The reviews are piling in for Indiana Jones and the Great Circle, the latest game from the teams across Swedish developer MachineGames and the publishing office at Bethesda Softworks, all under the greater Xbox umbrella. Overall, people seem to like it!
At the time I'm writing this, Indiana Jones and the Great Circle has an 86 on Metacritic across 46 reviews, which marks a high degree of praise across a decent number of outlets. There's a fair number of 10s mixed in with dozens of 9s and 8s, though as always, there's a few outliers. I've highlighted a few of the outlets and the reviews below:
- GamesRadar+ (10/10): "Indiana Jones and the Great Circle is utterly enthralling. Small grievances don't detract from what is undoubtedly one of the best, most singular adventures that I have played in recent years – if anything, there's a clear roadmap for improvements and iteration should MachineGames follow through with a deserved sequel. I'm left with the impression that the studio took some big swings here, from the immersive first-person perspective to the complexity of its sandbox spaces, and they all connected."
- Inverse (9/10): "After decades of inspiring countless video game characters across generations, it’s great to see Indiana Jones make such a triumphant return to the medium. Machine Games thankfully avoided modernizing the character with Uncharted-inspired action scenes, opting instead to create the ultimate Indiana Jones simulator. And by staying doggedly true to the hallowed source material, The Great Circle creates something wholly unique in today’s AAA gaming landscape. Paired with its impeccable direction and presentation, The Great Circle is every bit an authentic entry in the legendary character’s greater mythos."
- GAMINGBible (9/10): "Indiana Jones And The Great Circle is, I’m delighted to say, shaping up to be what Marvel’s Spider-Man and the Batman Arkham games are to their respective superheroes. That is to say, this is a faithful, lovingly made adventure that puts you in the dusty boots of Doctor Jones like never before. I can’t wait to play more."
- Digital Trends (8/10): "Despite working with a more family-friendly property with less blood and guts, Machinegames’ latest still has all its teeth in place. A globe-trotting action-adventure romp becomes a slapstick comedy about outsmarting fascism rather than outgunning it."
- Pure Xbox (6/10): "Ever since we caught wind of MachineGames making an Indiana Jones title, we've been very excited by the prospect, but ultimately, we're a little disappointed in the final product. The overall experience isn't bad, and it successfully sells the Indiana Jones fantasy, but the gameplay elements here just don't match up to the vibe of a fun-time Indy adventure. The pacing is all out-of-whack, the open stealth-driven levels don't work in the context of an Indiana Jones romp, and the game just feels at odds with itself overall."
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A thrilling mystery taking place across the globe
There'll always be variety in opinions, with something working for someone and not working for someone else. That's why it's always great to try and read a spread of different reviews before engaging with something and drawing your own conclusion.
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Even so, it's clear the majority of critics are enjoying this adventure, with praise for the game's authenticity in being adapted from the films, while also leaving room to tell new stories and punch more Nazis.
Naturally, I also reviewed Indiana Jones and the Great Circle for Windows Central, giving the game 4 and a half stars while writing that "From the manner in which every line is delivered and scene is shot to the smirk on Indy's face when solving a puzzle, it's clear that everyone at MachineGames just gets what makes Indiana Jones so special. This is a game that can sit next to the original trilogy with pride."
I'm thrilled with what the teams across Xbox, Bethesda, and MachineGames have crafted here, and I'll be looking forward to the DLC expansion whenever it arrives!
Indiana Jones and the Great Circle launches across Xbox Series X|S, Windows PC, and Xbox Game Pass Ultimate, and PC Game Pass on Dec. 9, 2024. Premium Edition owners get early access starting on December 6. A PlayStation 5 version is currently slated to arrive at some point in Spring 2025.
