Games and Movies Have an Awkward Partnership
Generally speaking, the relationship between movies and video games has been…complex. Crossovers in either direction tend to be either big hits or abysmal failures. The more iconic the game or film franchise, the greater likelihood that fans won’t be happy with the results. Every once in a while, a movie-to-game adaption ends in a spectacular success, as with Indiana Jones and the Great Circle, now coming to PS5.
Indiana Jones is just about as iconic a pop culture fictional character as they come, and there have been dozens of attempts at bringing him to life in video games. The first was a text adventure, Indiana Jones and the Revenge of the Ancients in 1987, only a few years after Raiders of the Lost Ark introduced Indiana to the world. This was followed by a steady stream of 8 and 16-bit era games, PC games, and creative crossovers like the Lego Indiana Jones series.
What makes Indiana Jones and the Great Circle such a near-perfect translation of Indy the movie star to video game hero? Let’s discuss.
Troy Baker as Indiana
Troy Baker has been at the center of so many games that it’s easy to take for granted his professionalism and range as an actor. He’s been featured in action games like Uncharted, of course, but also stars in smaller projects like the musical adventure Stray Gods.
There’s been some controversy over the developer not going with a straight-up Harrison Ford impersonator to match the game’s young-Harrison Ford visuals. Instead, Baker channels the terse, understated baritone inflection of Ford without straying into literal impersonation. This smart choice completely avoids the vocal uncanny valley that a more literal performance might fall into. Baker is the lead, but the entire cast of Indiana Jones and the Great Circle performs at blockbuster movie-levels of quality. Great writing helps.
The Music is Perfect
John Williams’ score for Raiders of the Lost Ark is a film music classic. The tunes are instantly recognizable, especially the Raiders March. The score for Indiana Jones and the Great Circle is by Gordy Haab. Haab is a brilliant orchestrator and has channeled the John Williams muse a number of times for Star Wars-related games. When creating the score for Kinect: Star Wars he used the same orchestra, choir, studio, microphones, equipment and studio layout that Williams did at Abbey Road.
Haab’s music for Indiana Jones and the Great Circle occasionally quotes John Williams’ score. However, the majority of the game’s music is original. It perfectly matches Williams’ approach to harmony, melody and orchestra color.
The Game’s Cinematography is, well, Cinematic
As we all understand, a game’s graphics and art direction are two entirely different animals. On a high-end PC and now, the PS5, Indiana Jones and the Great Circle’s graphics are incredibly good. There’s an immense amount of detail, dramatic lighting and character realism. But graphical fidelity is only part of the visual success story. What really makes the game feel like a playable movie is the way the action and cut scenes are framed, or the way the game shifts perspective.
First Person Perspective is a Smart Choice
Unlike the Uncharted games — or most action adventures — Indiana Jones and the Great Circle is played mostly from a first person perspective. Cut scenes and some parkour are in third person. This risky choice pays off. We get to watch Indiana in movie-like fashion. Then we get to be Indiana when action kicks in. Luckily, transitions between the points of view are handled seamlessly.
If there’s one small way in which the game suffers, it’s in the first person melee combat. Trying to make combat more immersive and visceral is a good thing. This aspect just feels a little less polished.
The Puzzles, The Story, The Locations and The Characters Could be in the Films
The classic early Indiana Jones films’ success was based on a perfect mix of action, wit, narrative, and memorable characters. If there is one way in which Indiana Jones and the Great Circle perfectly catches the movies’ tone, it’s in the same balance. The game’s exotic locations, snappy dialogue, accessible puzzles and clearly-drawn heroes and villains play out exactly like they would in the films. Indiana Jones and the Great Circle is hands down the best translation from screen to game of this beloved franchise. It’s absolutely worth picking up on PS5.
***Game code was provided by the publisher***