Indiana Jones and the Great Circle, one of the most anticipated games of December 2025, is finally out. Featuring the iconic archaeologist, it takes us on an adventure around the world in order to solve a mystery of legendary ancient sites. As modern as this game can be, it remains faithful to its origins, breathing the spirit of the famous blockbusters. Here you can find everything: exploration, puzzles, cinematic scenes, and even combat. Unlike Uncharted games, this title is less linear and more focused on resourcefulness and stealth rather than open shooting. Nevertheless, it offers a great filmic experience as well as engaging gameplay.
Key Features
The game slides perfectly into the history of Indiana Jones. Taking place in 1937, somewhere between the events of Raiders of the Lost Ark and Last Crusade, it shows that the adventurer doesn’t have the time to rest at all. He is now setting sail around the whole world, on a mission to visit the most ancient wonders and mysterious places in different countries :
- Vatican City (Italy)
- Giza Necropolis (Egypt)
- Temples of Sukhothai (Thailand)
- Himalayas (Nepal)
- Shanghai (China)
- Ziggurat of Ur (Iraq)
And while the game pushes you from one narrative location to another, it features some large areas to explore. You can search for collectibles, discover hidden tombs, or complete side quests. The liberty is offered between cinematics that make you travel between key sites. What makes the game stand out from so many other story-rich titles is that you can return to any location even after beating the story. This way, you can always come back to some of the maps to get a missing relic or finish a secondary objective, without ruining your experience.
Puzzles: Customized Difficulty for All Players
Indiana Jones and the Great Circle is full of puzzles, but you can always select the difficulty that suits you the most. Do you prefer to focus on the story without distractions or being faced with complex enigmas? The choice is up to you. Thanks to the separate option that doesn’t affect other aspects of the game, the Adventure Difficulty allows you to alter the modifications to your taste.
And I think this is one of the reasons for its success. You’re not forced to spend hours solving puzzles if you prefer to play it more as an action-adventure game. And more nimble-witted minds will find the challenge they are looking for.
Combat is Here, But You are Not a Soldier
The combat is one of the core gameplay mechanics, and it’s good to spice things up between your explorations. But it emphasises more improvisation than a skill. Indiana uses his fists and grabs anything that can serve as a weapon: a bottle or a frying pan, for example. His bullwhip also gives him a certain advantage, allowing to distract or disorient enemies before the fight.
Yes, he still has the revolver, and some weapons can be picked up. However, you can’t reload these guns, and the ammo is generally very scarce. So while the gunplay is included, the game shows clearly that melee combat is preferable to shooting. After all, Indiana is not a soldier, but a smart adventurer who uses the environment to his advantage.
Stealth is Always an Option
What Indiana Jones and the Great Circle does great is demonstrating the power of blending in. Whenever you need to pass by a restricted area, you can use a disguise to avoid any confrontation. Additionally, you can also use the classic stealth mechanic to sneak up, silently take down a guard, or lean against dark corners to remain unnoticed.
Indiana, outnumbered and outgunned, has indeed more interest in staying discreet rather than fighting. Stealth is highly encouraged, and sometimes even necessary to progress. What makes it more challenging is the fact that you always need to have an improvised tool in order to perform a silent takedown. And it can only be used once, so you will find yourself scavenging often.
Indiana Jones and the Great Circle – Is It the Right Game for You?
Made by veterans of several iconic FPS games, including Wolfenstein, Indiana Jones and the Great Circle offers a new and captivating experience. The story, full of humour and sarcasm, keeps a strong narrative until the very end. And as Indiana visits different countries on his journey, it almost feels like we travel with him. More than that, it feels rewarding, as every puzzle solved or artifact found will later allow you to unlock special skills.
The game has its flaws, too. The switch between first-person and third-person perspectives feels strange at the beginning, and we miss seeing Indy in action. Some players who prefer smooth combat may find it to be lacking as well.
The Great Circle is the right game for you if:
- You love movies about Indiana Jones and are looking for an immersive linear story.
- Open combat is not a priority for you.
- You enjoy stealth and can improvise with ingenuity.
- You like solving environmental puzzles.
Final Score: 9/10
