Indiana Jones and the Great Circle Review

Indiana Jones... What does that remind you of? High-stake adventure? Action? The thrill of unearthing ancient mysteries? Developed by a talented group of people at MachineGames and published by Bethesda Softworks, Indiana Jones and the Great Circle brings the legendary archaeologist into the realm of gaming. Known for their gripping work on the Wolfenstein series, MachineGames is assigned to adapt the Indiana Jones franchise with an original action-adventure story from the flavor of classic films that we grew up loving into a playable adaptation.

Indiana Jones and the Great Circle seeks to capture the magic of Indiana Jones, from its exhilarating chases to its treasure-filled puzzles. While recent films like Kingdom of the Crystal Skull and Dial of Destiny have left fans divided, The Great Circle promises a fresh take, with MachineGames delivering a high-flying adventure that channels the best of the franchise's glory days.

Featuring a thrilling mix of Nazi-punching action, daring escapes, and ancient mysteries, Indiana Jones and the Great Circle is a bold attempt to revive Indy's gaming legacy. But does it live up to its cinematic roots, MachineGames' stellar reputation, and all the hype it built over the past few months?

Indiana Jones and the Great Circle kicks off with some recognizable moments that feel like a nod to the past. As someone who could reenact a lot of the scenes from the films as a kid, I found it a thrill to experience these sequences in a game.

While the opening isn't groundbreaking, it successfully evokes nostalgia. The first locations, like Marshall College and a Nazi encampment in Vatican City, however, feel fairly modest compared to the grandeur of later stages, such as the Greater Vatican area and Giza.

The early game doesn't quite capture Indiana Jones's larger-than-life essence. That changes dramatically once the story reaches Giza, where the adventure truly hits its stride. Without giving too much away—because this section is undeniably the highlight of the game—Giza delivers everything a nostalgic fan could hope for and more. 

When in Giza, the gameplay and storytelling seem to intertwine more closely; adventuring in caves, tracking down clues, finding artifacts, and unlocking secret rooms felt the most Indy-esque. These moments are graced with engaging cinematics that focus on character dynamics and will serve to set the stage for impactful later scenes. This is where Indiana Jones and the Great Circle shakes out its identity - that of capturing the adventurous spirit of the franchise.

Indiana Jones may be the main character, but the supporting cast is just as captivating. One of these notables is Gina Lombardi, the journalist role played by Alessandra Mastrardi. She is both a sharp foil and an important partner to Dr. Jones for the entire ride. Similarly impressive is Emer Voss, a commanding Nazi archaeologist brought to life by Marios Scaves, whose presence as the main antagonist of the game is impossible to ignore and steals the spotlight with every appearance.

Indiana Jones and the Great Circle doesn't disappoint in the gameplay department either, though it might not be what you'd initially expect. Unlike the fast-paced, linear action adventures associated with Indiana Jones-inspired franchises like Uncharted and Tomb Raider, this game takes a different approach—though it does incorporate some of those familiar elements. At the same time, it's far from the explosive shooter style MachineGames is typically known for.

Indiana Jones and the Great Circle stands apart from the Wolfenstein series in significant ways. While it is primarily a first-person game and does feature firearms, it's not a first-person shooter at its core. Instead, the game leans heavily into exploration, puzzles, and stealth, creating a unique blend of mechanics. It feels like a classic adventure game reimagined with modern AAA sensibilities, mixing in immersive elements, chaotic melee combat, and creative stealth mechanics to deliver a distinctly engaging experience.

I was pleasantly surprised to find that the combat in Indiana Jones and the Great Circle is anything but clunky. Sneaking up on enemies and using a variety of weapons to deliver satisfying strikes is a lot of fun, and the animations are solid; I loved seeing the goofy animations after every hit, especially with the whip. When combat escalates to full-blown fistfights, it's not the most polished system out there, but it's far from bad.

I especially enjoyed using the whip during combat—it's great for parrying and attacking enemies, and it kept the action feeling fluid and engaging. It never felt tedious or awkward. While I didn't rely much on guns, preferring to take a stealthy approach and use objects to neutralize enemies, the gunplay is serviceable and does its job when needed. I just found that my whip and makeshift weapons, like an old broomstick, were more fun to wield.

Indiana Jones and the Great Circle does an excellent job of bringing everything together seamlessly, staying true to the essence of Indiana Jones. Take combat, for example: while you're often equipped with a pistol and can pick up other firearms, gunfire is typically a last resort. This is not only due to limited ammo but also because the game encourages you to explore alternative methods for handling conflict.

As for the stealth mechanics, they were surprisingly well-executed. The stealth feels intuitive and fair—enemies don't instantly know your location, and if they spot you, you'll see a marker begin to fill. If you stay in their line of sight too long, they'll fire at you, but it always felt reasonable.

However, the enemy AI in Indiana Jones and the Great Circle is a real letdown; even on the hardest difficulty, I could easily exploit the AI and breeze through crowds of enemies. Early on, most of the combat revolves around melee fighting, but as you progress, you'll be able to pick up various weapons. However, it's frustrating that you can't hold onto these weapons for long. 

This leads to one of Indiana Jones and the Great Circle's most glaring issues: the constant need to drop items. For some reason, Indy refuses to hold anything—whether it's a lighter or a camera, or even when climbing a ladder or opening a lock. He'll drop whatever he's holding, which becomes a real nuisance.

Indiana Jones and the Great Circle also feature a bunch of puzzles, which play a crucial role in the overall experience. Many puzzles are spread across main missions, side quests, and exploration, and they are often well-crafted. Although I'm not really a fan of games like these, which feature a lot of puzzles to the point, they seem kind of forced (cough, cough, Silent Hill 2...) These were alright, and if you do weirdly get annoyed, they can be fairly easy to solve as well.

The design encourages you to observe the environment and figure out what you need to do, allowing the solutions to emerge naturally, and it kind of feels satisfying. While this might sound straightforward, it's rare for games to execute this well, but The Great Circle does so brilliantly. It truly makes you feel like you're stepping into Indy's shoes.

One aspect of Indiana Jones and the Great Circle is rather odd is its progression system. Players collect books to unlock skills, which can be purchased from Adventure Points. While some unlocks tend to feel pretty useful, the game has very little of an actual challenge that would require anything but the core mechanics.

As such, progression usually seems rather unnecessary. So much so that if it were completely taken out, nothing too huge would be lost from the whole experience. During encounters, the immersion falters when you're holding a torch and can still sneak up behind a guard unnoticed or defeat enemies using the same repetitive techniques throughout the game.

On the other hand, Indiana Jones and the Great Circle excels in its level design; It features a blend of linear, cinematic sections and more open-ended, exploration-focused areas. The more directed sequences offer thrilling set pieces typical of an Indiana Jones adventure, while the semi-open-world maps, set in locations like the Vatican, Egypt, and Sukhothai, are impressively designed. These areas are packed with well-crafted side quests, addictive collectibles, and numerous mysteries.

Indiana Jones and the Great Circle also stand out visually and technically. While it may not be groundbreaking in terms of looks, it's certainly a good-looking game. What's more impressive is its technical stability—aside from a few rare and minor visual bugs, I encountered almost no issues during my time with The Great Circle. And on top of that, the game runs really well. The immersive soundtrack and dialogue are simply lovely, and combined with the cutscenes, it makes you feel like you're in a movie.

Indiana Jones and the Great Circle is an adventure game that manages to bring flair while trying to fit into a genre that is pretty stacked. It steers clear of being an Uncharted clone and instead delivers a unique, fun experience. From leaping between planes to hilariously outwitting enemies with a whip, the game captures the essence of what makes Indiana Jones such an icon.

Despite its flaws, whether it be the underwhelming AI or the repetitive melee combat, this game manages to take you back in time to a time when forgotten tombs and ancient relics filled your imagination. 

For those of us who grew up chasing adventure, Indiana Jones and the Great Circle rekindles the joy of discovery. It reminds us that, just like Indy's iconic motto, adventure isn't always polished or predictable—it's about the memories we make along the way. This game, with all its mileage, is a journey worth embarking on.