure games ever made. In recent memory.
adventure around the globe
Indiana Jones and the Great Circle takes place between 1937’s Raiders of the Lost Ark and The Last Crusade. I don’t want to spoil it, but after an incredible introductory sequence, we see Indy wake up in the middle of the night at Marshall University. He discovers that a mysterious person has broken into the university’s museum and stolen a very important artifact.
This event immediately sets Indy off on a globe-trotting adventure in search of this relic, but he soon finds himself in a much larger space where the world’s most famous landmarks are all connected by a single line around the world. Expand into a large-scale story. Exploring locations as diverse as the Vatican, Egypt, the Himalayas, Shanghai, Thailand, and Iraq feels like a given, and the adventure itself is filled with witty writing and the stories of Indy and his encounters around the world. It is filled with many connections and genuine relationships with friends.
But for much of the journey, Indy is accompanied by fellow journalist Ginetta “Gina” Lombardi, but for different reasons. She wants to find her sister, who seems to be caught in the same web that the protagonists are. Gina is certainly a standout as far as her performance and writing are concerned. Indy and her relationship develops in a way that feels natural as they begin to discuss deeper topics about their lives as the story progresses. There were also some emotional scenes between the two of them, which choked me up a bit.
Voice actor Alessandra Mastronardi does a great job as Gina, but I’d be lying if I said voice actor Troy Baker didn’t steal the show. This time, the voice of Indiana Jones is creepy and creepy, with how much Baker resembles Indy, even sounding like a young Harrison Ford depending on how you cut it. I honestly think that’s the best compliment I can give, because so many times I forgot I was listening to a performance or interpretation of Indiana Jones.
It wouldn’t be an Indiana Jones story without another antagonistic force competing for the same answers. Emmerich Voss, a Nazi archaeologist trying to track down the Great Sphere powers of the Third Reich, is a decent villain. It’s always interesting to see how two similarly minded people can interpret the same thing differently. I’m impressed by his wit and intelligence, as he not only outsmarts Indy over and over again, but also weasels his way through his own circumstances in the process.
I don’t feel like talking about the story any further, but believe me when I say this is a fascinating, unique, wonderfully written vehicle, and one of the best Indiana Jones stories we’ve ever seen. Please.
slap on slapstick
Indiana Jones and the Great Circle does a great job of making players feel like Indiana Jones, but it’s not just a first-person perspective. For the most part, gameplay is divided into several key pillars, such as combat, traversal, and puzzle solving.
When it comes to combat, you have several items at your disposal to complete the job. You’ll have your trusty whip and revolver by your side, but this game surprisingly requires you to use your fists more than anything else. You can pick up certain items around you to gain an advantage, like hammers, shovels, and bottles, but the game just wants you to feel like you’re up against a group of enemies.
When unarmed, use the left and right triggers to throw punches, and also dodge, block, and counter-shot, which are essential to defeating enemies. Indy has to manage his stamina for everything he does, so there’s no benefit in throwing hooks indiscriminately to kill enemies. Melee weapons scattered around will also break after a few hits, so you usually have to play smart. Still, I simply love that iconic blow you hear when your enemy’s jaw rotates a few times, straight out of the movie.
In this regard, the game does a great job of encouraging you to take advantage of every advantage at your disposal. Yes, this includes revolvers and whips. The whip is a great tool that can be used for a variety of purposes in combat. For example, you can disarm enemies, trip them up, or even pull them off a ledge when they’re high up. Certain enemies patrol areas with guard dogs, and you can also scare them away with the crack of a whip or the sound of a gunshot.
tools of trade
Although you usually have a revolver on hand, this game is not a first-person shooter. It’s very effective at eliminating enemies quickly, but it also makes a hell of a lot of noise. You’re basically alerting all enemies in the area to your presence, and the problem only grows from there. There are certain segments where you have no choice but to pick up weapons from fallen soldiers and fire, but it’s much less common than you’d think.
When you’re not punching or whipping Nazi or Fascist soldiers in the face, most of your time is spent traversing and exploring. Each country you visit typically has its own hub world, with open areas that Indy can explore to find secrets, meet new allies, and take on additional side quests. But beyond that, the game does a great job of allowing indies to get the most out of their tools. The whip can be used not only to cross gaps, but also to climb higher places. Each location typically has a fair amount of verticality, giving it some utility.
You’ll also notice that the camera frequently switches between first and third person views as you move around. The game is primarily played from a first-person perspective, but when Indy is swinging around with a whip, climbing ledges, or manipulating mechanisms during puzzles, the camera switches to a third-person perspective. Interestingly, I never found this awkward or distracting and was immediately hooked.
When in combat or not walking around, Indy can even disguise himself to avoid certain areas, but be aware that these disguises are by no means foolproof and can get you in trouble once you start taking action. Please.
Finally, Indy can also find hidden books about each environment to upgrade his abilities. You can also track collectibles and take pictures with your camera to earn what the game calls Adventure Points. These points can be used to unlock certain abilities once these books are found. There are some standard abilities, like throwing a more powerful punch or being able to hold more ammo for your firearm, but there are also some great abilities, like the Lucky Hat. The lucky hat gives Indy the chance to grab the hat once for a second chance. cutscenes etc.
“X” never marks a spot
Of course, we haven’t forgotten about the many puzzles that need to be solved in Indiana Jones and the Great Circle. I don’t want to spoil anything, but I think most of them do a great job of presenting enough challenges without being frustrating or long-winded.
There are usually enough notes and information found within the area to help, and if things get a little difficult, players can also take photos of objects in the environment for additional hints. But throughout, none of the puzzles feel repetitive. I had a hard time remembering when I had to solve the same puzzle twice. As a result, these sections are crafted well enough to be consistently enjoyable.
look at the part
Indiana Jones and the Great Circle looks really great. The lighting effects and ray tracing look great, and the character models are generally accurate, especially when it comes to Indy himself. The Xbox Series X version of the game sports a dynamic 1800p resolution, but is typically locked at 60 FPS. There are some frame rate drops here and there, but they’re rarely annoyingly stable.
On Xbox Series X, texture pop-ins appear when moving through open areas, but I don’t think they appear often enough. Players will get slightly better resolution and ray tracing on PC, but note that they will need beefier hardware to reach higher standards.
Lastly, I would also like to give a shout out to the game’s score by composer Gordie Herb. Gordie Herb has managed to create something familiar from the swells of Raiders March while enhancing the experience with a large list of new songs. John Williams would be proud.
final thoughts
Indiana Jones and the Great Circle feels like it was made by people who understand both the character and the broader series. Even when he’s not doing anything special, he’s consistently charming and witty. Just being present in every corner of this world feels authentic and almost perfectly planned.
That being said, it’s a great game in its own right. From the gritty combat to the functional exploration and traversal, even the minor gripes make this one of the best Indiana Jones properties since the original trilogy of movies, and one of the best games of the year. This does not detract from this work.
5 stars (out of 5 stars)
Highlights: Great narration and voice performance. It has engaging gameplay and lots of unique puzzles to solve. Sophisticated visuals. Numerous locations to explore
Cons: Melee combat is a bit confusing when multiple enemies are involved. Multiple texture pop-ins can occur in open environments
Developer: Machine Games
Publisher: Bethesda Softworks
Platform: Xbox Series X/S, Windows PC, Game Pass
Available: Currently
Review was conducted on Xbox Series X using a pre-release code provided by the publisher.