Indiana Jones and the Great Circle review roundup: 'An irresistible and immersive global treasure hunt'

Grab your fedora and whip, because it sounds like Indiana Jones is a hit

(Credit: MachineGames)

• 😍 Indiana Jones has a Metacritic score of 87 after 44 critic reviews

• 👍 The game has 89% positive review, 7% mixed, and 0% negative

• ⚙️ Indiana Jones and the Great Circle is developed by MachineGames

• 📆 The game is out on October 9 for Xbox Series X|S and PC

It looks like Microsoft has a hit game on its hands with Indiana Jones and the Great Circle, as it’s been well-received by reviewers. It seems like developer MachineGames has captured the spirit of Indy, and delivered a fantastic adaptation of the beloved source material.

Indiana Jones and the Great Circle is currently sitting on a Metacritic score of 87 after 44 critic reviews, which means it’s received generally favorable scores. Here’s what critics made of Indy’s adventure.

VGC loved Indiana Jones and the Great Circle, and gave the game a perfect score. “We had a smile on our face from beginning to end while playing Indiana Jones and the Great Circle. As close as games can come to a genuine old-fashioned Hollywood blockbuster, it's also an incredibly rich adventure game stuffed to the gills with secrets to find.”

Eurogamer was also smitten with Indy, saying, “Smart, fun and so very Indiana Jones, The Great Circle is a stealth action tour de force that marks a bold new era for MachineGames.”

GameSpot enjoyed the game’s mix of stealth and combat, and said: “MachineGames has successfully designed a game around its protagonist; its mix of improvisational stealth and combat feels distinct by adopting a fast and loose style that echoes Indy's scrappy persistence. It might not be quite as accomplished in all areas as the studio's Wolfenstein games, but Indiana Jones and The Great Circle is still a frequent delight.”

IGN said Indiana Jones and the Great Circle is, “An irresistible and immersive global treasure hunt, and far and away the best Indy story this century, Indiana Jones and the Great Circle doesn’t belong in a museum; it belongs on your hard drive where you can play the heck out of it.”

But Indy’s globe-trotting adventure didn’t charm everyone. Pure Xbox gave the game a 6, saying, “Ever since we caught wind of MachineGames making an Indiana Jones title, we've been very excited by the prospect, but ultimately - we're a little disappointed in the final product. The overall experience isn't bad, and it successfully sells the Indiana Jones fantasy, but the gameplay elements here just don't match up to the vibe of a fun-time Indy adventure.

“The pacing is all out-of-whack, the open stealth-driven levels don't work in the context of an Indiana Jones romp, and the game just feels at odds with itself overall. We're always up for trying something different and for teams breaking genre tropes, but in the end, Indiana Jones and the Great Circle is at its most fun in fleeting moments - which is a shame considering the amount of care and attention that's been put into adapting this famous old franchise.”

Microsoft’s exclusives have had a mixed record at best, often scoring way below the likes of Sony and Nintendo’s exclusives. However, it seems like Indiana Jones and the Great Circle is a much-needed success, just in time for the holiday season.

The game is available on Xbox Series X|S and PC, and it’s free for Xbox Game Pass Ultimate and PC Game Pass subscribers. Indiana Jones and the Great Circle is also come to PS5 early next year.

Check out the upcoming PS5 games and upcoming Xbox Series X games to see what’s next for Sony and Microsoft’s consoles.

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Adam Vjestica is The Shortcut’s Senior Editor. Formerly TechRadar’s Gaming Hardware Editor, Adam has also worked at Nintendo of Europe as a Content Marketing Editor, where he helped launch the Nintendo Switch. Follow him on X @ItsMrProducts.