Indiana Jones and the Great Circle review – Love letter to fans of film trilogy

by

As a seasoned gamer who grew up with the thrilling adventures of Indiana Jones, I found myself utterly captivated by “Indiana Jones and the Great Circle.” The game harkened back to my youth, filled with nostalgia as I navigated through lush jungles and ancient ruins, solving mind-boggling puzzles and engaging in pulse-pounding chases.

It has been shown in recent attempts to revive Indiana Jones on the big screen that modern filmmakers struggle to recapture the magic of the original series and today’s youth are not as enthused by the older archaeologist character with a whip as those who grew up watching the 80s trilogy.

In the realm where Lara Croft and Nathan Drake have been reigning supreme in the archaeology genre for quite some time, it seems Indiana Jones is making a strong comeback. To my astonishment, Indiana Jones and the Great Circle, from the MachineGames studio, appears to be a heartfelt tribute to fans of the original film trilogy. It’s as if we’re getting the fourth Indy movie that fans have longed for, without the elements of disappointment like Crystal Skull, offering instead an adventure that feels authentic and true to what fans have always envisioned – a young, energetic Harrison Ford jetting across the globe with his companion in search of a powerful ancient artifact.

As a gamer, I’ve dived into the captivating world of The Great Circle, a game that its creators label as an adventure-action title, with a clear focus on the ‘adventure’. This game truly shines when it comes to unearthing mesmerizing locales and untangling intricate environmental riddles. Plus, it keeps you guessing almost until the final curtain. However, there are aspects that could use some tweaking, like certain moments I’d rather see excised or reworked, and most importantly, I wish the gameplay was in Third-Person Perspective (TPP). Regrettably, my suspicions were validated, as the first-person perspective didn’t quite hit the mark in this instance. Nevertheless, upon seeing the end credits roll, I found myself reminiscing about a satisfying Indiana Jones adventure.

Nostalgic fan service

Indiana Jones and the Enigma of the Grand Circle captivates followers of the renowned archaeologist right from the start with a deeply moving, unexpected prologue that feels like a dream come true. The storyline, set a year after the occurrences in Raiders of the Lost Ark, takes us on an exhilarating journey from the Vatican, via Giza, to Thailand and two additional locations, excluding, of course, the Marshall College edifice where we reconnect with Marcus Brody.

This game is overflowing with tributes to fans, such as the popular musical score, graphic depictions of the character’s odyssey on the map, Troy Baker’s captivating voice-acting that echoes Ford’s tone, Indy’s phobia of snakes, along with hidden gems and allusions that only die-hard fans will catch. The ambiance of the films is vividly portrayed, making you feel like you’ve stepped into them. Regrettably, a couple of scenes could have been better, particularly the climactic boss battle, which feels over-the-top and contrived, and the humor in these instances fails to resonate.

This should be a TPP game…

In these instances, memories might fade quickly, but the first-person perspective lingers with us persistently. Personally, I believe it wasn’t a wise choice to keep the game in this format. MachineGames, known for their expertise in First-Person Perspective (FPP), have certainly given their best here, as both the whip and fistfighting feel suitable for an FPP. However, it’s hard to argue that the game wouldn’t be significantly improved if it were Third-Person Perspective (TPP).

The worst part is that the game keeps teasing us with the TPP view. In the inventively designed main menu, we always see Indy in the place where we last finished the game. Resuming it briefly displays the protagonist in TPP, only to switch to FPP, and all the magic goes away. Furthermore, all moments of overcoming obstacles with the help of a whip and climbing switch the camera to TPP mode, which introduces unnecessary visual chaos. It would be much better to have a TPP mode at all times and the option to zoom in to FPP, for instance, to examine the details of an object during puzzles.

PROS:

  1. atmosphere of the original film trilogy is everywhere, great fan service, and many references;
  2. great environmental puzzles that force you to think and strategize;
  3. interestingly designed locations that are fun to explore;
  4. optional quests can be quite complex, with different puzzles and cut-scenes;
  5. well-made hand-to-hand combat mechanics (and various kinds of objects);
  6. Gina is awesome as a virtual companion.

CONS:

  1. this should be a TPP game…;
  2. crowded locations give the impression of artificially created dioramas, where no one reacts to the bodies;
  3. poor AI behavior during stealth;
  4. poorly designed interface in the notebook and the map itself;
  5. the last fight could have been skipped;
  6. too many junk collectibles;
  7. graphic design clearly falls short of today’s AAA game standards.

Do not talk about gunplay, talk about fight club!

When it comes to shooting in the game Doom Eternal, you can sense the influence of its engine. However, aiming isn’t something you need to worry about, as the image is only slightly magnified. The trailer hinted at a flexible gameplay style, allowing for stealthy approaches or gunfights, but the game seems designed to discourage shooting. Enemies are tough even against multiple headshots. All guns have limited ammo and are discarded when the camera switches to third-person perspective. Furthermore, in larger bases, shots can alert entire enemy groups, making it difficult for Indy to fight back in open combat.

To clarify, Indy excels in hand-to-hand combat situations, particularly when navigating confined spaces such as hidden Nazi bases or off-limits areas. His skillset includes blocking punches, evading attacks, and using nearby objects for defense, such as clubs, shovels, bottles, or rakes, which provide more impactful attacks than bare fists. The developers have also incorporated a secret fight club location within the game!

In this game, the stealth isn’t particularly effective since enemies and civilians seem to overlook fallen bodies, and they don’t react to anything other than gunshots that happen within four feet of them. If an alarm goes off, simply running away and hiding is sufficient, as everyone will eventually forget about you after a while. The one positive aspect is the disguise mechanic similar to that in Hitman, which allows Indy more freedom of movement across different locations. While I understand these simplifications and the AI’s questionable behaviors due to it being primarily an adventure game, they do detract from immersion and make the experience feel more like navigating through pre-fabricated dioramas.

Ancient ruins hide the best mysteries

In this game, you’ll discover a variety of locations, ranging from narrow linear paths to expansive areas, offering a sense of an open world filled with diverse Non-Player Characters (NPCs). The visuals change drastically, whether you’re wandering the streets of the Vatican, the villages near Egyptian pyramids, or islands nestled in the Thai jungle. Each exploration journey is unique and rewarding, as these extensive maps hide intricate side quests, complete with fresh puzzles and cutscenes. I particularly appreciate the inclusion of character development mechanics tied to exploration. As you progress, Indy snaps photos of interesting sights and gathers adventure points. These points can be utilized to unlock unique abilities in special manuals.

In the game, Indy discovers hidden advantages like extended ammo and food capacity, boosted endurance, and rapid revival upon being knocked down, once he dons his hat. This makes it worthwhile to search meticulously for clues and artifacts – it’s a far more engaging approach than the typical skill progression system. However, the game is filled with unnecessary collectibles, text-heavy notes irrelevant to the narrative, and identical artifacts whose discovery doesn’t reward us or lacks clarity. There are also other subtle elements we’ll encounter in the gaming world.

The game becomes particularly exciting as Indiana Jones embarks on his exploration through pyramids, caves, and ancient ruins. Each environment is intricately designed with visually appealing visuals that can make you feel both claustrophobic or spacious, depending on your location. The lighting adds an extra layer of immersion, creating stunning effects or plunging you into such darkness that a torch becomes essential. Stealthy sneaking is not required here; instead, you’ll encounter clever environmental puzzles that are neither dull nor overly challenging. A keen eye for detail, examining items, and occasionally employing trial and error will typically suffice. The main challenges revolve around enormous statues or gates that gracefully move when the correct actions are taken.

In this adventure game, there’s a specific type of challenge that requires navigating the environment. Indy maneuvers using his whip to leap over gaps, hoist himself up, and scale heights. He plunges into flooded corridors, and what truly captivated me were instances where you needed to exercise your intellect as the game provides no guidance. For instance, one has to utilize something that’s commonly found on the ground to open a pathway. One of the game’s strongest points is its puzzles, coupled with the immersive locations. The exploration could be even better if it incorporated a top-down perspective (TPP mode) and reduced the number of unnecessary collectibles.

Gina to the rescue!

In my perspective, Gina Lombardi, our virtual friend, merits exceptional recognition. To me, she stands shoulder-to-shoulder with the finest companions in video games, such as Ellie from The Last of Us and Elizabeth from BioShock Infinite. Gina is distinctively expressive, engaging in conversations with Indy during cut-scenes, and has her own motivations for being his partner. Her narrative is mature and deeply integrated into the overall storyline, subtly intertwining with the main plot. Unlike some characters who serve as mere decoration or filler, Gina actively contributes to the gameplay experience. At times, she even takes action when solving puzzles, like providing an item, holding it, or going somewhere to open something on her own accord – without needing us to press a specific button.

Chaos in notes

In Indiana Jones and the Great Circle, some aspects don’t quite match up to the brilliance of its environmental challenges and ambience. Besides the difficulties with stealth, suboptimal gunfights, and a sense of fake environments in open areas, the graphics are also unimpressive. It’s clear that the Doom engine is falling short compared to contemporary standards, particularly in terms of vegetation and the faces of secondary characters and regular NPCs. Additionally, the game demands quite a bit from your system specifications.

The developers completely failed at designing the screen interface. The map is barely readable, it cannot be zoomed in, and it is displayed simultaneously with the menu tabs. It was likely intended for complete immersion and the sensation of stepping into Indy’s shoes, but there could have been an alternative solution to overlaying menu captions on the screen. The archaeologist’s journal, in which all notes and photos are collected, looks even worse! Trying to find the latest information there is a daunting task. The layout of the pages is chaotic and unreadable, and displaying something requires a lot of clicking.

In addition, I’d point out that the final boss battle feels underwhelming, overly simplified, and arguably the least impressive of the battles encountered earlier in the game. The experience could be enhanced if, instead of a direct confrontation, a challenging environmental puzzle were introduced. It seems that the game developers prioritized action elements over adventure ones, despite the initial intent being the opposite.

(Not) only for boomers

As a gamer, let me share my experience playing Indiana Jones and the Great Circle. Overall, it was a blast! However, I have to admit that my perception of this game might differ from others, especially based on their age.

Read More

2024-12-06 10:35