Welcome to The Isaiah Experience, and welcome to this article. Today, we’re diving whip-first into Indiana Jones and the Great Circle, the long-awaited return of everyone’s favorite Nazi-punching archaeologist. This game isn’t just a fan service expedition — it’s a full-on treasure trove of puzzles, stealthy sleuthing, historical mystery, and yes, a digital Harrison Ford voiced by none other than Troy Baker. Let’s crack open the sarcophagus and see what’s inside.
Gameplay: Puzzle First, Punch Later
MachineGames, best known for their high-octane Wolfenstein games, took a hard left turn with The Great Circle. Instead of mowing down waves of enemies, you’re solving intricate puzzles, navigating dense tombs, and occasionally whipping a Nazi or two off a cliff. The game balances action and adventure like a sacred idol on a pressure plate — one wrong move and you’re caught in a bear trap of trial-and-error.
From the Vatican to the pyramids of Giza, the level design encourages exploration and creative problem-solving. You’ll use Indy’s whip to swing across chasms, solve ancient riddles to open sealed doors, and piece together clues like you’re starring in Archaeology: The Detective Edition. Stealth is highly encouraged, and combat is more about improvisation than domination — which makes every encounter feel tense and earned.
But it’s not perfect. Some sections, particularly in the jungle-heavy Sukhothai level, suffer from clunky traversal and a fast-travel system that feels like it was designed by ancient mapmakers. Still, the game rewards patience and curiosity, much like Indy himself.
Story: Nazis, Relics, and Mysterious Geometry
Set in 1937 (smack between Raiders and Last Crusade), the story follows Indy as he investigates a stolen artifact tied to an ancient secret society and a mysterious global structure called the Great Circle. He’s joined by Gina Lombardi, a no-nonsense journalist who can go toe-to-toe with Indy in both brains and sass.
The villain? Emmerich Voss, a Nazi archaeologist whose plan to uncover the Great Circle’s power has world-threatening consequences. Think Temple of Doom, but with fewer hearts getting ripped out and more puzzles involving constellations and global ley lines.
The narrative is tight, globe-trotting, and sprinkled with the right amount of danger and dry humor. If you’re here for the pulp-adventure vibes, The Great Circle delivers in spades — ancient, booby-trapped, death-by-poison-arrow spades.
Troy Baker: Indiana Jones and the Imitation Game
Let’s talk about the fedora in the room. Troy Baker takes up the mantle of Indiana Jones, and… he nails it. This isn’t a lazy soundalike performance or an AI-generated voice clone — this is Baker channeling Harrison Ford like a method actor who just got out of a three-week snake pit.
From the gravelly sarcasm to the exhausted grunts, Baker doesn’t mimic Ford — he becomes Indy. Even Harrison Ford himself gave the performance a thumbs-up, praising it as “brilliant work without the use of AI.” And honestly? He’s right.
Baker even went full archaeologist with the body language — rubbing his chin like Ford, nailing the posture, and reacting with those classic Indy exasperations whenever things go sideways (which is… a lot). It’s not cosplay. It’s possession.
Development: From Nazis to Next-Gen
MachineGames and Bethesda clearly approached this project with reverence. Development leaned heavily on narrative design, mo-cap precision, and the idea that Indy should feel like a thinking man’s hero — not just an action figure with a PhD.
The PS5 version shines with tactile DualSense feedback (you feel the whip crack, trust me), and 4K visuals that make ancient ruins look absolutely jaw-dropping — even when you’re stuck trying to rotate a stone wheel for ten minutes.
Still, not everything glitters like a holy grail. Map readability can be frustrating, some side quests bug out harder than a trapped scarab, and certain AI enemies seem to forget how to climb stairs. But overall, it’s a well-oiled relic worth displaying.
Soundtrack: Williams Would Be Proud
Composer Gordy Haab delivers an orchestral feast that channels the sweeping grandeur of John Williams without simply copying it. Whether you’re sneaking through a Vatican crypt or sprinting across a collapsing temple floor, the music rises to the occasion with that signature Indy flair.
Honestly, if you blindfolded someone and hit play, they’d think they were watching The Last Crusade. That’s how good it is.
Final Verdict
Indiana Jones and the Great Circle doesn’t just respect the legacy of the franchise — it extends it. With clever puzzles, rich storytelling, globe-spanning exploration, and a performance from Troy Baker that even Dr. Henry Jones Sr. would approve of, this game feels like the long-lost artifact we didn’t know we were missing.
Sure, a few cobwebs remain in the gameplay mechanics, but for fans of Indy and narrative-driven adventures, this is the Holy Grail.
Score: 9/10 – “Fortune and glory, kid. Fortune and glory.”