Indiana Jones And The Great Circle

Platforms: Xbox X|S, PC

Based solely on its prologue, Indiana Jones And The Great Circle might seem like it’s playing things a bit safe. The highly-anticipated action game kicks off with an incredibly faithful recreation of Raiders Of The Lost Ark‘s iconic, idol-robbing opening.

But putting players in the path of that big, rolling boulder — while unarguably familiar and fan-servicing — turns out to be a smart move that hints at the phenomenal adventure ahead. It displays how deftly developer MachineGames can transform the franchise’s most famous scene, while also serving as a contrast to the wholly original, cinema-rivaling Indy romp to come.

The thrilling start, which works as a flashback within The Great Circle‘s 1937 canon story (wedged between Raiders’ and The Last Crusade‘s timelines) proves the game could’ve easily succeeded as a direct film adaptation. But it also could have worked as an Uncharted or Tomb Raider rip-off. Hell, MachineGames might have even modeled it after its popular first-person Wolfenstein games, put a fedora on it, and called it a day.

Much like the relic-hunting hero, however, The Great Circle takes a far less travelled path, subverting expectations to ultimately uncover the greatest treasure of all: A visually sumptuous, sublimely immersive, endlessly rewarding Indiana Jones tale that remains true to its beloved roots, while somehow delivering a totally unique gaming experience. The sprawling, swashbuckling adventure packs all the expected interactions and content, from whip-wielding combat and crypt-crawling puzzles to globetrotting exploration and, of course, opportunities aplenty to punch fascists in the face. The series’ signature charm, humour, storytelling, soundtrack, and set-pieces are all also accounted for. And every one of these authentic elements isn’t just polished to a blinding sheen, but fully fleshed out and organically interconnected to put fans under the hat like never before.

Whether cracking the whip, or a head-scratching conundrum, you’ll find yourself happier than an Ark-discovering archaeologist from the campaign’s start to its epic finish. It’s the countless, subtler inclusions complementing these fan-pleasing moments though, that truly make The Great Circle special. It’s in the way Indy doesn’t level-up via a typical skill tree system, for example, but by seeking out and reading books; or how he can come back from the brink of unconsciousness, mid-brawl, by crawling over to his discarded hat.

And then there’s the painstakingly detailed, first-person interactions and encounters, from paging through Indy’s journal and manipulating ancient puzzle pieces to pummeling Nazis and waving torches at crypt-inhabiting creepy crawlies. It can’t be understated just how much the game benefits from the thoughtful layers and nuance that’ve been carefully considered to bring every aspect of it to life. 
These touches and countless others — such as Troy Baker’s spot-on Harrison Ford performance, the absorbing narrative, and semi-open world maps brimming with meaningful quests and collectibles — combine brilliantly to not only deliver the absolute best Indiana Jones’ game to date, but one that recaptures the magic of the original film trilogy.

Last year’s Indiana Jones And The Dial of Destiny might have failed to ignite much enthusiasm for the aging archeologist, but The Great Circle proves the franchise still has plenty of fortune and glory in its future.