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Is Indiana Jones and the Great Circle frustrating to play? In his December 5, 2024, Gizmodo/io9 review, James Whitbrook argues that its engaging Indiana Jones story and satisfying puzzles are undermined by clumsy-feeling controls, slow traversal, and basic combat. “Feels like torture” is his deliberately sharp verdict—not a consensus view of the game.
What Whitbrook’s headline means
Whitbrook is not saying the game lacks an appealing adventure. His criticism is that playing through it can feel far less enjoyable than watching its story unfold. He praises the characters, performances, humor, romance, cinematic scenes, and puzzles, but finds the moment-to-moment actions frustrating. His review’s concise turn is: “But that’s where the good news stops.” — James Whitbrook, Gizmodo, December 5, 2024. Read the review.
What the game offers—and what he likes
Set in 1937 between Raiders of the Lost Ark and The Last Crusade, the story begins with a break-in at Marshall College. Indy follows a trail of artifacts connected to the Great Circle with journalist Gina Lombardi, while rival archaeologist Emmerich Voss stands in his way. The adventure visits locations including Vatican City, Thailand, Giza, and Shanghai.
Whitbrook’s positive case rests chiefly on the story and its presentation: he enjoys the performances, characters, humor, romance, and cinematic cutscenes. He also singles out temple puzzles as a strength. In-game photographs provide graduated hints, and action and puzzle difficulty can be set separately, giving players some control over how demanding each part feels. His estimate of around 15 hours is a personal playthrough estimate, not a standard completion time.
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- 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.
Why the play loop frustrated him
The central complaint is that the controls and repeated actions get in the way of the adventure. Whitbrook describes interactions that require awkward button presses and traversal that feels slow across semi-open areas. Stamina limits affect movement and combat, making navigation and encounters feel constrained rather than fluid.
Stealth and combat
He considers stealth simple and finds melee and gunplay unsatisfying. These criticisms matter because the game repeatedly asks the player to engage with those systems; an evocative story cannot make every encounter feel responsive.
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.
Checkpoints and transitions
Whitbrook also objects to the punishment of checkpoints and to frequent shifts from cutscene to brief gameplay action and back again. For him, those short playable stretches interrupt the cinematic momentum instead of making him feel more involved. He further reports that some puzzle triggers did not activate for him even after he had found the correct solution; that is his account of a bug, not an independently verified general failure.
Not every review reaches the same verdict
Whitbrook’s headline should be read as one critic’s forceful position. Aftermath’s December 2024 review roundup highlights sharply different responses, including disagreement over how many cutscenes the game has, whether its puzzles are too easy, and whether it works best as an adventure game or as a movie-like experience. Those differences help explain why the balance between story and control can be a deal-breaker for one player and part of the appeal for another. Read Aftermath’s review roundup.
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.
Who may enjoy it despite the criticism
If you mainly want a new Indiana Jones story, cinematic performances, and environmental puzzles—with hints available when you need them—Whitbrook’s review gives you reasons to be interested. If you want consistently quick movement, responsive combat, demanding stealth, or long uninterrupted stretches of player control, his complaints identify the parts most likely to test your patience. The split between action and puzzle difficulty may help tailor challenge, but it does not resolve the control and pacing problems he describes.
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Bethesda Support lists Indiana Jones and the Great Circle for Xbox Series X|S, PC, PlayStation 5, and Nintendo Switch 2, and describes the base game in digital and physical editions. Its Xbox/Steam edition information says the standard edition is included with Xbox Game Pass. Platform editions, regional availability, physical stock, and subscription catalogs can change, so check Bethesda’s platform and edition information and your local store or subscription catalog before buying. A physical copy is simply an access option; it does not change the gameplay issues Whitbrook raises.
Quick Recap
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.
Product prices and availability are accurate as of the date/time indicated and are subject to change. Any price and availability information displayed on Amazon at the time of purchase will apply.
