Archaeologist Indiana Jones is hurtled into a mysterious globetrotting adventure when one of his artefacts is stolen, which may have held more significance than previously observed. As he follows the thief he is drawn into yet another entanglement with the Nazis, who now seek to harness a power connected to the Great Circle. This title has to be one of the best video games I have played in recent memory, particularly for the year. I was pleasantly surprised by this project, which managed to do the impossible: create an authentic Indiana Jones adventure whilst emulating the style and aesthetic of the original trilogy. Set in 1937, between the events of Raiders of the Lost Ark (1981) and The Last Crusade (1989), we are treated to a new glimpse of the classic Indiana Jones during his prime, hot off the heels from his last adventure with Marion in securing the Ark. Being a video game allowed for the possibility of seeing a younger Indy again, which the later two films were unable to achieve to this standard and boy was it awesome to have him back. The most surprising element of this product was the voicing of Indy. Despite not using Harrison Ford, substitute Troy Baker, surpasses all expectations delivering a performance practically mistakable for the real thing. From the get-go, I was instantly sold on it being Indiana Jones merely from his outstanding voice acting. One of the more controversial aspects was the choice of a forced first-person perspective, with many (including myself, initially) wanting third-person like in the Uncharted series. However, having finished the game, I stand with the choice for first-person as it quite literally makes you feel like Indy, putting you in his shoes, showing a perspective never before experienced by fans, through his eyes. It further gives this game a unique style that vastly differentiates itself from other adventure games. Plus during traversal and cutscenes, you get to see Indy from those other perspectives. The combat has to be the most fun mechanic in the game. You will never find a more satisfying experience than cracking the whip, which is fitted with its iconic sound, as you battle Nazis equally equipped with your trusty gun and fists. It is unbelievably entertaining to just beat down Nazis by the dozen in a plethora of ways with pickupable items all around to aid your fight. The whip not only helps in combat but also with traversal and puzzles, which there are plenty to uncover and solve throughout. The story sees Indy thrown into an unexpected journey where he must reacquire an artefact from his exhibition, which spirals into travelling to a wide array of locations. From exploring the Vatican City, scouting dig sites in Gizeh to navigating the waters of Thailand, there are plenty of luscious locations to lose yourself in. Whilst being a linear narrative story we are still treated to semi-open world areas fully explorable with lots of collectables. My favourite, however, is one of the smaller locations, the Himalayas, which offered a superb spectacle segment in the story. Each location was full of outstanding graphics that just blew me away, which are present throughout the game. It's a visually breathtaking masterpiece. On this adventure, Indy meets many friends who guide him in his quest and each holds some brilliant interactions and feels like they have always belonged in this world. He is mainly accompanied by Gina, an Italian investigative reporter who gets more than she bargained for in search of her story. She has some great chemistry with Indy, filling the role of potential love interest perfectly. Gina is searching for her lost sister whose disappearance, she believes to be connected to Voss, a Nazi archaeologist who is the main antagonist. Voss equally fits this world, standing out alongside older villains. He is a worthy match for Jones' intellect and uses his skills of psychological manipulation against his enemies. Indy has his work cut out for him, but can he come out on top? Overall, I adored The Great Circle. I simply couldn't put it down and didn't want to. I was utterly engrossed in its story, characters and gameplay that, to me, makes a perfect classic Indy experience for fans that we never knew we were missing.
Platforms: PlayStation 5 / Xbox Series X/S / Windows
