From the tutorial that faithfully recreates the iconic opening of Raiders of the Lost Ark to Troy Baker’s bewilderingly faultless Harrison Ford impression, Indiana Jones and the Great Circle sets out its stall early and maintains nothing but 100% commitment to the world and characters throughout.
But what makes it more surprising is how bloody good it is, too. It’s probably not unfair to say that no one was expecting this to be the masterpiece it turned out to be. Indy games in the past have been more hit than miss, and Machine Games have solid pedigree despite the odd misstep, but expectations were, shall we say, realistic, for this before release. And yet what we have is something that feels not only faithful but authentic, too. This is Indiana Jones, evoking the same sense of adventure and charisma that the original trilogy did.
I’m not about to crap on Kingdom of the Crystal Skull or The Dial of Destiny, they were both attempts to recapture the magic but cluttered by modern sensibilities, and the need to turn what was a dirt-in-the-nails, sand-in-the-hair universe of very practical adventure into, well, “modern blockbusters”. It didn’t help that Harrison Ford himself was simply getting old, and unable to match his unending charm with the necessary physicality. While The Great Circle only features Ford in likeness only, Machine Games and Troy Baker have captured the essence of the man and the character perfectly, with no attempts to put their own spin on it or alter the heart of Indy. The result is nothing short of mesmerising for fans of the originals.
Beginning with a break in at the University where Indy teaches, the adventure soon breaks out across the world, with us travelling to Italy in pursuit of a mysterious giant (played by the late great Tony Todd in one of his last performances) who has stolen the statue of an Egyptian Cat Mummy. Everything you’d expect from an Indiana Jones game is present, from the bull-whip to the good old-fashioned fisticuffs. Being first person, I expected some of the action – especially the combat – to feel off, but Machine Games have done a solid job of making the fighting feel satisfying if a little clunky. Breaking a broom over a slumbering enemy’s head creates a few issues with collision and physics every time, but it still feels good and always makes me smile when Indy murmurs “night-night,” or some such as he does it.
The jump over from Xbox to PS5 has done nothing to hamper performance or fidelity, although the PS5 has the benefit of haptic feedback thanks to the DualSense controller which makes the shooting and fighting feel that little bit more visceral. You’re often encouraged to use stealth to get around but in the tradition of the movies, it’s more fun when Indy has to get stuck in with his mitts. Levels for the most part are intuitively laid out, with shortcuts that allow you to get around faster to uncover optional secrets and gather collectibles. You can always go straight for the objective, but it’s more fun to explore every area even if only to appreciate the time and effort Machine Games has taken to create them. Having given us the Wolfenstein reboot a while back, the team clearly has solid chops when it comes to forging these kinds of environments.
What makes Indiana Jones and the Great Circle even more impressive is the attention to detail. From the way the light flickers to subtle scuff marks on the wall indicating a climbing point, or the switch to third person for certain actions. Environments range from the College itself, filled with cluttered offices and endless bookshelves, to an Italian castle under moonlight, to a sun-scorched desert and a dense, foreboding jungle. Nothing surprising perhaps, either for the genre or this franchise, but Machine Games has done such a solid job bringing these locations to life that you won’t mind if they feel oddly familiar at times.
Between sneaking around the shadows and breaking wine bottles over Nazi heads, you’ll occasionally need to solve a puzzle or two. Most are fairly straightforward, like the one in the third level that simply requires you to rotate a few paintings, while some do change you a little. Some are arguably ignorable, but one or two affect story progress so you’ll need to solve them to proceed. And you’ll want to proceed, too. Indian Jones and the Great Circle tells a wonderful story, hitting every necessary beat and adding its own flourishes to make it feel like it’s truly a part of the early continuity. It’s the best Indy has been since The Last Crusade, which may not be a high bar to clear but highlights the wide, wide margin by which Hollywood missed the mark with the last few attempts.
Indiana Jones and the Great Circle is a superb adventure game, made arguably better on PS5 by the greater haptic feedback. Even without that though, Indiana Jones and the Great Circle is an absolute blast whether you’re feeling nostalgic twinges every few seconds as it constantly pokes you in your memories of childhood or just enjoying it for what it is: a finely crafted experience with an effortlessly charismatic lead, some superb supporting performances (the guy who voices Marcus Brody, David Shaughnessy, is incredibly good), and some wonderfully exhilarating set-pieces. It threatens to wear out its welcome a little in the final third, but ultimately Indiana Jones and the Great Circle is a fantastic time for all.
