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It’s been a long time since the last majorIndiana Jonesvideo game, and ever since the Xbox Series S/X and PC exclusive titleIndiana Jones and the Great Circlewas announced back in January 2021, fans have been keen to learn more about what was in store for the treasure-hunting archaeologist professor. The game’s title and gameplay were revealed as part of Xbox’s Developer Direct showcase earlier this year, and since then, new footage has provided more insight into its story, whichtakes place in1937, one year after the events ofRaiders of the Lost Arkin 1936, and a year before the events ofIndiana Jones and the Last Crusadein 1938.
This footage made it clear that, unlike theIndiana Jonesgames that came before it,Indiana Jones and the Great Circlewould be a first-person title, but the majority of the focus was on the story. Through cutscene footage, past trailers introduced the newer threats Indy would be facing; namely, anew villain named Emmerich Voss, who is allied with the Nazis, allies such as the Italian journalist, Gina, and the artifacts both sides will be looking for throughout the game.
While the story is a crucial part of an Indiana Jones adventure, I had found myself hoping that at some point, we’d be treated to more of an insight into the title’s gameplay, especially with the different approach MachineGames was taking compared to past Indiana Jones games before it. Fortunately, this seemed to be the focus of a recent hands-off, digital preview of the game that I was invited to by developer MachineGames and publisher Bethesda in the run-up to its official reveal at Gamescom 2024’s Opening Night Live. Here, we were treated to a Q&A with Game Director Jerk Gustafsson and Creative Director Axel Torvenius, an early look at the Gamescom video presentation, and anexclusive gameplay sequence set under the Great Sphinx of Giza.
Every New & Returning Character In Indiana Jones And The Great Circle (So Far)
The full reveal of Indiana Jones and the Great Circle has also shown off the game’s cast, which includes both new and returning characters.
Indiana Jones And The Great Circle May Be First-Person, But It’s Not A Standard FPS
MachineGames Was Clear That It Is An Adventure Game First & Foremost
One thing that seemed to be made extremely clear throughout the event was that whileIndiana Jones and the Great Circledoes have a first-person perspective for the most partit is not a first-person shooter in the same vein as MachineGames' previousWolfensteintitles.While Gustafsson noted that the game was always intended in first person due to the studio’s skills and experience in the genre, and a desire for greater immersion, it is an adventure game first and foremost, with players encouraged to scope out areas and use their wits to navigate around situations and enemies, rather than shooting their way through them, despite Indy’s gun being part of their inventory. through watching the footage, it became clear that there was slightly more in common withThe Chronicles of Riddick: Escape from Butcher Bay, which many of the team had worked on during their time at Starbreeze Studios.
Indiana Jones and the Great Circle’s perspective does switch to third-person for some brief moments, such as when Indy swings across an area on his whip, or for the game’s cinematic cutscenes.
That’s not to say that the combat didn’t look satisfying when Indy did have to fight his way through an area, as he could be seen using his whip, gun, and fists to take out enemies in quick succession at one point in an extremely fluid sequence. However,Indy could be seen donning adisguise as part of aHitman-esque systemto go through an enemy campand acquire a golden medallion needed to unlock a door, and it was explained that, much like inHitman, different enemies could see through the disguise, so players should still be mindful of how they navigate enemy territory regardless of the outfit they’re wearing.
It was also hinted that while players could technically go in guns-blazing, this may result in more of a challenge and isn’t the best way to play the game. However, combat is still very much a part of the game, and Indy can use the environment to aid him in getting an advantage over enemies, as he could be seen using objects such as a shovel or a rolling pin to throw or hit his foes, and of course, this could be combined with his whip and traditional fistfighting to offer more variety.
Players are also able to use Adventure Points to upgrade their playstyle, with theTrue Grittrait being used as an example, letting Indy come back from a fatal blow for those who prefer to be a bit more combat-heavy.
New Indiana Jones & The Great Circle Trailer Confirms At Least One Major Storyline
A new trailer for Indiana Jones and the Great Circle has been shown as part of the Xbox Games Showcase, revealing more gameplay and a new location.
Puzzles Look To Be A Fairly Major Part Of Indiana Jones And The Great Circle
With Some Larger Open Areas Offering More Challenging Ones
The sequence underneath the Great Sphinx of Giza saw Indy and Gina venturing into the Sanctuary of the Guardians. Here, Indy used plenty of tools, such as a lighter to light old oil lamps, his camera to document his findings - which is pared with his journal, which serves as a reminder of everything players have experienced so far in the story, while also having the in-universe purpose of helping Indy solve the central mystery - and his whip to lower his way down into a spike pit trap to get through a hole in the wall and open the main gate for Gina.
Inside the temple, Indy and Gina find a golden ceremonial mask locked inside some kind of stone vice-type mechanism. Unfortunately,this puzzle section was the only bit I found somewhat underwhelming, and it felt a bit like the most basic puzzles we’d seen countless times in otheradventure games such asTomb RaiderorUncharted,where the solution was to bounce the light off the mirrors in the correct way, and it just didn’t feel like there was anything particularly new for the franchise or the genre there.
Fortunately, Gustafsson and Torvenius did say thatthere’s a degree of difficulty in the puzzles throughout the game, and there are more open sections where players will be able to pick up some side activities that involve solving harder ones, so there’s the possibility that the one shown during the preview was one of the easier ones. Still, this preview certainly served its purpose of providing a better look into the actual gameplay mechanics, and it looks like adventure fans should have plenty to look forward to in Indy’s latest adventure whenIndiana Jones and the Great Circlelaunches later this year.
Indiana Jones and the Great Circle
Indiana Jones and the Great Circle is a first-person action-adventure game developed by the creative team at MachineGames. Set in 1937 between Raiders of the Lost Ark and The Last Crusade, players take on the role of the titular globe-trotting adventurer/archaeology professor Dr. Indiana Jones, as he races across the world to stop a dangerous organization from utilizing the power of the mystical Great Circle.
