MANILA, Philippines – Games publisher Bethesda Softworks and its parent firm Microsoft will be having a nice Christmas season as their newest game Indiana Jones and the Great Circle has scored big with the critics — with some considering its story as the best Indiana Jones story since the original trilogy in the
’80s.
It’s a return to form for the franchise — except this time it’s in a video game, not a movie.
GamesRadar called it “the best adventure Indy has embarked on in over 30 years,” commenting how the first-person view is a “bold, creative decision” that paid off in really immersing gamers.
“The ongoing adventures of Lara Croft and Nathan Drake [protagonists of popular adventure game franchises inspired by Indiana Jones] that can make you feel like Indiana Jones in their finest moments, but the Great Circle lets you become Indiana Jones throughout its runtime. It’s role-play, a simulation — and a spectacular one at that,” the site said.
IGN said the game has “far and away the best Indy story this century.”
The site noted how the game could’ve just easily cloned the likes of successful games like Uncharted, but how it went its own way in creating its own type of adventure, which ultimately made it a unique experience.
“But The Great Circle isn’t an Uncharted clone, and it’s all the better for it. It’s an Indiana Jones game I didn’t even know I wanted, and sometimes that’s the best surprise,” the site said.
The gaming site also touched on the DNA of the game’s developer, MachineGames, and how it shows in the new Indiana Jones title. “MachineGames’ most immediate legacy is the modern Wolfenstein series, and there’s certainly some of that on show in The Great Circle,” it said, while noting that the Indy game has more of a slower, deliberate pace.
It praised the actors’ performances as well, crediting them for allowing the story to shine: “The strength of that story here is one of The Great Circle’s true assets, and it’s been brought to life with some very impressive performances. For the most part, Troy Baker’s Harrison Ford impersonation is close to spot-on, and Baker’s otherwise distinct voice disappears in the role.”
Gamespot, meanwhile, noted how close the game captures that Indiana Jones vibe: “The Great Circle does a fantastic job of nailing the look and sound of the 43-year-old series. The triumphant score by composer Gordy Haab captures the essence of John Williams’s iconic original.”
Some of the criticism is aimed at its other elements, such as the platforming and puzzle aspects. “Platforming is quite simple, and the transitions to third-person are inelegant. Most of the puzzles aren’t particularly complex,” Gamespot wrote.
The Verge had a similar take on those elements, and was also more critical on the combat aspect. It said, “With banal platforming and puzzle solving a bit too simplistic, the last gameplay element left is combat and, well, that wasn’t all that enjoyable either.”
And it wondered that because it felt that its best elements are the story and the cinematic sequences, perhaps The Great Circle should have been just a movie instead of a game.
“Its most interesting moments, like a knockdown, drag out fight with the main villain that happens midgame, were rendered as cutscenes…The Great Circle is missing something more important: a reason this adventure needed to be a game.”
More outlets have enjoyed the combat, though, with Gamespot highlighting it in its conclusion: “More than anything, MachineGames has successfully designed a game around its protagonist; its mix of improvisational stealth and combat feels distinct by adopting a fast and loose style that echoes Indy’s scrappy persistence. It might not be quite as accomplished in all areas as the studio’s Wolfenstein games, but Indiana Jones and The Great Circle is still a frequent delight.”
Overall, The Great Circle currently has a score of 87 (“Generally Favorable”) on the aggregate site Metacritic.
But PC gamers take note: The game requires a ray-tracing capable GPU, with the Nvidia 2060 GPU being labeled as the minimum model required. You won’t be able to play the game with anything less.
RockPaperShotgun noted that this may be the first PC game to require hardware-based ray tracing in order to run, which means a significant amount of gamers who have yet to upgrade will not be able to play. The game has been noted to be one of the most amazing looking in the Xbox Series X generation, but for PC gamers, it may have come at the cost of requiring gamers to upgrade to a more expensive GPU.
The game is now available on PC Game Pass, and Xbox Series X|S, with a PS5 version out in 2025. – Rappler.com
