Indiana Jones and the Great Circle (Cross-platform, 2024)

Release date: Monday 9th December 2024

Platforms: PC, PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X/S

Published by: Bethesda Softworks

Developed by: MachineGames

Genres: Action, Adventure

Story Driveđź“– 16/20
Accessibility🚪 17/20
Depth🤿 7/20
Challengeđź’€ 11/20
Duration⌛ 14/20
Freedom🌎 14/20
Review Scores
7xD9F
Fouttaf Score
Dimension: 7
It's tough to rate the game's ambitiousness, as it's full of contrasts, but we're clearly talking about an AAA title. While as an action/stealth game, the gameplay and mechanics are extremely simple, the sheer size of an open-world Indiana Jones premise is no joke.
The Flair: D
Visually, this game punches harder than Indy’s right hook. The graphics? Gorgeous. The soundtrack? A chef’s kiss to John Williams’ legacy. But here’s the kicker: the game is also riddled with small glitches and enough jank to make a temple trap look smooth by comparison. It’s a technical rollercoaster, but despite its rough edges, the overall presentation still shines through. When everything aligns—the visuals, the music, the set pieces—it’s like stepping into one of the classic Indy films.
The Feel: 9
Its extremely simple foundations make for an accessible title, but one that often doesn't quite know what it wants from the player. Its stealth mechanics are virtually nonexistent and as shallow as a puddle, combat is as sophisticated as a plastic spoon at a Michelin-starred restaurant, and puzzles—along with exploring locations—may be the only areas where the game feels confident and well-designed. Calling the gameplay "janky" would be an understatement. The overly simplistic progression system, based on books and adventure points, is not rewarding either, and with no skills to acquire throughout the game, the sense of repetition becomes even more apparent.
The Fuel: F
The game redeems most of its flaws with a truly spectacular story that deserves adaptation for the big screen. Extremely compelling and well-acted, the characters shine throughout the plot with charisma, paying a magnificent tribute to the original films. On top of that, the level design is sumptuous; every location on this journey beautifully recreates places like Giza or Sukhothai, along with their cultures, deepening the sense of immersion. Its side content and secondary missions may not be equally compelling, but they are solid additions that reinforce the Indy spirit the game constantly builds upon.
Great
81
Classic Score
Conclusions
Indiana Jones and the Great Circle is, above all, a torrid love letter to the original films. It successfully delivers a compelling story and memorable characters, as well as an adventure setup that few games have achieved. Despite some important gameplay flaws such as shallow and unconvincing stealth and combat mechanics, it absolutely hits the mark at providing a great adventure title that will tug at the heartstrings of Indy fans, probably like no other game has ever done to this date.
Indiana Jones and the Great Circle
Indiana Jones and the Great Circle (Cross-platform, 2024)
Badge Cabinet

Release date: Monday 9th December 2024
Platforms: PC, PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X/S
Published by: Bethesda Softworks
Developed by: MachineGames
Genres: Action, Adventure
Trait Chart
Story Drive đź“– 16/20
Accessibility 🚪 17/20
Depth 🤿 7/20
Challenge đź’€ 11/20
Duration ⌛ 14/20
Freedom 🌎 14/20
Review Scores
7xD9F
Fouttaf Score
Dimension: 7
It's tough to rate the game's ambitiousness, as it's full of contrasts, but we're clearly talking about an AAA title. While as an action/stealth game, the gameplay and mechanics are extremely simple, the sheer size of an open-world Indiana Jones premise is no joke.
The Flair: D
Visually, this game punches harder than Indy’s right hook. The graphics? Gorgeous. The soundtrack? A chef’s kiss to John Williams’ legacy. But here’s the kicker: the game is also riddled with small glitches and enough jank to make a temple trap look smooth by comparison. It’s a technical rollercoaster, but despite its rough edges, the overall presentation still shines through. When everything aligns—the visuals, the music, the set pieces—it’s like stepping into one of the classic Indy films.
The Feel: 9
Its extremely simple foundations make for an accessible title, but one that often doesn't quite know what it wants from the player. Its stealth mechanics are virtually nonexistent and as shallow as a puddle, combat is as sophisticated as a plastic spoon at a Michelin-starred restaurant, and puzzles—along with exploring locations—may be the only areas where the game feels confident and well-designed. Calling the gameplay "janky" would be an understatement. The overly simplistic progression system, based on books and adventure points, is not rewarding either, and with no skills to acquire throughout the game, the sense of repetition becomes even more apparent.
The Fuel: F
The game redeems most of its flaws with a truly spectacular story that deserves adaptation for the big screen. Extremely compelling and well-acted, the characters shine throughout the plot with charisma, paying a magnificent tribute to the original films. On top of that, the level design is sumptuous; every location on this journey beautifully recreates places like Giza or Sukhothai, along with their cultures, deepening the sense of immersion. Its side content and secondary missions may not be equally compelling, but they are solid additions that reinforce the Indy spirit the game constantly builds upon.
Conclusions

Indiana Jones and the Great Circle is, above all, a torrid love letter to the original films. It successfully delivers a compelling story and memorable characters, as well as an adventure setup that few games have achieved. Despite some important gameplay flaws such as shallow and unconvincing stealth and combat mechanics, it absolutely hits the mark at providing a great adventure title that will tug at the heartstrings of Indy fans, probably like no other game has ever done to this date.

Great
81
Classic Score