Indiana Jones is a character that needs no introduction. Despite inspiring archaeological epics like Tomb Raider, Unchartered and Crash Bandicoot, his own history of video games is a little spotty. Ignoring all that, The Great Circle is the first new Indiana Jones game in decades that isn’t made of Lego and plays out like a lost film.
Set between the events of 1981’s Raiders Of The Lost Ark and 1989’s The Last Crusade, The Great Circle sees Indy trying to get over his break-up with Marion by diving headfirst into trouble. It starts out simply enough, with Indy trying to retrieve a mummified cat that’s stolen from Marshall College by a giant, but things escalate. The whip-cracking academic quickly finds himself trying to stop the mythical power of The Great Circle, which links together a number of equally legendary historic sites, from falling into the hands of Adolf Hitler and smarmy Nazi archaeologist Emmerich Voss. It’s a tomb-raiding quest that takes you around the world but starts with something very familiar.
Players begin Indiana Jones And The Great Circle by playing through the swaggering opening scene of Raiders. Dramatic, nostalgic and with just a touch of chaos, it’s the perfect reintroduction to the character and sets the tone perfectly for what’s to come. Just like in the movies, Indy is a character that uses his head more than his fists and The Great Circle is more adventure than action.
The opening chapters in Marshall College and Vatican City do feel like an interactive film, with a hefty number of well-animated cutscenes setting up the plot inbetween standard collect-and-retrieve missions. Once you get to the dig site in Giza after a couple of hours though, the world of The Great Circle really opens up. There are side-missions to complete, secrets to uncover and a number of NPCS scared about the growing number of fascists in their city. It feels gritty and lived-in.
Developers have made every effort to make the game as immersive as possible. You can actually explore abandoned crypts while looking at your map, there are numerous letters that flesh out the more historic side of the story and there is plenty of choice in how you tackle every challenge.
Puzzles require careful investigation of your dusty surroundings. Taking photos with your trusty camera will offer hints as well as adventure points, which can be used to level up various skills. As for combat, you can either rush in wielding whatever makeshift weapon you can get your hands on, stick to the shadows and take out Nazi generals by surprise before hiding their bodies, or try to avoid confrontation altogether. Make too much ruckus though and every nearby enemy will come rushing over, looking to make you history. Both sides of the game have their own difficulty toggles, depending on how you want to play.
Indy himself is a little clunky. Just like in the movies, he’s not the most agile of heroes and scaling buildings or leaping over ledges takes a lot of grunting effort. A rapidly depleting stamina bar also makes you think twice before rushing into a fight. Sticking true to what’s come before also means there are playful nods to big screen exploits while Indy is as witty and cutting as ever, with celebrated voice actor Troy Baker adding an excitable smirk to the character. The Great Circle will have other long-term Indiana Jones fans grinning as well and we’d put money on a new generation falling in love with this timeless hero as well.
Out now on PlayStation, Xbox and Microsoft Windows
