Indiana Jones and the Great Circle gameplay taps into every aspect of being Indy

Xbox and Bethesda still has its biggest game of the year on the horizon. MachineGames has shown off bits and pieces of Indiana Jones and the Great Circle in recent months, but the game is still (appropriately, given the franchise it's based on) shrouded in mystery. Following Tuesday's Gamescom Opening Night Live showcase, the veil was lifted just a little bit more. Shacknews recently had a chance to take a closer look at what the team behind the Wolfenstein series has in store for Dr. Jones.

For those unfamiliar with the game's story, Indiana Jones and the Great Circle takes place between the events of Raiders of the Lost Ark and The Last Crusade. After a priceless relic is stolen from the Marshall College gallery, Indy sets out to find out exactly what makes it such an item of interest, especially to rival archeologist Emerick Voss. Accompanied by an Italian journalist named Gina, Indy soon finds himself in search of the solution to a great mystery collectively known as the Great Circle.

While MachineGames has shared plenty of details about the Indiana Jones story in the past, the studio is spending Gamescom putting additional gameplay on display. For a game like this, the studio wants to express exactly what it means to be Indiana Jones. Those who have followed the developer know that it has experience with heroes who love to punch Nazis. However, the similarities between Indy and Wolfenstein frontman B.J. Blazkowicz mostly end there. The Great Circle will show off multiple dimensions of what it means to be Dr. Jones. It involves more than just a whip and revolver, though those are definitely a big part of the formula.

The whip is Indy's most trusted tool. It can obviously be used in combat scenarios, allowing him to stun or take down opponents in a pinch. However, it's mostly used for traversal. If Indy is trying to make a quick exit, for example, he can fire off the whip, attach it to a grapple point on a ceiling or a wall, and vault himself forward. There isn't always a handy spot for the whip, though. Sometimes, players will have to make one of their own using nearby objects. For example, while exploring a set of lost ruins, Indy will find a trident on the ground. By hurling it against a wall, he can then use his whip to swing across a dangerous gap.

Puzzle-solving is another major component of being Indy. This is true in more ways than one. Sometimes, puzzles will come in the form of visual brainteasers. Indy will have to put together visual clues to help determine where he's supposed to go next. He may also need to put together some more physical puzzles in the field to open a door or trigger a secret passage. Of course, this being Indiana Jones, he may sometimes be in a dangerous temple and may trigger a trap, requiring players to think quickly and find an escape route before it's too late. All of these aspects of puzzle-solving will put Indy's observant nature to work. Players must analyze their surroundings and allow Indy to piece together an optimal course of action.

Information and the ability to gather it will be among Indy's most valuable assets. One way he can do so is with his camera. Players can snap photos of objects in the environment, which can offer valuable intel and potentially be used to piece together more of the game's mystery. Photos are among the items that can be kept in Indy's journal, which can hold an archive of different objects to help him along his way. Don't be afraid to consult the journal, because Indy may come across secrets or riddles that could offer information on a deadly trap in a later section of the game.

Gathering information may also mean going undercover. Indiana Jones has always had a knack for disguises and The Great Circle will put that element of the character to good use. Once Indy dons a disguise, he can enter a restricted area and trigger a stealth section. Players will need to be wary of anyone that can potentially see through Indy's disguise. Some sections will require specific disguises to access, so expect to put this part of Indy's repertoire to work several times over the course of the adventure.

While Indiana Jones has a powerful mind, some situations call for powerful fists. There will be some situations where Indy may get roped into a combat scenario that doesn't allow for use of his firearm. This will trigger a brawl, where Indy and an enemy will engage in fisticuffs. Players must watch the enemy's movement, avoid their punches, and connect with their own until Indy can score a knockout. Some enemies may take longer than others to knock out depending on whether Indy's taking jabs at a hapless henchman or a massive brute. In stealth scenarios, Indy can try and avoid combat entirely or he can reach over for a nearby object and clobber an enemy from behind.

Over the course of the game, players can earn Adventure Points to help upgrade Indy's various abilities. This can help mold him more to a certain style of play. One example that the MachineGames crew showed off was the True Grit ability, which allows Indy to get a second wind if knocked out in a brawl. Showing some great attention to detail, Indy will reach over for his fallen fedora and put it back on his head with a cinematic flourish.

MachineGames hopes to bring as much life to Indiana Jones' world as much it does to the famed archeologist himself. The team has carefully researched the regions that players will be visiting, along with connected histories and architecture. The studio has even done painstaking research on some of the fabled temples that Dr. Jones will explore over the course of his journey, giving it a mix of authenticity and developer-crafted challenge.

Xbox, Bethesda, and MachineGames appear to recognize the challenge in front of them. It isn't enough to make a fun and interesting adventure. This has to be an Indiana Jones adventure, one that checks all the boxes of the franchise's most beloved installments. Judging by the gameplay shown off at Gamescom, MachineGames appears to be up to the task. Indiana Jones and the Great Circle will release on PC and Xbox Series X|S on Monday, December 9. The game will also come to PlayStation 5 in Spring 2025.

This preview is based on a pre-Gamescom digital briefing held by the developer via Discord.

Ozzie Mejia

Senior Editor

Ozzie has been playing video games since picking up his first NES controller at age 5. He has been into games ever since, only briefly stepping away during his college years. But he was pulled back in after spending years in QA circles for both THQ and Activision, mostly spending time helping to push forward the Guitar Hero series at its peak. Ozzie has become a big fan of platformers, puzzle games, shooters, and RPGs, just to name a few genres, but he’s also a huge sucker for anything with a good, compelling narrative behind it. Because what are video games if you can't enjoy a good story with a fresh Cherry Coke?