Indiana Jones and the Great Circle Review

Item: Indiana Jones and the Great Circle Review
Rating: 9
Author: Ahmed Yousry

It’s been over six years since we last had a true adventure and puzzle-solving experience like Uncharted or Tomb Raider. Few games have managed to fill that gap—until now. Indiana Jones and the Great Circle, developed by MachineGames, is not only one of the best games of 2024 but also breaks new ground by delivering one of the finest adventure and puzzle-solving experiences in gaming history!

Let’s take a deep dive into this new Indiana Jones game and why we highly recommend playing it as soon as possible as you’ll find out in our Indiana Jones and the Great Circle Review.

A New Story in the Indiana Jones Universe!

The story of Indiana Jones and the Great Circle is set in 1937, between the events of the first and second films in the legendary franchise. Players take control of the renowned archaeologist Indiana Jones as he embarks on a journey to uncover historical mysteries.

One night, a giant figure attacks the college where Professor Jones teaches archaeology and steals one of the most valuable artifacts in the museum—a cat-shaped mummy. But why would this mysterious figure do such a thing?

The adventure takes players across the globe, from the Vatican to Egypt and Asia, in pursuit of this giant and the secrets of The Great Circle—a mystery involving seventeen stones that, if they fall into the wrong hands, could bring about the end of the world.

This narrative provides an unforgettable experience for fans of exploration and puzzle-solving. The game encourages players to investigate and uncover secrets on their own rather than holding their hand throughout the journey. The story is thrilling, full of unexpected twists and astonishing discoveries that only become more intriguing as the game progresses.

Additionally, there are a vast number of side quests with their own unique stories, making it feel like you never want to leave this world. And you won’t have to for quite some time—Indiana Jones and the Great Circle is the longest and most expansive game MachineGames has ever developed. The main story alone takes at least 20 hours to complete, and exploring everything the game offers can extend playtime to 25–30 hours. This makes it the longest single-player first-person game the studio has ever created, surpassing even its Wolfenstein titles.

The game blends humor, action, exploration, and emotional drama seamlessly. The casting choices are brilliant, and Troy Baker’s portrayal of Indiana Jones is outstanding—so much so that I’m sure Harrison Ford himself would be proud of Baker’s performance.

This is an Exploration and Adventure Game, Not an Action Game

The first thing players should understand is that Indiana Jones and the Great Circle is not an action-heavy game. Forget about the high-adrenaline FPS gameplay of Wolfenstein—this game focuses more on adventure and exploration, with even less action than Tomb Raider or Uncharted.

After all, Indiana Jones is an archaeologist, not a soldier. And since he’s facing off against the Nazi army, the game is far from easy.

Most of the experience revolves around using your camera to photograph various objects, reading documents, and solving complex puzzles. These puzzles are genuinely challenging, even more so than those in Tomb Raider and Uncharted. That’s a great thing, as you’ll need to rely on your own intelligence rather than getting hints from the game. If you get stuck, you can enable a mode that provides assistance, but I strongly recommend solving everything independently in your first playthrough for the best sense of adventure and satisfaction.

Many players were concerned about the game’s first-person perspective, thinking it wouldn’t suit an adventure game inspired by Tomb Raider. However, I can confidently say that the first-person perspective works brilliantly here. The game even switches between first- and third-person views dynamically—platforming sequences and cinematic moments are presented in third-person, while exploration and stealth remain in first-person.

Combat and Stealth Mechanics

Combat in the game is unique. Indiana Jones only has his pistol, and ammunition is scarce. This means you’ll need to use the environment creatively. You can:

Pick up bottles and throw them at enemies.
Distract guards by making noise.
Use sticks or melee weapons to silently eliminate foes.
Hide bodies to avoid detection.

Everything in the world is interactive, adding realism to the physics-based gameplay. However, some combat encounters can feel repetitive.

The best approach to combat is to sneak past enemies, use distractions, and engage only when necessary. When you do fight, you can use your pistol, enemies’ own weapons, or even Indiana Jones’ whip to pull enemies towards you or knock them off ledges. These mechanics create smooth and satisfying gameplay.

______

_____

Level Design – A Mix of Linear and Open-Ended Exploration

Unlike MachineGames’ previous titles, this game features a mix of linear and semi-open-world environments.

For example, in levels set in the Vatican or Egypt, players can freely explore, uncovering secrets and side quests that enhance the story. Completing these side missions unlocks new abilities and rewards, giving you an incentive to explore every corner of the world.

The level design ensures variety and keeps the experience fresh throughout the journey.

The Power of id Tech – Stunning Visuals with Some Drawbacks

Indiana Jones and the Great Circle runs on the id Tech engine, originally developed for the DOOM franchise. MachineGames previously used it for Wolfenstein, and once again, it proves to be a perfect choice.

As expected from an id Tech game, the visuals are breathtaking, packed with intricate details and rich environments. Each level feels visually distinct, adding variety to the journey.

However, there is some inconsistency in graphics quality. While certain levels look stunning, others appear noticeably weaker in detail and lighting. This suggests that the development team may have rushed certain aspects to meet the release deadline.

Audio & Voice Acting – Authentic and Immersive

The game’s sound design is excellent, featuring a fantastic soundtrack and top-tier voice acting, especially from Troy Baker as Indiana Jones.

One of my favorite aspects is that characters speak in their native languages. In the Vatican, NPCs speak Italian; in Egypt, locals converse in Egyptian Arabic, adding authenticity. Walking through Egyptian villages, you’ll hear people greeting you with “Ezayak ya khawaga” (Hey, foreigner!) and “Naharak saeed” (Good day!). This level of detail enhances the immersion significantly.

Performance & Technical Aspects

I played the game on a mid-range PC with the following specs:

Intel Core i5-10400F
32GB RAM
Nvidia GeForce RTX 3050

At 1080p, medium settings, with Nvidia DLSS Quality Mode, I achieved 50-60 FPS for most of the game. However, there were occasional frame drops, particularly in menus and cutscenes, which sometimes resulted in frustrating slow-motion sequences.

Fortunately, the game is almost bug-free, with only a single minor glitch in my 22-hour playthrough.

Arabic Localization – Nearly Perfect!

Arabic localization in games has become more common, and Indiana Jones does a fantastic job with fully translated menus and subtitles.

While there are minor issues with pronoun use in some cases, the translation is overall excellent and allows Arabic-speaking players to enjoy the story without language barriers.

Available on Xbox Game Pass from Day One!

The game is available from day one on Xbox Game Pass for PC and Xbox Series X|S. This makes it easily accessible for subscribers.

Additionally, a premium edition allows early access from December 6 instead of December 9. A PlayStation 5 version will be released in Spring 2025, as the game is only a timed exclusive for Xbox and PC.