Indiana Jones and The Great Circle is part of the revival of the franchise which failed with the last two movies. This new game perfectly captures the idea that made the trilogy such a good one. The game begins with a shot-by-shot recreation of the Raiders of the Lost Ark sequence with all the arrow doges and boulder run sequences. Including such a sequence, in the beginning, can result in either making it nothing more than a fan service or the setup of a real Indiana Jones experience. The developers have definitely captured the feeling of the latter.
The developers have delivered an Indiana Jones story that fans have been waiting for a long time. The story and general feeling go hand in hand with the action-adventure first-personal narrative. It could even be one of the studio’s best experiences even though it is a comparatively new studio. It makes you wonder, Is Indiana Jones and The Great Circle worth it? Let’s find out.
Background (Spoiler Free)
One of the game’s strengths is how the developers have captured the essence of Indiana Jones. It is similar to what developers have done with Batman Arkham and Marvel’s Spiderman. Those games delivered an amazing superhero experience and Indiana Jones and The Great Circle stay close to doing the same. It is a game made by Indiana Jones fans for Indiana Jones fans. The enjoyment that players get from it is heightened by being the franchise’s fan.
The experience ranges from archeological mystery to the journey across the historical setting. Along the way, you will have to fight against Nazis and fascists which is something that the developer is familiar with. The game’s slapstick comedy combined with the strong cast of characters helps it make a good Indiana Jones experience.
Characters
Character plays an important part in a game and Indiana Jones and The Great Circle is no different. In fact, it leans more on it since Indiana Jones is an iconic character. The Indiana Jones movie has a deep connection with Harrison Ford and the two have actually become identities of each other. You can’t imagine Indiana Jones without picturing Harrison Ford.
It’s amazing that the game has delivered an experience similar to movies without having Harrison Ford in it. Troy Baker has done a good job and does not fall flat on any fronts even if the likeness of Harrison Ford is used. Troy Baker has successfully captured the charisma and style of the character quite well. Baker has done all that without looking like a cheap imitation.
Indiana Jones is the main character but the other characters surrounding him have also done a good job. Ginetta “Gina” Lombardi has particularly done a good job. She is a journalist and acts as a perfect partner to Indiana Jones throughout the adventure. Voss is another such character who is a Nazi archeologist who grabs the attention whenever he is on the screen.
The game’s strong cast of characters, writing, and cinematic storytelling combines with the developer’s experience in such games, help it craft a compelling story.
Gameplay
The gameplay of Indiana Jones and The Great Circle does not lag behind. It might not be the type of game that you are expecting, it is not a linear game with over-the-top action. I am talking about the type of stuff that games such as Uncharted and Tomb Raider are known for. However, the game does have such elements though in small doses. It is even different than the developer’s other games and it is the first entry from the developer in such a game.
It is a first-person game with guns that you can shoot with but it is not actually a first-person shooter but rather an FPS with shooting elements if that makes sense. Indiana Jones and The Great Circle is a good-looking game which is something that it was expected to be. The game is stable and I didn’t encounter any game-breaking bug which is marvelous in this day and age.
Combat
The game places heavy emphasis on exploration, stealth, and puzzles. The combination of these elements makes it stand out from the rest. The environment is open and offers a diverse experience. There is melee brawling and stealth thrown in to keep it fresh. Indiana Jones and The Great Circle does a great job of bringing all these elements together but does it in a way that makes it feel like Indiana Jonesy if you catch my drift.
Gunfights are in the backlog so even though you have access to them, they are a last resort. It’s not just that the ammo is limited but the game wants you to tackle an encounter in more ways. The game places a huge emphasis on melee brawling, it was a bad choice for me but it might be good for you. There are also other weapons that you can find and use in combat. Pick axes, shovels, hammers, and so on.
Whip also plays a key role in combat. It is used to stun enemies, pull them closer, or disarm them among other things. Fists can feel out of place at times which is generally the case with most FPS games. It’s mostly fun when you pick up weapons to use in combat and the result of their use can be quite hilarious.
Combat is not challenging even when fighting against a group of enemies who should have easily taken you down. Combat is fast and quick while also being enjoyable at the same time. It is not the biggest strength of the game but combat is not the central focus of the game in general.
Stealth
Indiana Jones and The Great Circle is a stealth game and it plays an important part in most sequences. I am not a big fan of stealth so I might be biased here. The game does a good job of not making the stealth necessary in nearly all sequences. It is up to you to engage in stealth or go head-on. If you want to approach in stealth, then there is a great amount of it for you. Stealth is usually the way to go in most sequences which is good because stealth is the game’s main element.
Stealth is not that hard to implement but it does offer a good play. Stealth is good and all but what makes it even better is the level design. It lets players go through an area using different paths. It is a stealth-focused first-person experience which wasn’t something that many were expecting it to be.
Level Design
Indiana Jones and The Great Circle uses that rich level design from the beginning till the end. Levels are a mix of cinematic, linear, and open-ended explorable sections. The level design remains one of the game’s strongest aspects. Indiana Jones and The Great Circle features multiple semi-open-world areas around the world. Each of these locations is carefully crafted and has well-designed side quests, collectibles, and secrets. Going through all the areas of the map to uncover the secrets and doing optional content is an important part of the game.
The game struggles with progression. Players can collect books which can be used to unlock adventure points. A decent amount of these adventure points are useful and it makes exploration more desirable. There isn’t really anything that is not doable with core mechanics, so these points don’t serve much purpose.
Puzzle is where the game is at its best. Puzzles are an important part of the experience with a lot of them spread across the missions, explorable areas, and side missions. This is something that one can expect from an Indiana Jones game. The puzzles are well designed which makes it even better.
Verdict
Indiana Jones and The Great Circle is a good game, but this should be clear based on the things that I have said so far. When you think of an Indiana Jones game the first thing that comes to your mind is that it will be just another clone of Uncharted. It is a predictable idea but this new game proves that a triple-A Indiana Jones game is possible. The first-person experience along with all the goods of the game makes sure that the game makes its own identity.
It has an adrenaline-pumping action that keeps the experience fresh from beginning to end. It is exactly what the Indiana Jones game should be. The action, combat, stealth, level design, and general gameplay make it a good experience for many. This is the Indiana Jones game that the fans deserve and it has a lot of highs but not many lows.
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