Indiana Jones and the Great Circle is the rare licensed game that actually earns its ticket. Developed by MachineGames and published by Bethesda, it drops the whip-cracking hero into a globe-trotting adventure set between Raiders of the Lost Ark and The Last Crusade. The result is a first-person puzzle box wrapped in a pulp action movie, and it mostly works.
Trailer, via Bethesda Softworks.
A Slow Burn in the Vatican
The game opens in Marshall College, where a late-night break-in sets Indy on a trail that leads to the Vatican. It is a smart tutorial disguised as a mission. You learn to sneak, swing a whip, and read clues in the environment. The pacing here is deliberate, almost slow, but it builds trust. By the time you reach the Sistine Chapel, you feel like an archaeologist, not a tourist.
Fists, Not Firearms
MachineGames built its name on the Wolfenstein series, and it shows. Combat is punchy but not the focus. You can go in swinging, but ammo is scarce and enemies hit hard. Stealth is the better path. Indy can use disguises, throw bottles, and knock guards out with a well-placed swing. The systems are simple, but they give you room to improvise. One slip, and the whole courtyard knows you are there.
Puzzles That Reward Patience
Puzzles are the real star here. They range from rotating statues to deciphering ancient scripts. None of them are insultingly easy, and none require a guide. The game rewards patience. A notebook tracks every clue, and the “aha” moment when a solution clicks is genuinely satisfying. This is where Indiana Jones and the Great Circle feels most like the films: a hero solving problems with his head, not just his fists.
Egypt, Snow, and a Buried City
The locations are dense and beautiful. Egypt, the Himalayas, and a buried city all feel distinct. The score, composed by Gordy Haab, channels John Williams without copying him. It swells at the right moments. The voice acting is strong, with Troy Baker doing a credible Harrison Ford impersonation that lands more often than it misses.
“It’s not the years, honey, it’s the mileage.”
That line, delivered early, sets the tone. Baker sells the weariness and the wit.
Rough Edges and a Solid Finish
Indiana Jones and the Great Circle has some rough edges. The enemy AI is occasionally dim, and the camera can fight you in tight spaces. But the adventure holds together. It respects the source material while carving its own path. The story ties neatly into the existing canon without feeling like homework.
The game is available on PC, PS5, Xbox Series X|S, and Switch 2. Performance is solid across platforms, though the PC version offers the most visual polish.
Indiana Jones and the Great Circle is a confident, clever adventure that understands why we love this character. It is not a revolution, but it does not need to be. It is a great time with an old friend.
8.9/10, per the IGDB critic aggregate across 12 outlets.
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