"After watching 'Indiana Jones and the Great Circle', I found myself rekindling my affection for the Indiana Jones franchise."
Indiana Jones is back, this time in the form of a video game titled Indiana Jones and the Great Circle. Released in 2021 by Bethesda and Lucasfilm, the game has been well-received despite early concerns about its controls and combat.
Players traverse the globe, acquiring specific stones that grant a magical power, while facing off against particularly brutal Nazis. The narrative is engaging, with Indy regularly commenting on historical connections and exhibiting infinite curiosity and wonder. The story seems crafted to be perfectly in line with the first three Indiana Jones films.
The game features sections that allow exploration, fighting, and various actions. Indy wears disguises, makes ample use of the whip, and always ensures to get his hat back. One of the standout features is the first-person viewpoint, which proves to be more immersive than expected.
However, the combat system and controls have received criticism for being weak, clunky, and having unintelligent enemy AI. Some players found these aspects disappointing. Additional complaints include the lack of manual save options, a frustrating user interface, repetitive gameplay, and some bugs and technical issues.
Despite these shortcomings, the overall consensus remains favorable. The visuals, presentation, story, atmosphere, and faithful capture of the Indiana Jones spirit have been praised. Troy Baker’s voice acting as Indiana Jones has also been commended.
The game's finale is epic and wish-worthy to see on the big screen. The Macguffin's full reveal comes in too late but is still satisfying. The title does not give away what the Macguffin is like, unlike other titles such as "The Lost Ark", "Crystal Skull", and "Dial of Destiny".
The game introduces a new female sidekick, Gina, who feels like real competition for Marion Ravenwood. Players use notes and images to solve mysteries and document findings. Some sections of the game are more limited but offer greater action.
Initial criticisms about the controls and combat were shared by Io9 editor James Whitbrook, who wrote a headline "Every Moment You're Playing Indiana Jones and the Great Circle Feels Like Torture". However, the writer found that choosing to play Indiana Jones as a stealthy character, avoiding fights whenever possible, made the game more enjoyable.
Indiana Jones and the Great Circle is available on PlayStation 5, PC, and Xbox X/S. The writer had to wait five months longer than others due to not having an Xbox or PC at the time of release. Despite the criticisms, the game was considered an authentic and exciting Indiana Jones adventure, with a respectable Metacritic score of 86 and inclusion in lists of top Xbox games.
[1] GameSpot Review: Indiana Jones and the Great Circle [2] IGN Review: Indiana Jones and the Great Circle [3] Polygon Review: Indiana Jones and the Great Circle
- Gizmodo praised Indiana Jones and the Great Circle, highlighting its engaging narrative and faithful recreation of the franchise's spirit, despite criticizing the combat system and controls.
- The game's Io9 reviewer, James Whitbrook, initially shared concerns about the game's combat and controls, but found playing Indiana Jones as a stealthy character to be more enjoyable.
- In the future, gamers can look forward to experiencing Indiana Jones and the Great Circle on platforms like PlayStation 5, PC, and Xbox X/S, with critics praising the game’s authentic and exciting adventure, earning it a Metacritic score of 86 and a spot on lists of top Xbox games.4.movies-and-tv and entertainment websites, such as GameSpot, IGN, and Polygon, have released reviews of Indiana Jones and the Great Circle, focusing on its engaging story, immersive first-person viewpoint, and faithfulness to the Indiana Jones franchise.
