Previously on Indiana Jones...

Set between Raiders of the Lost Ark and The Last Crusade, Indiana Jones and the Great Circle could easily be the next story of the character in theaters. The plot has almost everything a good action movie has: mystery, exploration, discoveries, plot twists, a lost love, and lots of action, all well fitting the franchise's mold.

After a start that already puts everything in our hands about who Indiana Jones is, we are transported to his mansion, which was invaded and had some artifacts stolen. Looking for answers, the professor embarks on a journey that not only puts him up against fascists, but also solves some puzzles in the pyramids of Egypt and explores the coldest mountains of the Himalayas.



Indiana Jones and the Great Circle manages to intercalate the cutscenes moments with gameplay very well, really making us very immersive to everything that is being told and even making us root for a specific outcome. And of course, all this becomes even easier to provide thanks to the great dubbing work in PT-BR, in the best Afternoon Session style.

If you're as much of an Indy fan as I am, it's very easy to like the game right away. Of course, many aspects must be taken into consideration to say that the title is a good game, but you can't help but be happy with the studio's respect for the character's lore. Several iconic figures from cinema are present in the adventure, such as museum curator Marcus Brody and even journalist Giuliana.

It's very clear that Machine Games studio had plenty of time to do an excellent job in all areas of the game, but the adventure's plot is truly deserving of many applause. George Lucas and Steven Spielberg are certainly very pleased with the result, thus allowing a new generation to meet Henry Jones Jr., or simply Indiana Jones.

A controversial choice that paid off

Since the unexpected announcement of the game, until its first-person camera was revealed, many people were hesitant about Machine Games' choice. It's true that Indy is an iconic character, but many could consider him too square. But much more than that, the first-person view is never very well seen by players. Especially when it's a game with exploration and puzzle-solving elements. And of course, how could we not see the hero with all his grace and elegance?

The truth is that after the first videos detailing Indy's movements, combat mode, among other peculiarities, it became clear that the camera choice could not have been more precise. Not surprising, but for those who have played the Wolfenstein franchise games, it was already expected that the work would be very well done.

In fact, you feel in the shoes of Indiana Jones. Whether using the whip to disarm enemies and to jump cliffs and climb high places, or in the paced and even strategic combat, since our hero is a historian, not a fighter, or to contemplate a beautiful landscape. None of this would be possible without the FPS view. But don't worry, dear player, because in several gameplay moments the character appears in full body, especially for puzzle solving.



Explore with great style

Although not an open-world game, quite the opposite, since the scenarios are linear, Indiana Jones and the Great Circle manages to make us explore all environments, as its mechanism is light, fluid, and consistent with what is presented to be explored.

Don't think that Indy is a true acrobat from Cirque du Soleil, but all his movements are very well executed, according to the level of challenge presented. And here, once again, the whip is the protagonist, as it is through it that the character can jump cliffs and cross obstacles.

Again, I emphasize that the physics implemented in the game has a perfect tone for a moment focused on exploring scenarios and much of this is thanks to the precision of the controls, which make you feel very confident about what you are doing.

A historian doesn't know how to fight

First of all, you should know that Indiana Jones and the Great Circle is not a game of frantic action, but rather an exploration game, more focused even on stealth gameplay. So be very careful with your movements, as the game's AI is quite fair, where opponents respond very realistically.

With that in mind, know that the combat here maintains the reality mentioned earlier, where the fights can be as brutal as they are clumsy. And I don't say this derogatively. But really, Indy was never a martial artist, nor did he have a fluid movement between punches and defense.

Here, every object becomes a weapon, like a shovel, a chalice, and even a fly swatter, where each object has its weight when taking the enemy's life. It is possible to use the whip to disarm opponents, which is undoubtedly amazing to do, especially when hearing the whip sound. The game even offers weapons, but undoubtedly the focus of combat is not that.



Not wanting to sugarcoat the game's combat, which is certainly the weakest point of the game, but I can understand that this proposal from the developers is exactly in line with the character, who never had the attributes of a great gladiator. And let's face it, it doesn't make sense for a history professor to fight as well as a trained soldier, does it?

Cinematic graphics

In Indiana Jones and the Great Circle, we can contemplate various completely different landscapes and environments, which make the Machine Games' work in creating charming environments with great richness highly praised.

From the museum in Indy's mansion to the pyramids of Egypt, the game is full of details, which become even more evident with the exploration of scenarios and puzzle solving, where each object received due attention.

It is worth noting that the game review was done on an Xbox Series S, which showed satisfactory performance, despite some stutters at the beginning of pre-gameplay cutscenes, but nothing that hinders the immersion of the title.



Cinematic soundtrack

Without a doubt, the soundtrack of Indiana Jones and the Great Circle is the icing on the cake of the game. And I confess that this was a topic that made me apprehensive, since as a big fan of the movies starring Harrison Ford, I didn't want anything less than epic.

I can say with confidence that the soundtrack works perfectly with all the moments that the journey proposes. A more agitated music in action moments, something more paced in puzzle solving, besides the game effects that are a delight in themselves, especially with the use of the whip.

The music of Indiana Jones and the Great Circle is capable of putting you in the spotlight as soon as the gameplay or cutscene happens. It is so brilliant that it really makes you wonder if this isn't a hero movie.

We thank Bethesda for sending a game key and making this content possible.