Indiana Jones and The Great Circle Preview
I don’t ask for much from an Indiana Jones story. Just a rip-roaring adventure full of intense action, cool mysteries, and charismatic villains. Maybe some incredible sets that evoke distant lands lost to the mists of time. Perhaps also a whip? I got a longer look at Indiana Jones and The Great Circle last week, and my hopes are cautiously high. We’re a little ways out from the full release, but what I’ve seen so far is very promising.
Still Many Unknowns
To be clear, this was a hands-off demo. So a lot of questions remain, but we saw a big chunk of raw gameplay. This is a major mechanical departure from MachineGames’ usual efforts. Although the action is in first-person, you won’t be going in guns blazing. Doctor Jones is more of a whip/punch/run enthusiast. Your revolver is to be used as a last resort, at least according to the devs. Which makes sense! Indy is more of an improv-style fighter in the films. It’s unclear how combat feels, but it looks pretty cool. The whip is a versatile tool, and melee combat looks properly exciting. You’ll need precise timing and skill to survive these brawls.
Everything I’ve seen of the setting so far looks excellent. You’re travelling to some pretty amazing places, many of which are based on real ancient ruins. I keep re-stating this, but it’s important. So much of an Indiana Jones story is built on the setting. Temples, towns, and frozen ships make every scene feel more authentic, more exciting. The story itself takes place just after Raiders of The Lost Ark. So it’s around 1937. It’s hard to say at this stage how late 30’s the game will actually feel. Once we get our hands on the full release, we should get a better sense of this.
Tons Of Exciting Sets
Speaking of authenticity, the devs are extremely pleased with Troy Baker’s performance as Indy. Personally I’m pretty impressed so far. I think a perfect audio recreation of a decades-old performance is less important than capturing the character’s essence. How he behaves, how he reacts to the world around him. His little tics and mannerisms really bring that essential Indy flair. Also the voice itself is great! Although I’m curious how I’ll feel about the full performance, I’m much more interested in the larger audience reaction. Will people get extremely weird about this in a way that overshadows the rest of the game? Only time will tell.
The Great Circle looks both enormous and inviting. The devs claim this is the biggest game they’ve ever worked on, which is promising. Whether this is in terms of playtime or project scale remains to be seen. The whole thing is apparently crammed with puzzles to solve and places to explore (and nazis to assault). There’s a massive story being teased as well. While the action is in first-person, the story and cinematic sections are shot with more cinematic flair. I’m curious about how much of the runtime will be dedicated to the story. Normally I’m more action-focused, but with a narrative like this? I could be convinced to spend more time soaking up cutscenes.
High Hopes
If this feels light on details, there’s a good reason for that. I’m usually pretty fixated on mechanical details when it comes to games. A hands-off preview like this one mostly inspires more questions. There’s just less to latch onto, which is fine! We know more than ever about the aesthetic and the tone of The Great Circle. To borrow an exhausted phrase, this truly feels like Indiana Jones. At least it does from a distance. What does the combat feel like in action? What’s the balance between combat, exploration, puzzle-solving, and story? Can we turn off the steady stream of hints from the NPCs while exploring a deserted ruin? I’m psyched to learn more about this game when it releases later this year. Indiana Jones and The Great Circle already shows so much promise, and I can’t to experience it for myself.
Thank you for keeping it locked on COGconnected.
