Indiana Jones and the Great Circle (2024): The Review
Overview
Indiana Jones and the Great Circle brings the whip-cracking archaeologist back into the spotlight with a cinematic, first-person adventure that captures the spirit of the classic films while offering a fresh take on action-adventure gaming. Set between Raiders of the Lost Ark and The Last Crusade, it blends puzzles, exploration, and pulpy Nazi-punching action into a tightly paced story that feels like a long-lost Indy movie in playable form. While it doesn’t break much new ground mechanically, the atmosphere, writing, and love for the source material shine through.
Score: 8 out of 10
The Positives ✅
Indiana Jones and the Great Circle hits the ground running, Troy Baker delivers a performance that channels Harrison Ford’s dry wit, sarcasm, and world-weary charm with surprising ease. It feels like Indy, and that’s half the battle won. The game’s globe-trotting adventure oozes with classic pulp energy, whisking you from snow-drenched monasteries in Nepal to sun-scorched tombs in Egypt, all rendered in lush detail that captures the series’ cinematic scale.
Indy’s iconic whip is no gimmick, it’s a versatile, satisfying tool for traversal, puzzles, and even combat, and it’s woven smartly into the gameplay loop. Add to that a slick cinematic presentation, where cutscenes blend seamlessly into gameplay and the orchestral score evokes John Williams’ timeless magic, and you’ve got an experience that truly feels like a lost Indy movie. Best of all, the game keeps things tight and exciting, pacing is sharp, shifting from cryptic clues to explosive chases without ever overstaying its welcome. It’s a proper adventure through and through.
The Negatives ⚠️
While the whip cracks with flair, combat doesn’t quite hold its own: gunplay and melee feel serviceable but shallow, lacking the impact or precision seen in more refined action games. You’ll have fun, sure, but don’t expect deep systems or rewarding mechanics. The same goes for the puzzles: they’re solid and satisfying, but rarely surprise, sticking to familiar environmental logic without reaching the inventiveness of Tomb Raider or Uncharted at their best.
This isn’t a globe you’ll get lost in either, player freedom is limited, with a largely linear path and minimal side content beyond collectibles and scattered lore entries. And while the cinematic presentation is strong, it’s not without technical hiccups: expect the occasional frame drop, texture pop-in, or awkward NPC stutter to break the immersion. Lastly, for a game rooted in pulp storytelling, it’s a shame that some story beats feel rushed, with villains and supporting characters introduced only to fade away too soon, missing chances to add more weight to Indy’s journey.
The Experience 🎮
Indiana Jones and the Great Circle is exactly what it promises: a pulpy, globe-hopping adventure full of mystery, danger, ancient tombs, and Nazi-smashing. It doesn’t try to reinvent the genre, it just leans hard into what makes Indy so iconic: wit, wonder, and wild escapes. While not flawless, it’s a fun, whip-swinging ride that knows its audience and plays to the crowd. It took me around 28 hours to fully cover the game, with a bit of time spent chasing collectibles.
Fortune and glory, kid. Fortune and glory. 🏺🧭🛤️
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