After the last two middling films, it’s refreshing to finally enjoy a new Indiana Jones adventure — this time in a AAA video game. Indiana Jones and The Great Circle is set in 1937, taking place between Raiders of the Lost Ark and The Last Crusade. The story follows our titular hero as he globe-trots to unravel mysteries and, of course, punches plenty of Nazis along the way.
Earlier this summer, I previewed the game, watching it in action and sitting in on an interview with a few lead developers. Now, after playing around 15 hours of the full game, I’ve made it to the second large sandbox area. Here are seven tips to help you get started on the best footing possible.
If you’re looking for even more indepth thoughts on Indiana Jones and The Great Circle, make sure to check out our full review.
Camera icon in the top left
The camera tool is key
You unlock the camera shortly into the game’s first open sandbox area, Vatican City. This is easily your most useful tool in the entire game. Using the camera on specific characters, locations, monuments, etc. will reward you with a bit of historical and in-game lore as well as valuable adventure points. These can then be cashed in towards any books you find in the game.
Books are kind of like your skill trees, each filled with different upgrades to buy over the course of the game. By purchasing the skill associated with each book, Indy will grow stronger and have access to more abilities for you to utilize. These can range from more health and stamina to stronger attacks to make combat easier.
While exploring areas, keep an eye on the top left corner of the screen for a camera symbol to appear. When it does, it means there’s something nearby that you can photograph to earn points. And if you just met a named character or see a fancy statue, there’s a good chance that icon is showing, so snap photos liberally.
Using the camera
Hints are accessed with the camera
The camera also has a secondary use when you’re stuck on a puzzle. Taking out the camera and pointing it at the obstacle will allow you to access the game’s hint system. It’s also worth noting that you can go into the accessibility options and lower the game’s combat and puzzle difficulty separately if you’re really struggling with either of them — a nice feature for players who want to cruise through the game without too much trouble.
Collectibles everywhere
The Great Circle is littered with collectibles around every corner. The large sandbox stages are dense and you’ll quickly rack up three or four different missions all about finding different collectibles in the area. And if you include photo opportunities, there are even more. Keep your eyes open everywhere you go and check every corner of every room; there’s a good chance you’ll find something of importance.
Watched eye indicator in the bottom left
You’re being watched with an eye
In the bottom left hand corner of your screen, you’ll see a portrait of Indy in whatever outfit he’s currently wearing (which changes with disguises). This is a good way to remember what areas you have full access to and where you’ll be deemed trespassing. However, right next to that portrait, an eyeball icon will sometimes show up. This is your indicator that someone currently has their eyes on you. It doesn’t mean they’re suspicious, but if you try to steal something valuable, like money, you’ll immediately be investigated.
Listen for audio cues
There’s more than one way to know if you’re about to lose your cover. Visually you’ll see a yellow circle above the enemy’s head begin to fill but, depending on where you’re looking, that indicator isn’t always the easiest to notice — like when foes are somewhere behind you.
This is when you need to use your ears. The game will play a quick but noticeable audio flourish when someone’s meter has been triggered. This is your cue to quickly try to break line of sight or spin around and see who’s headed your way.
Parries are important
The combat in The Great Circle isn’t exactly difficult but it can take some getting used to. This is most prevalent when in the underground boxing ring in the Vatican, where you’re stuck inside a series of fights with no weapons to rely on. The game will prompt you to use the A button to dodge out of the way, but this only works for as long as you have stamina, and it’s also hard to time correctly.
A much easier mechanic is parrying. Pressing LB when your opponent swings at you will cause Indy to catch their arm mid attack and give you the opportunity to get a few blows in yourself. Best of all, your stamina takes far less of a hit, allowing you to do this over and over. Take it from me, someone who’s usually really bad at parrying in video games, this one is much easier to pull off and worth learning.
The black shirt disguise
When you enter the Vatican level, you’ll eventually encounter a locked door to the aforementioned underground boxing ring over on the left hand side of the map. To get in, you need the black shirt disguise, which happens to be the clothing worn by all the laborers in the area. Prioritize completing this mission before many others.
The black shirt disguise is the best one for this stage and will get you access to the most locations and those with the highest number of armed enemies. Having this disguise at your disposal early on will make completing the other missions, and hunting for collectibles, a whole lot easier. When you understand how much trouble this saves, you’ll prioritize getting disguises in areas throughout the game.