'Indiana Jones and the Great Circle': I saw 30 minutes of the game before you did

Ever since Microsoft acquired Bethesda, players have been curious as to what MachineGames’ first game under the new Xbox umbrella would be. The studio is best known for creating the Wolfenstein series, but it’s now shifting gears to a beloved one: Indiana Jones.

Bethesda invited Mashable to an extended 30-minute, hands-off preview of Indiana Jones and the Great Circle to show what to expect. Based on the gameplay shown, it expertly takes MachineGames’ first-person pedigree and storytelling skills to the next level. 

Taking inspiration

The preview begins with game director Jerk Gustafsson and creative director Axel Torvenius speaking about how they took various real-world examples of temples to design their own. For example, they looked at drawings of the Sukhothai temples and extrapolated them in the opposite direction, making them more overgrown in order to fit the 1930s setting of the game. 

Throughout the game, they confirmed that you’ll be able to visit other locations around the world such as the Vatican and the Himalayas. They also announced that the game will feature many cinematic set pieces, including being chased by a fighter plane. So far, this sounds like an exciting adventure that could even rival PlayStation’s Uncharted series.

The events of the Great Circle are set between the films Raiders of the Lost Ark and the Last Crusade. In 1937, a break-in occurs at Marshall College — and it turns out that Jones’ rival archeologist, Emerick Voss, has been plundering sites all across the world to find relics. 

It seems like Voss is working for Nazi Germany, as when a concerned scientist tells him that the relics that he’s looking for contain otherworldly powers, he says that it’s all the more reason for the Führer to have them. Voss is also a completely original character, which makes Great Circle feel like a genuine new adventure for the Indiana Jones franchise.

Globetrotter

The gameplay follows the first-person style that MachineGames is known for from its Wolfenstein series — a format that feels perfectly suited to Indiana Jones. What really caught my eye were the fist fights that Jones engages in, as they’re much more methodical and slower-paced than you’d expect. He can face off against opponents on a 1vs1 basis, holding his fists up while swinging and dodging. 

He can also even grab them by the collar and pummel their faces in, as well as grab items lying around like rolling pins to hit them with. The game takes the realistic approach, and while it wasn’t showcased, I’d imagine Jones would have a difficult time trying to fist fight against multiple enemies. However, the slower-paced melee combat makes it far more immersive, akin to the experience in sims like Kingdom Come: Deliverance.

But what’s Indiana Jones without his trusty whip? Don’t worry, there are plenty of things to do with it. For instance, he can use it to hit enemies, but also grab items from a short distance, including dropped guns from incapacitated enemies. Outside of combat, the whip lets him traverse small gaps by using it like a grappling hook onto something like a tree branch. Additionally, the whip is integral to solving certain puzzles and looking for alternative paths in dungeons.

There’s a lot more to talk about regarding Indiana Jones and the Great Circle, such as the ability for Jones to don disguises, such as a clerical pastor, to infiltrate restricted areas — similar to the Hitman games. The game also encourages you to go off the main path and find little adventures on your own to discover collectibles. By doing so, you can earn Adventure Points that help Jones learn new abilities. One such ability is called True Grit, which lets him withstand a fatal blow.

I’m really excited to get my hands on Indiana Jones and the Great Circle later this year, assuming it doesn’t get delayed, of course. The showcased gameplay appears both immersive and enjoyable, while the story promises to be incredibly engaging. MachineGames is the ideal developer for creating the game that the Indiana Jones franchise deserves — and it looks like the great adventure game that Xbox really needs for its lineup.