Indiana Jones and the Great Circle – Review

The Surprise of 2024

This review wasn't supposed to be in GRIND IV… I thought I'd get away with just a short piece on Silent Hill 2. I say “short” not because the game isn't good, or because I wouldn't have anything to write about it, but simply because I don't particularly enjoy writing, especially after reading an article by Vlad, Aidan, CioLAN, or other masters of the digital pen. Yet, here it is in GRIND IV, an article about this wonderful end-of-year release: Indiana Jones and the Great Circle… which has a rather long title, if you ask me.

A game from which I had zero expectations; in fact, I'd say the balance tipped to the left, into negative territory. I don't even remember exactly where I saw the first trailer or the first announcement about the game – possibly at that Xbox show held online this summer. But the point is, it didn't blow me away in any respect. It seemed like a generic adventure game, nothing special. What's more, the first-person perspective made the adventure feel like it was initially conceived for VR devices, and in the last few months of development, the studio decided to turn it into a classic PC and console title. It's not often I'm wrong when it comes to first impressions of a video game… but, boy, oh boy, did I get shafted with Indiana Jones…

If I were to look back at 2024 from a gamer's perspective, I'd say it was a… balanced year. Not as good as 2023, when I literally couldn't keep up with so many excellent releases like: The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom, Baldur’s Gate 3, Pikmin 4, Marvel’s Spider-Man 2 and Hogwarts Legacy. But it turns out the second half of this year brought a series of small surprises. Among the coolest titles are: Astro Bot, Metaphor: ReFantazio, Silent Hill 2, Dragon Age: Veil… I'm kidding! Calm down! And last but not least, Indiana Jones and the Great Circle, which we're talking about today.

From the Big Screen to Your Laptop, Monitor, or TV

I don't know if you have any nostalgic experience with the Indiana Jones films… but in my case, I remember watching them on PRO TV when I was in primary school. I still have several scenes from the classic trilogy clearly etched in my mind, especially the dark scenes from Temple of Doom (the second film), when Indy was trying to sneak past the Thuggee cultists to steal the legendary Sankara stones… only to return them to the villagers of Mayapore and save the day. I wouldn't say my nostalgia for the Indiana Jones series is as strong as it is for the Star Wars universe, but it's there in my TOP 5: alongside Lord of the Rings and Harry Potter. You simply can't help but love an artistic product bearing the signature of the acclaimed duo – Steven Spielberg and George Lucas! In my case, without their creation, my childhood wouldn't have been as “colourful”, and my imagination certainly much poorer.

Just a few days before the launch of The Great Circle, I took advantage of the weekend and rewatched some of the Indiana Jones films to get back into that charming atmosphere and refresh my memory. Just like the classic Star Wars trilogy, the first three Indiana Jones films are enjoyable and perfectly watchable even at the end of 2024, when cinema is exploding with meticulously rendered special effects, top-notch CGI, and all sorts of other digital details. Maybe I'm just more nostalgic by nature, but films produced in the '80s have something special. It's comparable to the effect a pixelated game from the '90s has. As DOSBoi Aidan would say: “you want to lick the screen when you see those perfectly arranged pixels, on an 800 x 600 resolution, on a CRT monitor.” That's exactly how I felt last weekend when I rewatched those three films.

Perhaps you're wondering why I've made this long digression about the cinematic aspect when we should be talking about the game?! It's simple: because Indiana Jones and the Great Circle is a film disguised as a video game. It sounds strange, but believe me, it's a good thing. From my point of view, Bethesda and the developers at MachineGames have managed to strike the perfect balance between the magic a film offers and the specific dynamics of a video game. I'm almost jealous that we still don't have a studio that puts so much passion and mastery into a title from the Star Wars universe… Of course, we already have many good games from George Lucas's galactic series, but nothing that rises to the level of Indiana Jones and the Great Circle. The attention to detail is fantastic, and the transposition from film to game is as faithful as possible to the essence of everything that represents the universe hosting the famous archaeologist with his hat and whip.

Speaking of films, the game is chronologically set between Raiders of the Lost Ark, the first film released in 1981, and the third film, titled The Last Crusade, released 8 years later. If you're wondering what's up with the second film, well, the action is set before the first, sometime around 1935, so it falls outside the relevant timeline for this title. I won't go into story details to avoid revealing key moments from the game – I don't intend to spoil the surprise for you. What I will do, however, is mention two random locations a bit later. Furthermore, I want to emphasise that The Great Circle captures the atmosphere and style specific to 1930s films incredibly well – the basic reference for everything bearing the Indiana Jones signature.

XBOX Strikes Back…

I don't think there's ever been a better time to be a Game Pass subscriber. At least with the new day-one releases, Microsoft is worth almost every penny. Among these available titles, we briefly mention: Call of Duty Black Ops 6, Modern Warfare III (good for multiplayer, the campaign was “meh”), S.T.A.L.K.E.R. 2 Heart of Chernobyl and, obviously, Indiana Jones and the Great Circle. Plus, next year we'll get Avowed, DOOM: The Dark Ages, and many other titles that are already shaping up to be very interesting and highly anticipated by gamers. It's the cheapest way to try and even play through dozens of very good titles, without bothering with changing discs (I'm referring to the physical format), or paying the full price of £60+ for a freshly released game… only to conclude that you don't like it, or that it's not polished enough, and be out of pocket. Especially with the appearance of the title we're talking about today, I feel 100% at peace with the money invested in my 1-year subscription and the fact that I can play the coolest titles of recent months on one of my favourite consoles — and even on my office PC!

This summer, I bought an Xbox Series X, largely influenced by the Xbox Games Showcase and the titles Microsoft revealed then. The show was only one of the reasons; the truth is, I'd wanted this console for a long time so I could retire my old Xbox One. For a while, I thought it wasn't the smartest decision, as my new Series X stayed mostly off… but its time to shine has finally come. On this occasion, I can tell you that Indiana Jones runs almost perfectly. It has 60 frames per second, I haven't noticed any visible stuttering, and the graphics are absolutely superb. Without exaggerating, I think it's one of the best-looking titles this year, and believe me, I've played at least 80% of the most recent triple-A releases. I haven't had the chance to test it on PC yet, but from what I've seen on YouTube, the game is quite well-optimised and should run decently on any setup built in the last 4 years. This shows the developers' attention to game optimisation, something rarer lately and appreciated when this aspect is also emphasised. Next, I'd like to talk in more detail about the game, how the story is told, the quality of the gameplay, as well as the weaknesses I've identified and my personal conclusion for Indiana Jones and the Great Circle.

City Break in the Vatican

The game has one of the most nostalgic introductions, which in reality masks a short tutorial to familiarise you with the control mechanics. As perfectly as possible, The Great Circle throws you straight into the action at the beginning of the first film – where Indy, along with two (rather treacherous) assistants, traverses the jungle in search of hidden treasure. If you've seen the film, you already know what happens next: Indy enters a mysterious cave, manages to bypass traps, replaces the golden idol with a bag of sand, then flees pursued by a giant rolling boulder. In the end, he manages to escape unharmed, his hat still on his head. After the action concludes, Dr. Jones (as he's also called in the films) wakes up in his office at Marshall College: at which point we can say the story of The Great Circle begins. Some strange things happen here, but I won't go into details to avoid spoilers. What I can tell you is that Indy, motivated by what happened that evening at the college, packs his bags and sets off on a new adventure.

The first stop is Rome, specifically the Pope's city – the Vatican. I tell you, the locations in the game are excellently crafted, almost ripped straight from the Indiana Jones films. There are several mini-episodes in each city you land in (literally), and the maps are quite well-designed – so you don't have to travel very long distances, but also so you don't get bored or feel claustrophobic. Every detail is meticulously crafted. And at least in the Vatican, it's a pleasure to explore every nook and cranny and stop from time to time to take a photo. Yes, I'm not kidding, in each new area you find a useful tool specific to that location – and in the first one, in the Vatican, you receive a camera that you must use to complete certain missions and small tasks.

Speaking of missions, they are designed on the classic system: meaning we have main objectives, but also small secondary tasks that help us “grind” to receive money and points so we can improve Indy's abilities. When you get to the mission that sends you to the Vatican, you absolutely must make a stop or pilgrimage to the Sistine Chapel and admire Michelangelo's work – in the rendered version by the Motor engine used by MachineGames, which is based on iD Tech 7. Thank me later! What's cool about Indiana Jones and the Great Circle, also regarding missions, is that they can be approached in multiple ways. For example, you can disguise yourself as a Catholic priest to pass unnoticed by guards, and some of them even respond with “Salve, padre!”, or you can sneak down a side alley in the Vatican, then climb some boxes to walk on the rooftops of buildings to the point of interest. I've seen some consider the game a sort of Dishonored from the perspective of this climbing and vertical/horizontal exploration mechanic, but probably the most representative aspect would be the stealth mechanic.

I Know How to Fight, I've Been Beaten Before…

Since Indiana Jones and The Great Circle is an adventure game that encourages exploration and puzzle-solving, combat isn't its strong suit, nor is it intended to be. I'm not making statements in anyone's defence – my argument is that such a game should be played in stealth mode. Plus, even in the films, Indy wasn't much of a brawler… He knew “karate” and how to throw punches left and right, but where he excelled was solving mysteries and charming women. Still, the game lets you fight whoever you want, especially if they have a red armband and a black uniform, but I don't think it's the most entertaining way to experience such a title.

I prefer a hybrid approach: if there are no more than two enemies, I'll jump into a fight, otherwise I'll stay quiet and sneak around. Speaking of which, here I could highlight a negative aspect of the game, perhaps the only one: the fact that enemies are too careless and oblivious to the events happening around them. If you're fighting one soldier and his comrade is 2 metres away, most of the time he won't see you, so you can easily confront each one individually, on the system of: queue up, boys, grandpa has enough for everyone! Maybe things change when you choose a higher combat difficulty… I haven't tested it yet. Another gameplay aspect that can be annoying at times, but which doesn't bother me personally, is having to press a button for each mini-action performed. To explain it better, when you open a door, you have to press “right arrow” to take out the key, then “X” to insert that key into the door, and then rotate the right stick of the controller right or left to complete the action. You basically press three buttons just to open a door. As I said, personally I don't find it annoying, I try to understand the game, especially since it's an adventure and such actions are part of the style and charm of this genre.

Regarding combat, I'd also mention that you can choose several objects to use as weapons, from bottles you find around you, hammers, sticks, pistols and machine guns, even guitars that you can “tune” on enemies' heads. Each object has several action points, after which it breaks and can no longer be used – but you always have your own pair of fists, a pistol or even the famous whip at hand, which not only helps you climb but can also become a useful weapon against adversaries.

Guess My Riddle

I've talked about locations and combat, but I haven't mentioned puzzles, which are very important in an adventure game. Again, I won't go into details, so as not to steal your joy and satisfaction of solving such a puzzle yourselves, but I can tell you that these challenges are very well done and not at all annoying or redundant. Even if some actions may repeat, that's normal – yet the theme of a puzzle retains its originality and mystery. It's hard not to figure out how to solve one, but if you have enough patience and look carefully around, you can't go wrong. If you still can't get past a certain point, you have your notebook with all the necessary notes and, of course, the map of the location – maybe you haven't explored all the rooms yet and need to discover something else?! As a last resort, you always have access to YouTube… come on, it's not that shameful, we've all done it sometime! I admit that in the first location, in the Vatican, I found a Nazi safe and didn't have the patience to look for the note with the secret code written on it, plus I was attracting the attention of the soldiers around. So I opened my phone, saw the code, and quickly solved it. You know what they say: “shame dies of hunger”, and in Indiana Jones, you run out of points and new abilities.

The puzzles are good, but there's something even better: the atmosphere, which is incredibly well-crafted and, as I said, comes with polished, refined graphics and visuals. It's a pleasure to explore every corner of the map, to be curious if perhaps in the corridor opposite the point of interest you can find an artefact that gives you more points for new abilities, or if there's a secret that unlocks a new achievement.

Another positive aspect, worth mentioning and appreciating, is the voice of Troy Baker, the man with 1000 voices: from Joel Miller in The Last of Us, to Sam Drake in Uncharted and now Harrison Ford in Indiana Jones. From my point of view, Mr. Baker does a great job. I'm sure many gamers who aren't too interested in the behind-the-scenes of the game would say that Indy's voice is actually Harrison's. He perfectly captured the accent, gravity, and that dismissive tone of the real Indiana Jones. Perhaps there's only one person who can imitate Harrison Ford's voice. It's Mark Hamill (Luke Skywalker and Joker), who, in an episode of Seth Meyers' Late Night show, talks about how the actor who plays Han Solo picked on his hair. Please search for Mark Hamill Does a Perfect Impression of Harrison Ford on YouTube.

Also in the sound department, although I'm not a big audiophile, I can't help but notice the game's soundtrack. Initially, I thought it was composed by the famous John Williams, who was responsible for the music of the Indiana Jones films, as well as other legendary movies like Harry Potter, Star Wars, and Jurassic Park. After a Wikipedia search, I found out it was another composer, Gordy Haab — who also worked on Halo Wars 2, Star Wars: Battlefront, and many other games. The point is, the music sounds exactly as you'd expect from an Indiana Jones title, and I'm sure fans of the films will appreciate it.

There are also a few characters you meet throughout the game… and yes, we have a sexy female character, just like in the movies. Right from the first location I mentioned above, a mysterious nun appears who catches Indy's eye and becomes an important character for the game's main story. Among other surprise appearances is Marcus Brody, whom we recognise from the first film – Raiders of the Lost Ark.

The Future Looks Bright

I think I've shared enough details about the game, and I hope I've convinced you to try it – because more than likely, you won't regret it. Trust me! I said at the beginning of the review that Indiana Jones and the Great Circle is a surprise title; I'd even go further and say it's the surprise of the year, at least for me. I'm glad that Microsoft's platform finally has a game that any owner of a console from the green camp can be proud of, and that there's something to justify at least part of the investment. I know it's not an Xbox and PC exclusive title; it's coming to PlayStation in about two months… but that's perfectly normal and good at the same time, because all gamers deserve to enjoy a well-crafted title that they can play for dozens of hours. Speaking of which, the game spans about 20 hours if you just want to finish the main story, and probably more than 35 hours if you want to get all the achievements, explore unmarked areas, and complete all side missions. The Indiana Jones franchise is in good hands thanks to MachineGames. It seems their experience from the Wolfenstein series speaks for itself. Bethesda has atoned for some sins with this release, and I personally can't wait to see what else they'll release in 2025.

Even though Astro Bot officially won Game of the Year — and rightly so, it's one of the most entertaining titles this year, perhaps even in recent years… for me, Indiana Jones and the Great Circle is clearly the game of the year. The game costs approximately £60, but if you already have a Game Pass subscription, you've probably already noticed it in the new releases list. I highly recommend you download it and give it a chance and a few hours of play because it's well worth it. I don't know if it's the most appropriate term, but for me, Indiana Jones and the Great Circle is an optimistic game that personally gives me a very pleasant and nostalgic feeling. I'm very curious how MachineGames will continue to develop the game and if we'll receive any DLC. Our readers already know that in GRIND magazine we don't usually give scores to the titles we write about — the general opinion is implied in the review. But, still, if I were to give it a score, it would certainly be 9 or even 9.5. Thanks to Bethesda first and foremost for the review code, but especially for this wonderful title that filled my heart with joy and restored my hope in the industry. THIS BELONGS IN A MUSEUM!

Played on: XBOX Series X
Release date: 09 December 2024
Developer: MachineGames
Publisher: Bethesda

Review by Leo Luția