Indiana Jones and the Great Circle: Overview & Critic Reception
This is a research-based overview compiled from publisher information, official patch notes and published critic reception. It is not a hands-on review and ParryStack assigns no score of its own. How we research and verify · Report an error
Critic reception
Metacritic (critic aggregate): 88 (PS5) · 87 (PC) · 86 (Xbox Series X) · 82 (Switch 2)
Source: Metacritic, checked 12 Oct 2026. These are third-party critic scores, not ParryStack ratings.
Summary
A well-reviewed first-person Indiana Jones adventure set in 1937. Metacritic lists 87 (PC), 86 (Xbox Series X|S) and 88 (PS5).
How this overview works: it sums up verified facts about the game and how critics and award bodies received it. It is not a hands-on diary and does not claim personal play experience.
What it is
Indiana Jones and the Great Circle is a single-player action-adventure game by MachineGames, published by Bethesda Softworks. It launched on Windows and Xbox Series X|S on 9 December 2024, on PS5 on 17 April 2025 and on Nintendo Switch 2 on 12 May 2026. It is set in 1937, between Raiders of the Lost Ark and The Last Crusade. Wikipedia credits Todd Howard of Bethesda with conceiving the story, and the game was directed by Jerk Gustafsson.
Gameplay
The game is mostly first-person, with third-person for cutscenes and actions such as whip swings and climbing. Melee combat leans on improvised weapons such as shovels and wrenches, and the whip can disarm or trip enemies and is also used for traversal and puzzles. Stealth and disguises are options alongside combat. Photographing objects and collecting relics earns Adventure Points that unlock Adventure Books with permanent boosts.
Story and locations
Indy travels from Marshall College to Vatican City, Gizeh, the Himalayas, Shanghai and Sukhothai, ending in Iraq, in a race against the Nazi archaeologist Emmerich Voss. Ginetta “Gina” Lombardi, a reporter, is the other major character introduced early in Vatican City. Troy Baker voices Indiana Jones.
How critics received it
Metacritic lists 87 on PC, 86 on Xbox Series X|S and 88 on PS5, and 93% of critics on OpenCritic recommend it. It won Adventure Game of the Year, Outstanding Achievement in Character and Outstanding Achievement in Story at the D.I.C.E. Awards, and was nominated for Best Game at the 22nd British Academy Games Awards. Eurogamer named it its Game of the Year.
Platforms and updates
The Switch 2 version runs at a 30 FPS cap, and renders at 540p upscaled to 1080p when docked. Post-launch additions listed on Wikipedia include The Order of Giants (4 September 2025), a story expansion set during the Vatican City portion of the game; RTX Hair support (September 2025); and New Game Plus with an additional ending scene (October 2025).
Verdict
Critics and award bodies treated Great Circle as one of the strongest recent Indiana Jones stories. It is single-player only, with no co-op or multiplayer.
Pros & Cons
- Strong critical reception (Metacritic 86-88 depending on platform)
- Whip used for traversal, puzzles and combat
- Separate combat and puzzle difficulty settings
- Story expansion The Order of Giants and New Game Plus after launch
- Single-player only; no co-op or multiplayer
- Revolver ammunition is scarce, so combat leans on melee
- Switch 2 version is capped at 30 FPS and renders at a low resolution
Sources & fact-check
Release facts, mechanics and boss details on this page were checked against these sources on 12 October 2026. Spotted an error? Tell us.
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