When I first saw Indiana Jones and the Temple of Doom in theatres at ten years old, I was immediately awe-struck by our most intrepid archeologist; so enamoured that it didn’t take long to find out this was the second of the films, and I was soon watching Raiders of the Lost Ark.

A mere five years later, Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade, the final movie of the franchise was released, thus ending our intrepid archeologist’s adventures forever. I occasionally cross paths with individuals who insist another two movies were made, but they’re promptly yelled at to “Get out of my office!” while I fire my business revolver wildly in their direction.

Thankfully, I was wrong to say Indiana Jones’ adventure ended with Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade. Machine Games, the developer, brings us Indiana Jones and the Great Circle, published by Bethesda Softworks.

I still remember the morning our great MKAU leader, Subzero2K, knocked on my office door and started the conversation about Indiana Jones, and with him being quite the prankster, my trigger finger was getting a little itchy with assumptions as to where the conversation was leading. To my absolute delight, I was to take part in the preview event for Indiana Jones and the Great Circle. So why am I so delighted? Well, Indiana Jones and the Great Circle falls within the timeline between Raiders of the Lost Ark and Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade, a perfect place to relive the adventure with Indiana Jones.

Indiana Jones and the Great Circle is a first-person action-adventure game that begins with a break-in at a museum. When artifacts are stolen, Indiana soon finds himself embroiled in a global conspiracy led by Professor Voss, our antagonist. It is still early days and there is much left to discover within the plot of Indiana Jones and the Great Circle, but we won’t have to wait too long. We’re expecting to hear about a release date soon as it’s launching in 2024, and it’ll be a Game Pass release from day one.

Being first-person, the gameplay lends itself perfectly to standing in the shoes of Indiana Jones, and traversing the environments, solving puzzles, avoiding deadly traps, punching, whipping, shooting, blocking, and sneaking draw a level of immersion the movies cannot achieve. I am exceptionally excited for the day I will be able to play.

Of course, being a game, Indiana not only needs tools, but the skills to endure the dangers he will face. Some of the tools Indiana has access to are a journal for helping guide Indiana with clues and maps, a camera that will assist in populating the journal, as well as awarding adventure points, disguises to infiltrate guarded areas, and the trusty whip, which is not only a weapon but an additional means of traversal.

The earlier-mentioned adventure points can be used for purchasing skills, however, these need to be found by exploring and searching your environment for adventure books. Skills like True Grit, which would give Indiana a second chance if he is defeated in combat, make for a rewarding experience for those who take the time to look around.

Indiana Jones and the Great Circle is so lifelike and realistic in appearance that it makes you feel like you are standing right there in one of the movies. There are many set pieces due to the plot, but they are gorgeous. Exploring snowfields, dense jungles, sprawling deserts, bustling urban environments, and ancient and holy temples, you will be in awe of how much detail MachineGames has put in.

The lighting and shadows are brilliant, further assisting with immersion into the world. I did notice slight jittering with the animations during gameplay action sequences, but the cutscenes were smooth, and let’s face it, I was playing a preview release. I have no doubt MachineGames will have that ironed out come release.

MachineGames have also spent time capturing the ambient sounds and music of the film, and what they have delivered is perfectly reminiscent of them. I could gush further on the music and sound, but if you have heard The Raiders March, or any of those other iconic scores, you’ll get to experience them here in Indiana Jones and the Great Circle as well. I fully tip my fedora to the voice actors as they have done a brilliant job, delivering lines with professionalism and enthusiasm, perfectly capturing the iconic movie feel with dialects, accents, and witty sarcasm expected from the franchise.

From what I saw with this preview event for Indiana Jones and the Great Circle, I have gone from interest to excitement, positively bursting and itching to play Indiana Jones and the Great Circle so I can experience the story. MachineGames and Bethesda Softworks are doing a fantastic job bringing this iconic franchise some additional content, and I don’t know about you, but I will be warming up my whipping arm for this one.

Written by: Ashley Barnett-Cosgrove