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Member
- Oct 25, 2017
- 15,483
- Dec 5, 2024
- #1
Indiana Jones and the Great Circle makes a strong attempt to bring Indy back to gaming with a great narrative and exceptional puzzles, but its minute-to-minute gameplay suffers from frequent perspective changes and clunky combat.
MachineGames takes an existing franchise and elevates it to new heights, a feat the newer movies have failed to do. In a love letter to the character, Indiana Jones and the Great Circle proposes the future of the series isn't in film but in video games. With tons of details pulled right from the movie, exciting mechanics including combat and clever puzzles anchored by stellar performances across the board, I haven't been able to put my controller down.
Taken altogether, Indiana Jones really feels like he comes full circle (sorry) in this latest adventure. At long last, there's an Indy game that nails both the puzzles and the kind of action we know so well from the films, and it does so with wit, charm and a real eye for spectacle. There are moments here that feel so inherently Indy that you almost can't believe they haven't been lifted straight from the cinema screen itself, and everywhere you look is a constant surprise and delight. I'd be hard-pressed to name a more entertaining game I've played this year, or one that so willingly hands the reins to the player and says, 'Off you pop. Go and have some fun for the next 25 hours'. For those left disappointed by The Crystal Skull and Dial of Destiny, this is Indy as you remember him. And for those yet to discover why everyone keeps banging on about this beige man with a hat and a whip, well, what a smashing introduction this will be. The next Tomb Raider and Uncharted games certainly have their work cut out for them after this, as will whatever MachineGames ends up tackling next. But one thing is certain. Indy's legacy feels well and truly restored with The Great Circle, and that's the kind of mileage we can all enjoy for years to come.
Taken as a whole, there is a lot of variety in what Indiana Jones and the Great Circle has to offer. There are highs and mids, but never any lows. I found the experiences that tap into what makes the character great were also among its most memorable. The logic-defying action sequences, the tomb-raiding, and the relationships between the characters were all compelling enough to have me engaged from beginning to end. Stealth and combat are never boring, but they also don't challenge the player in any meaningful way.
Indiana Jones and the Great Circle has elements that match right up with any of Spielberg's movies. Its puzzles are a genuine highlight, its story fits the type of adventure that only Indy would go on, and it's bolstered by some standout performances from its cast. Even though the combat and stealth are middle-of-the-road, the entire presentation is strong enough that fans will have a great time donning the hat and whip.
MachineGames has successfully designed a game around its protagonist; its mix of improvisational stealth and combat feels distinct by adopting a fast and loose style that echoes Indy's scrappy persistence. It might not be quite as accomplished in all areas as the studio's Wolfenstein games, but Indiana Jones and The Great Circle is still a frequent delight.
Indiana Jones and the Great Circle is utterly enthralling. Small grievances don't detract from what is undoubtedly one of the best, most singular adventures that I have played in recent years – if anything, there's a clear roadmap for improvements and iteration should MachineGames follow through with a deserved sequel. I'm left with the impression that the studio took some big swings here, from the immersive first-person perspective to the complexity of its sandbox spaces, and they all connected.
It's been over a decade since the last Indiana Jones game (and longer since Lucasfilm Games peered outside of the Star Wars universe), and the Great Circle only serves to highlight what we've been missing out on for all these years. With its luxurious production values, smart pacing, strong stealth-action, and expansive structure, Indiana Jones and the Great Circle shows that there's still plenty left for Lara Croft and Nathan Drake to learn about raiding tombs from the master.
Closing out a season of fantastic launches, Indiana Jones and the Great Circle finally delivers on the promise of Xbox Games Pass, delivering a high-quality and entertaining single-player adventure that fans of the series will absolutely adore. While it's not the most technically innovative game and it could use an upgrade in the combat department, it's still one of the most entertaining games of the year, and a much more faithful continuation of the Indiana Jones franchise than the most recent films in the series.
Indiana Jones and the Great Circle nails nearly everything about the best parts of the storied franchise upon which it's based, from the title card and location fonts to Harrison Ford's finger waggle, but its successes go way beyond its faithfulness to the finer points of the films. With a host of gorgeous and lavishly detailed levels, satisfying combat hinged on jawbreaking haymakers, and a focus on slow-paced exploration, platforming, and puzzle solving (interspersed with a handful of high-voltage action scenes), The Great Circle is an irresistible and immersive global treasure hunt for Indy fans who've felt underserved by the likes of The Dial of Destiny and Kingdom of the Crystal Skull. Moreover, it sets itself apart from this decade's increasingly homogenised third-person action games by opting for a classic first-person perspective inspired by the likes of The Chronicles of Riddick: Escape from Butcher Bay. If you butt your head against its generally basic stealth systems, cracks will show – but when played as intended, The Great Circle immediately ranks amongst the best Indiana Jones games ever and its story is closer to Raiders of the Lost Ark and The Last Crusade than anything that's come after. Some pundits may claim it belongs in a museum, but museums are for dusty old relics you shouldn't ever touch. The Great Circle doesn't belong in a museum; it belongs on your hard drive where you can play the heck out of it.
Indiana Jones and the Great Circle captures the spirit of adventure with nostalgic puzzles, richly detailed environments, and thrilling set pieces. While it stumbles with lackluster AI and clunky item management, its charm and sense of discovery make it a rewarding journey for fans of the iconic archaeologist.
The Great Circle is an odd duck to be sure, combining immersive sim level design with set piece spectacles that put Call of Duty or the Sony first party stable on notice; incredible graphical technology and triple-A polish with some truly baffling and idiosyncratic design choices. Despite (and at least partially because of) that funkiness, it's one of my favorite releases of this year and a new outing from a favorite studio that was well-worth the wait.
The Great Circle is at its best when you're rewarded for paying attention to your surroundings and going off the beaten path. Yet, when the story assumes control once again, it makes for dissonant results. During the Raiders of the Lost Ark section, the game uses the light trap moment of the film to teach you how to crouch. In the movie, the carelessness around this contraption leads to the immediate death of two explorers, with both scenes faithfully recreated in-game. After the cutscene ended, I immediately started sprinting, missing the tutorial prompt as I stepped into the light straight on. But to my surprise, it wasn't the end of Indiana Jones' story — the spikes barely made a dent in his health bar. The push for a cinematic feel is constantly looming over The Great Circle, hindering the potential of its genuine novelty elements. The promise of a modern Indiana Jones game that allows you to fully embrace the fantasy of inhabiting the character in a new light, rather than repeating his greatest hits, remains a mystery yet to be solved.
Indiana Jones and the Great Circle delivers both high calibre adventure, story and performance in spades, to the point it feels as though it's wading into "uncharted territory" for its publisher. The decision to bop a Nazi should be a foregone conclusion, however the lack of balance in stealth and combat systems kept me in limbo, and left Indiana Jones and the Great Circle just a stone stele's throw from true greatness.
Ever since we caught wind of MachineGames making an Indiana Jones title, we've been very excited by the prospect, but ultimately, we're a little disappointed in the final product. The overall experience isn't bad, and it successfully sells the Indiana Jones fantasy, but the gameplay elements here just don't match up to the vibe of a fun-time Indy adventure. The pacing is all out-of-whack, the open stealth-driven levels don't work in the context of an Indiana Jones romp, and the game just feels at odds with itself overall. We're always up for trying something different and for teams breaking genre tropes, but in the end, Indiana Jones and the Great Circle is at its most fun in fleeting moments - which is a shame considering the amount of care and attention that's been put into adapting this famous old franchise.
Indiana Jones and the Great Circle may have broken just about every expectation I had for MachineGames, short of the fact that I expected a great game. It's definitely that, but the reasons for that greatness are that it's an impactful brawler, a stylish action-platformer, and a clever puzzle game, with a solid cast to deliver its movie-like performances, exciting environments to explore, and an excellent score to punctuate the mood. MachineGames goes above and beyond to deliver a thrilling adventure akin to the movies, and they succeed nearly across the board. Just don't call him Junior.
If you focus solely on the main story I think you'll get a lot out of the experience. It's a fun story with some decent gameplay variety that's authentically Indy. You won't miss much by strictly sticking to the main quest, and in fact, your experience will be better for it. It's a shame the rest of it falls so flat.
We had a smile on our face from beginning to end while playing Indiana Jones and the Great Circle. As close as games can come to a genuine old-fashioned Hollywood blockbuster, it's also an incredibly rich adventure game stuffed to the gills with secrets to find.
Indiana Jones and the Great Circle is an excellent adventure/action game that features one of the best Indiana Jones stories, great level design that rewards exploration, and awesome ray traced visuals. This might just be the best game dedicated to Dr. Henry Walton we've ever seen.
Whether you're a lifelong fan of the franchise or a newcomer with only games like Uncharted or Tomb Raider under your belt, this game delivers an experience that feels both fresh and heavily steeped in nostalgia.
Indiana Jones is the original tomb-raiding adventurer and MachineGames have, to put it simply – nailed it. They've crafted an unforgettable journey that's worthy of the franchise. Ready to embark on the adventure of a lifetime? The mystery of the Great Circle awaits.
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