Preview: Xbox and MachineGames' Indiana Jones and the Great Circle has way more depth than expected

Consulting his trusty journal, esteemed adventurer and archeologist Indiana Jones locates his next clue by the Great Sphinx of Giza. Swinging in carefully, he takes out one patrolling guard with a crack of his trusty whip before immediately guarding against another guard's haymaker. After a brief but fierce boxing match, Indy grabs his opponent and tosses him over the edge. A third guard enters eyesight, but he's quickly disposed of thanks to a shot from Indy's revolver.

So goes just one brief segment in Indiana Jones and the Great Circle, an upcoming adventure game from Swedish studio MachineGames and publisher Bethesda Softworks. 

I recently had the chance to watch some new gameplay from Indiana Jones and the Great Circle in a hands-off preview, as well as partake in a group Q&A session with some of the game's directors. From what I saw, this game has far more depth than might've been expected, with investigative side quests and myriad puzzles joining the Nazi-punching, whip-cracking action sequences that have previously been shown.

A globetrotting adventure with danger and mystery

Set in 1937 (shortly after the events of Indiana Jones and the Raiders of the Lost Ark), the Great Circle opens with a break-in at Marshall College, as Indy witnesses a precious relic being stolen. From there, the plot unfolds rapidly across the globe as Indy joins forces with Italian journalist Gina. According to game director Jerk Gustafsson and creative director Axel Torvanius, MachineGames established sites that the game would feature early on, wanting to take players into locations like Egypt, the Himalayas, and the Vatican.

"The focus for this game is adventure," adds audio director Pete Ward. "When you venture into the unknown, we want exploration to feel truly rewarding."

Part of that is handled through Indy's journal, which is used to track clues and hints that have been found so far. The journal becomes stuffed with notes and details over the course of the game, even adding pictures that players take using Indy's camera. I love the idea of tracking a player's journey and making it feel personal, and the journal is a perfect way of doing just that.

It wouldn't be an Indiana Jones game without mystery, and that's where puzzles come in. There are numerous puzzles throughout the game, with smaller challenges hiding small hints and larger puzzles that feature surprising secrets. During the preview, I see Indy having to break through a wall, line up reflective mirrors, and pay careful attention on where to throw a trident that allows him to then swing to safety on his whip. Gustafsson notes that puzzle difficulty can be tuned separately from the rest of the game, in case players want more (or less) of a challenge outside of combat.

Speaking of combat, Indy's prowess as a brawler has been firmly kept intact here. Blocking enemy punches and dishing out your own forms a key part of the gameplay loop, which players can combine with the whip and revolver, as well as anything else they can get their hands on. At different points in the preview, MachineGames shows Indy knocking out guards with shovel, a rolling pin, and more.

You're not required to go in whip-cracking and revolver blazing though, and it's often beneficial to take a more subtle approach, as you can get through many (though not all) of the game's encounters without fighting. Donning costumes can allow you to infiltrate enemy camps as long as you're careful, while stealth means you can avoid drawing attention to yourself. It's an impressive array of mechanics from what's shown, and the potential for different mission outcomes and paths here has my mind racing. 

Plenty to explore off the beaten path

While some adventures will be fairly straightforward, with linear tombs and ancient ruins to explore. At other points, the game opens up wide, with hub-like locations to check out that feature optional quests and puzzles. You can choose to solve as many mysteries off the beaten path as you'd like, with rewards like money that be used for purchasing things from merchants in a bazaar.

Solving puzzles and taking pictures relevant to the mysteries you're pursuing also unlocks Adventure Points, which can be used to get different skills. One example shown in the preview is for a skill called True Grit, which gives Indy a second chance after falling in combat, allowing him to get back up once after being knocked out in a brawl.

Depending on how long you take to explore, your adventure may be a fair bit shorter or longer, but you're in for a hefty journey either way. According to Gustafsson and Torvanius, Indiana Jones and the Great Circle is the biggest game that MachineGames has ever crafted, making it larger than the studio's prior Wolfenstein titles even if players only stick to the main path.

An in-depth story and quest

I was already excited for Indiana Jones and the Great Circle, and that excitement has only grown following this preview. The different side story and puzzle elements seem fascinating, and I'm curious about how wild some of them will get. I particularly love the inclusion of the journal as a storytelling aid and an in-game documentation of Indy's adventures, as it should help make the game feel more lived-in and enticing. 

While Indiana Jones isn't the gore-drenched, guns-roaring type of shooter that the Wolfenstein games were, there still seems to be plenty of action, with immersive sim-lite elements that should make for a fun experience. 

Naturally, I still have some questions, but at this point I'm content to let most of those questions rest until I can get my hands on this adventure. 

Indiana Jones and the Great Circle is slated to launch across Xbox Series X|S and Windows PC on Dec. 9, 2024, as shared during Gamescom. Like all Xbox first-party games, it's also included day one in Xbox Game Pass Ultimate and PC Game Pass. A PlayStation 5 version is also coming in Spring 2025.