Well, here we are: thanks to Microsoft’s expanding multiplatform efforts, we’re now in a position to offer an official preview of the upcoming first-party game before it even releases on Xbox Series X|S. Indiana Jones and the Great Circle will launch for current Xbox systems and PC in December of this year, and will then be ported to PS5 in the spring of 2025. This may be a surprise move from the platform holder, but for PlayStation gamers at least, they’ll already have a pretty good idea of the overall quality of the game months in advance thanks to the staggered release.
But Wolfenstein developer MachineGames is hoping to make a splash on its first try, and not count on what will essentially be a second release a few months later. That was announced during Gamescom Live Opening CeremonyWe weren’t aware of the PS5 release ahead of the show, which meant we weren’t able to secure a press appointment away from the show floor. However, Bethesda’s friendly PR rep handed us a fast-track pass to a public briefing at the Xbox booth on Saturday. Our impressions of the game are based on that access, but there’s likely more information shared at the press preview alone.
After watching 10-15 minutes of gameplay footage — as well as following the game’s overall development — Indiana Jones and the Great Circle is worth comparing to Uncharted because it’s a world-traveling adventure filled with combat, puzzles, exploration, charm, and charisma. Much of the discussion surrounding the game has focused on its perspective: first-person. It makes sense that this is a game from MachineGames, having honed its craft over a few different Wolfenstein titles, but at one point the camera pulls back to third-person so you can catch a glimpse of Indiana Jones doing his thing. You get a full view of him climbing, during cutscenes, and his hands are visible on screen when he’s wielding a whip or running. Given MachineGames’ clear preference for making its games in first-person, this approach is probably the best of both worlds you can get.
A famous whip maker is forced to take a trip to the Great Circle in 1937, amidst the events of Lost Coffin Thieves and The Last CrusadeIndy wakes up in the middle of the night in his workplace – which appears to be a museum – to find someone stealing an ancient artifact. He chooses to pursue the thief, and discovers that the break-in is just one small part of a much larger global conspiracy. To get to the bottom of it, Indy enlists his global network of allies and newcomer to the series Gina, an investigative reporter who joins him on his adventure.
Controlling Indiana Jones has always been a fantasy for the player, and during many of the gameplay sections that tie the story together, comparisons to Uncharted seem to hold true – except for the presence of a first-person camera. The whip will be by your side at all times. In combat, you can use it to knock guards off their feet so you can get in close and take advantage of a combat system that relies on brutal hand-to-hand combat rather than guns. Then, during puzzle sections and general exploration, you can pull levers from a distance or activate buttons. Indiana Jones will also have his pistol as a last resort, and a lighter to burn through cobwebs and light your way through the darker sections.
While the gameplay is cut up with talking heads from MachineGames, the game definitely feels like a typical Uncharted-esque action-adventure game. You can immerse yourself in the action, sneaking encounters and distracting guards, or stopping to smell the roses and explore the environment for collectibles and side quests. You’ll earn Adventure Points for doing so, which can be spent on upgrades.
Combat breaks up these exploratory adventures, focusing on hand-to-hand combat. Indy has a pistol, and a video shows him wielding an MP40, but the overall experience seems focused on hand-to-hand combat. You can perform combos after knocking an enemy to their feet with a whip, with a series of brutal finishing moves and finishing blows that will knock them out for good. These finishing moves can be particularly brutal and bloody, with a particularly satisfying crunch when you bash a shovel into an enemy’s head. It may seem a bit over the top, but then you remember that they’re Nazis, so it’s all perfectly fine.
This core mix of combat, climbing, and exploration is what will make Indiana Jones and the Great Circle work. And with MachineGames backing it, the formula looks set and ready to succeed. Whether it can be compared to a modern Uncharted title is another story, but for now, it certainly looks like a quality Xbox release. The best part is due to the staggered launch, as the PS5 port should improve and expand on what’s being offered in December. Post-release story DLC has been confirmed, and the developer will be ironing out any lingering bugs and issues by spring 2025. With a final release essentially ready, Indiana Jones and the Great Circle could be ready by spring 2025. better The game was played on PS5. Either way, it’s a very fun experience navigating the world. Sometimes, that’s the most entertaining thing to play.
Will you be playing Indiana Jones and the Great Circle on PS5, or will you jump right in with the launch of Xbox Series X|S and PC? Let us know in the comments below.