Indiana Jones and the Great Circle is a first-person adventure, but it is not simply a shooter with an Indy skin. Exploration, clues, puzzles and stealth sit alongside combat, giving MachineGames’ game a more thoughtful rhythm than its Wolfenstein reputation might suggest. That contrast is the reason the game can feel better than expected—not a claim about any particular player’s experience.
Why the game defies expectations
MachineGames is best known for its Wolfenstein games, so it is easy to expect another action-heavy shooter. But the studio’s stated approach to Indiana Jones is different. In a June 14, 2024 interview with Xbox Wire, creative director Jerk Gustafsson said: “He solves problems with his mind first and really relies on smarts, and not this excessive combat that we have seen or done before with the Wolfenstein games.”
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That design intent puts investigation and improvisation at the center of Indy’s adventure. GameSpot’s review similarly describes the game as an unexpected fit for a studio associated with frenetic shooters, emphasizing stealth and freeform exploration. That is one reviewer’s perspective, not a guarantee that every player will share the same expectations or experience.
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What kind of game is it?
Indiana Jones and the Great Circle is a first-person, single-player adventure developed by MachineGames in collaboration with Lucasfilm Games. Set in 1937, between Raiders of the Lost Ark and The Last Crusade, it sends Indy after an ancient mystery connected to the Great Circle. Bethesda’s gameplay reveal and gameplay deep dive frame the journey around locations to explore, clues to find, puzzles to solve, gear to use and combat to navigate.
#1 Best Overall
- STANDARD EDITION CONTENT — Includes the Indiana Jones and the Great Circle base game.
- BECOME INDIANA JONES — Play as the famed archaeologist in a first-person, single-player adventure set in 1937, between Raiders of the Lost Ark and The Last Crusade.
- A WORLD OF MYSTERY — Travel from Marshall College to the Vatican, Egypt, and Sukhothai as you investigate an ancient power, meet intriguing characters, and solve riddles.
- WHIP-CRACKING ACTION — Use Indy’s trademark whip to distract, disarm, and attack enemies, swing over patrols, and scale walls. Combine stealth, melee combat, and gunplay to face the enemy threat.
- THE SPIRIT OF DISCOVERY — Move between linear, narrative-driven gameplay and open-area maps as you uncover secrets, avoid deadly traps, and solve fiendish puzzles.
How exploration, puzzles and action fit together
Investigation drives the adventure
Exploring places and collecting clues are part of pursuing the central mystery, not just distractions between fights. The game’s first-person perspective makes Indy’s immediate surroundings part of the experience: players investigate the spaces they move through as they follow leads.
Puzzles reward attention
Puzzle-solving is a stated part of the game’s structure, alongside exploration and clue-finding. It helps make the adventure feel like an investigation rather than a sequence of combat encounters.
Rank #2
![Indiana Jones and the Great Circle: The Order of Giants - Xbox & Windows 10 [Digital Code]](https://m.media-amazon.com/images/I/41PiUy++3eL._SL160_.jpg)
- An all-new story chapter takes Indiana Jones to the ancient streets of Rome where forgotten catacombs twist into something far more sinister. Indy must outwit a dangerous cult and decipher intricate puzzles designed by emperors to uncover the dark legacy of the Nephilim giants.
- MYSTERIES OF THE ROMAN EMPIRE AWAIT When Indiana Jones encounters Father Ricci, a young priest desperate for help to track down a Roman artifact, a standard treasure hunt soon turns into a perilous journey. Along the way Indy must face the sinister plots of Emperor Nero and his gladiator games, the enigmatic Cult of Mithras, and whatever else lurks in the shadows. Can Father Ricci's cryptic knowledge guide Indy through these treacherous passageways? Only Indiana Jones can piece together this breathtaking mystery.
- EXPLORE THE SHADOWS OF ROME Danger awaits as The Order of Giants takes Indiana Jones beyond the walls of Vatican City and into a brand new open-area map in the bustling city of Rome. Adventure through the crumbling ruins of the Colosseum to the pristine Vatican Gardens. The mystery will also take you into Rome’s ancient sewer system, the Cloaca Maxima, and deeper below ground to foreboding crypts.
- A DANGEROUS CULT The secretive, centuries old Cultists of Mithras are everywhere, striking from the shadows. Their dark red robes reflect the blood oaths to their cause, and they’re willing to kill or die to protect the ancient power they serve.
Stealth and combat both have a place
The game includes combat, but Gustafsson’s description points to a protagonist who relies on ingenuity rather than treating excessive fighting as the default. Stealth is also part of the mix. That does not mean every section is stealth-focused or that combat can always be avoided; the balance can vary across the adventure.
Controls depend on the platform
Nintendo Life’s Switch 2 review reports gyro and mouse controls on that edition. Those are platform-specific details, not a description of controls across every version.
Rank #3
- Discover one of history's greatest mysteries in Indiana Jones and the Great Circle, a first-person single-player adventure set between the events of Raiders of the Lost Ark and The Last Crusade.
- Experience the adventure as Indy in an exciting story filled with exploration, immersive action and intriguing puzzles.
- Journey from the halls of Marshall College to the heart of the Vatican, the pyramids of Egypt, the sunken temples of Sukhothai and beyond.
- Indiana's signature whip remains at the heart of his equipment and can be used to distract, disarm, and attack enemies.
- Venture through a dynamic mix of linear, narrative gameplay and open area maps.
Platforms and physical-copy availability
Bethesda’s current purchase page lists Xbox Series X|S, Xbox on PC, Steam, PlayStation 5 and Nintendo Switch 2. It says physical availability varies by region, so confirm the listing for your location and chosen platform before counting on a disc or cartridge.
The same page lists a Collector’s Bundle containing an 11-inch Great Circle globe, an Allmaker relic replica, a steelbook display case, an adventure journal, and the Premium Edition with game disc and premium content. The listing establishes what the bundle includes, not whether it is currently in stock or available through a particular retailer.
Rank #4
![Indiana Jones and the Great Circle: Collector's Edition – Xbox Series X|S and Windows Store [Digital Code]](https://m.media-amazon.com/images/I/511dS3WWolL._SL160_.jpg)
- The Collector’s Edition includes the Allmaker relic replica with game code (base game), The Great Circle 11” Globe with hidden storage, New Adventure journal, jumbo SteelBook, Indiana Jones and the Great Circle: The Order of Giants Story DLC (upon release), digital artbook, and the Temple of Doom Outfit.
- Uncover one of history’s greatest mysteries in Indiana Jones and the Great Circle, a first-person, single-player adventure set between the events of Raiders of the Lost Ark and The Last Crusade.
- Live the adventure as Indy in a thrilling story full of exploration, immersive action, and intriguing puzzles.
- Travel from the halls of Marshall College to the heart of the Vatican, the pyramids of Egypt, the sunken temples of Sukhothai, and beyond.
- Indiana’s trademark whip remains at the heart of his gear and can be used to distract, disarm, and attack enemies.
For context, Lucasfilm’s original release announcement said the game would arrive on Xbox Series X|S and PC on December 9, 2024, with PlayStation 5 planned for spring 2025. Those dates are historical; Bethesda’s purchase page is the relevant listing for the platforms it currently names.
Who is likely to enjoy it?
The game is a more natural fit if you want to explore, investigate and solve problems in a first-person adventure, with stealth and combat as parts of that journey. If you are looking specifically for uninterrupted shooting, the developer’s stated emphasis on Indy’s smarts is a useful expectation-setter. If you are deciding between platforms, check the current local listing; the available information here does not establish a controlled, like-for-like performance ranking across them.
Quick Recap
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