As the closing credits rolled after spending nearly 30+ hours with Indiana Jones and the Great Circle, I can say it’s one of the most thrilling action-adventures I’ve ever played. There couldn’t have been a better studio than MachineGames, developers of the modern Wolfenstein games, to take on a bombastic, Triple A game starring one of the most famous characters in pop culture. Punching Nazis and fascists, solving intriguing puzzles, and whipping your way through historic ruins has never felt more exciting, especially playing as Indiana Jones.
The mystery begins with Indy investigating a break-in at the archaeology museum in Marshall College, Connecticut, where he works as a professor. Realizing an artifact of importance is stolen, Indy then finds out the unknown thief is somehow connected to Vatican City, leading him into the type of globe-trotting adventure we’ve come to love in his movies.
But it’s not just Indiana Jones who makes this game worth playing, as the side characters also surprisingly grab your attention. You come across several allies and enemies that play their own part within the story and, to an extent, Indy’s life, like investigative journalist Gina Lombardi and the mysterious Locas. It is just like witnessing each stage of an important relationship, good or bad. And compile that with some solid writing, the story just flows naturally enough to keep you captivated and on the edge of your seat the entire time.
Unlike other action-adventure franchises like Tomb Raider and Uncharted, The Great Circle manages to differentiate itself by putting players under the famed hat of Indy through first-person POV. The game stands out as it wants you to step into the shoes of Indiana Jones and experience his action-packed journey. The uncanniness of Troy Baker’s performance aids the immersion as well. He sounds so much like Harrison Ford that it almost gave me whiplash.
The combat is very free-flowing, which means the players can choose their own way to approach an objective. For instance, I solely relied on stealth when it came to infiltrating heavily guarded compounds by adopting disguises to blend in. Other times, I openly brawled with Nazis and fascists on the streets. But each strategy comes with its own difficulties. If you are caught while sneaking around or the other enemies find a dead body you forgot to hide, they will actively change their routine patterns and get more aggressive in their search. Brawling, on the other hand, is very tricky, especially if multiple enemies jump on you at the same time. Indy has to perfectly time his block and counter as his stamina bar routinely decreases if you keep mashing the punch button. Once the stamina bar is empty, Indy gets too tired to throw a punch. It took me a lot of time to figure out my groove, but once I did, the hand-to-hand combat felt more invigorating.
Want to use a fly swatter to knock down a Nazi? Or a nice shiny guitar? How about a toilet plunger to take on a fascist? Everything around you is a weapon. Desperate times call for desperate measures and this is seen as Jones can grab any item around him and use it for melee damage. However, these items have limited uses and can break quickly. But don’t worry, the game gives you plenty of items to choose from in every area. Even though shooting at the enemies is an option, I didn’t find myself using it all that much as gun fire practically alerts every enemy within the radius and, in the end, you might find yourself surrounded.
Of course, the most all-around item in Jones’s inventory is his trusty whip. It can stun enemies when surrounded or knock out weapons from their hand or even scare away those pesky attack dogs. But it’s mainly used for two things – traversal and solving puzzles. Indy’s adventure takes him to some unstable locations across the globe, and venturing into the unknown routinely presents a challenge. His whip allows him to climb, zipline, and swing in areas beyond reach. It can also be used to yank mechanisms that are placed high above ground to solve puzzles. No matter how you use it, listening to the crack of the whip feels gratifying each time.
The story of Indiana Jones has always been about good’s triumph over evil. Indiana Jones and the Great Circle also follows that tradition. Now, I rarely hate video game villains. Sometimes they take me by surprise and I even end up liking their arc, but this particular game does the exact opposite. The game’s main antagonist, Emmerich Voss, is a high-ranked Nazi archaeologist who competes with Indy’s skills and knowledge. What differentiates them both is purpose. While Indy is hell-bent on uncovering the truth, Voss is purely driven by the need for power. He is a character that embodies the most evil part of humanity, one which is responsible for countless atrocities. Knowing MachineGames and Indy’s history, it makes perfect sense for the game to include a villain who is everything Indiana Jones hates, a Nazi. And there doesn’t need to be any other reason.
With adventures calling at every corner, Indiana Jones and the Great Circle is meant to give players the adrenaline rush they crave. From the bustling Vatican City to the unforgiving sands of Giza, The Great Circle has plenty to explore and keep the players busy. Apart from the main missions, Indy can come across little mysteries to solve in the form of challenging puzzles or fieldwork that requires investigating something out of the ordinary. There are also discoveries to be found in the form of collectibles and photos to be clicked from his shiny camera. Completing any of these side activities usually grants you with adventure points that can be used to upgrade Jones’s abilities. Of course, these are optional activities, but I would recommend you to do them as they pop up. They are not only a great way to explore cities and ancient ruins, but lots of these side quests are also related to the main story and help you get a deeper understanding of the lore.
The launch of Indiana Jones and the Great Circle feels like a timely coincidence given all that has happened this year. Even though it takes place during the late 1930s, it shouldn’t be surprising how certain aspects of the story might still be relevant even today. But one thing is certain: taking down Nazis and fascists in a video game has never felt this good, especially as everyone’s favorite archeologist.
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