Having attended an exclusive digital preview of the game, it looks like Indiana Jones and the Great Circle is shaping up to be a globetrotting, Nazi-bashing, archaeology-fuelled, mystery-solving adventure that’s more than worthy of Harrison Ford’s Fedora-donned hero.
From cracking the iconic whip and donning disguises to satisfyingly punching Nazis in the face in close-quarters combat and filling out an archaeologist's dream of a journal, I got a clear insight into the type of adventure developer MachineGames is creating. In short, I can’t wait to step into Indiana Jones' footsteps for real when the game releases.
Adventure over action
With many similar games adopting the ‘action-adventure’ genre mantra, MachineGames is emphasizing the latter for The Great Circle. Talking attendees through a host of elements across the sliver of exclusive gameplay I saw, game director Jerk Gustaffson and creative director Axel Torvenius emphasize that there was always a focus on making the game feel as much like an Indiana Jones adventure as possible first and foremost, with the action elements coming second.
This emphasis mirrors that of Indiana Jones and his escapades particularly in the early Spielberg-directed movies. In fact, the setting is directly related to those with the team choosing to set The Great Circle directly after the first film, Raiders of the Lost Ark. The developer wanted the game to feel like a “direct sequel to Raiders of the Lost Ark” and latch on to that particular version of Indiana Jones to celebrate that character and continue his adventure.
This is put into action in the “biggest game we [MachineGames] have ever made” according to Gustaffson, which is a tantalizing prospect in and of itself. The Wolfenstein games from the same studio aren’t huge but something akin to them feels like something fans can really get their teeth into - both in terms of time and actual game environments and spaces.
Players 'don't just get to play as Indiana Jones, you get to be Indiana Jones.'
In practical application, this scale manifests in a mix of “more linear missions with open spaces” that will encourage and reward exploration. This feels like a smart move already, allowing players to experience both a bombastic Indiana Jones narrative complete with awesome set pieces, while also playing as an investigative archaeologist, poring over clues and mysteries.
Scattered throughout Indy’s adventure, there will be a range of puzzles, channeling those scenes fans remember from the likes of the climax of The Last Crusade or the staff of Ra scene in Raiders. Be they simpler environmental puzzles of using mirrors or smashing through the right walls, or more complex offerings that have the potential to stump, they look to be authentically Indiana Jones. What’s more, you can experience more of these when exploring the open areas, rather than just on the main narrative’s path.
Don’t call me Junior!
Playing the part of Indiana Jones is something that’s at the heart of MachineGames’ goal and approach too. While the perspective is something the studio has a proven track record with, Torvenius makes an effort to emphasize that in The Great Circle players “don't just get to play as Indiana Jones, you get to be Indiana Jones.” No stronger is this intention depicted than in the game’s reliance on first-person perspective.
Some eyebrows were raised when it was revealed that The Great Circle would be a first-person game, with Indy’s iconic look and style being off-screen - something particularly jarring when considering it's partly the on-screen look that makes the character so brilliant.
Personally, I still feel that the first-person perspective may be a missed opportunity to further celebrate the iconic look and portrayal of Indiana Jones - plus, the incredibly quick changes between perspectives in phases of traversal are sometimes jarring - but it is offset by the feeling of being Indy and slipping on his shoes.
Players will be up close and personal to everything across the journey, getting a closer look at puzzles and mysteries, as well as Indy’s journal and camera shots too. In first-person, Indy’s hand-to-hand combat also looks on point, with punches to Nazis’ faces, slings of the whip as well as weapons like shovels feeling impactful and like they’ve been taken right out of the movies.
Making the experience of being Indy feel as authentic as ever, however, is the excellent portrayal of the character model, and Troy Baker’s voice work. Both beautifully bring that age and depiction of Indy to life, with the face being instantly recognizable as ‘that’ Indy and Baker’s voice brilliantly captures Harrison Ford’s voice, diction, and delivery.
Even from my very brief time with the gameplay and presentation, it looks to be an excellent imagining of the hero and one that beautifully portrays Indy and lets players unleash his clever mix of brains and brawn.
You call this archaeology?
In action, this perspective really works and from the insights I saw, as well as the application of all Indy’s skills in a sliver of gameplay set in the Great Sphinx in Giza, the prospect is gripping with all elements of Indy’s character, toolset, combat, and the narrative and locations blending beautifully together.
I saw a strong emphasis on Indy being an archaeologist and two of his most valued tools are his journal and camera. The journal won’t be a new concept in adventure games, but I already enjoy the simple fact that it's empty at the start of your adventure - a totally clean slate. It’s up to you to gather clues and information, solve puzzles, and more to fill it out.
The journal will also act as its own source of clues and hints for the next things to look for - acting as a “complete guide” to the player. The complementing camera means Indy can take his own (read: your own) snapshots of historical sites and reveal important clues; the camera is one of the “key gameplay mechanics” according to Gustaffson and Torvenius.
The iconic whip in particular is a joyful implementation of Indy’s tools and can be used in a multitude of different ways from combat to traversal. It sounds right, looks right in how it moves, and flies through the air and around objects with impressive fluidity. Complementing that is Indy’s revolver, and his resourcefulness in utilizing whatever’s around him be it torches, shovels, or the environment itself.
Indiana Jones and the Great Circle looks to be absolutely worthy of wearing the Fedora
Another intriguing feature is Indy’s use of disguises. In one scene we see Indy act out something innocuous in his disguise to maintain his ruse - rather than just rely on the clothing to get him through a particular area. The devs hinted at the possibility of building up a bank of these too to draw on and use throughout the game - rather than just very specific set pieces.
When you can’t rely on tools and gadgets though, Indy has options when it comes to combat. Simply put there are always options to outsmart or overpower your foes; you can use stealth, taking advantage of the environment, and move swiftly to quietly distract, stun, or subdue enemies. You can also go revolver-and-fists-out and take on enemies head-on. It‘ll depend on which Indy you want to channel in each instance. I also noticed a helpful ‘awareness meter’ style feature on-screen which will change color depending on if guards are alerted to you or have outright seen you.
You’ll be able to develop and level Indy up along the way too. Adventure Points pop up on the screen whenever discoveries are made or clues are retrieved, and make up part of the skills system. You can then deploy these points to learn specific things such as the skill ‘True Grit’ which gives Indy an extra chance to come back from a fatal blow. There will apparently be “dozens” of upgrades on offer that you can use to customize and create your personal version of Indy, with more adventure points on offer the more you explore and discover - encouraging players to go away from the main path.
X marks the spot
All in all, this snapshot of the game really does set it up to look, feel, and play like an authentic Indiana Jones adventure. The Great Circle feels like the perfect celebration of the character and his adventures, as well as a brilliant harnessing of him at the time of just after that first movie.
For those who have watched the films over and over (like me), and who have always yearned for a proper Indy adventure in game form, then this is it. Indiana Jones and the Great Circle looks to be absolutely worthy of wearing the Fedora, and I can’t wait to jump in.
