Indiana Jones and the Great Circle

I had low expectations going into this. The last two films had been bad and games tend to try and change things for 'modern audiences' these days.

Delighted to say this is well scripted, well acted and feels like a proper fourth Indiana Jones film we never got. The voice of Indiana is a good version of Harrison Ford and the story remains interesting and doesn't drag on too long.

It allows you to focus on the main story or do some side missions, you can continue to go back to side missions after the end or jump locations in the game itself, giving it a semi-open world feel to it. But definitely not as open world as other Bethesda games.

Much of the game is Tomb Raider style (which was itself influenced by Indiana Jones) or stealth play, it seems to reward stealth a lot more than open combat.

Downside is that the fist-fighting elements are a little painful to play and the boss fights are not fun at all and seem to involve as much luck as judgement.

I played the game to completion without bugs, or crashing on Xbox, though immediately got hit with a bug after the game that means I cannot get certain achievements. For this I cannot give it a perfect score. But it is well worth your time if you are a fan of the films and these types of games.

I've been an Indy fan all my life, and I can say with full conviction this game is as awesome as the original 80's films and the best game in the series; even better than "The Infernal Machine" that was released way back in 1999. It's also a very nice change of pace after the disappointing "Dial of Destiny" released last year.

Set in 1937, between "Raiders of the Lost Ark" and "The Last Crusade", Dr. Henry "Indiana" Jones Jr. (Troy Baker) finds himself drawn into yet another adventure to stop an Axis powers operation set on harnessing an ancient power stemming from the Great Circle that takes him from the Vatican, to Egypt, to China. The story and dialogue are engrossing and exciting and keeps you hooked throughout the game, as do the characters; we have the late Tony Todd as the imposing and mysterious thief Locus, Alessandra Mastronardi as investigative reporter Gina Lombardi, Indy's female companion who matches him in wits, and Marios Gavrilis as Emmerich Voss, the menacing yet surprisingly amusing Nazi main antagonist.

The graphics are stunningly beautiful and polished. There are small but impressive details everywhere that make the levels feel complete and alive, like insects in South America or dust clouds and sand particles in Egypt. The levels and environments have massive, breathtaking landscapes you'll have a blast exploring. And with maximum graphics in play, it'll look so real you'll feel like you're watching a whole new Indy movie. There's even a marvelous recreation of the opening of "Raiders of the Lost Ark" serving as a tutorial that looks as amazing as it did forty years ago.

I liked the games unique first-person perspective that makes you feel like your truly in Indy's shoes, and it's different not only from previous Indy games, but also from Tomb Raider and Uncharted, which is ironic since both franchises were inspired by Indiana Jones themselves.

The gameplay captures the theme of the films with challenging combat consisting of fist-cuffs, Indy's bullwhip, melee weapons like shovels or hammers, or guns like a Smith & Wesson Mk II revolver, MP28 smg, or Winchester M1897 shotgun. However, using stealth and surprise is generally safer and more recommended than just rushing in guns blazing. While enemy AI isn't very good and sneaking past them is usually easy enough, combat can be a pain because drawing a weapon will invoke the same response from your enemies, in which case they will likely overwhelm and kill you. And, as expected for an Indy game, you'll have to solve intricate and well-designed puzzles that sometimes require searching for hints, glossing over maps, and reading old documents, just like a real archaeologist.

The soundtrack, composed by Gordy Haab, was excellent and based on John Williams legendary original score. The voice work is wonderful. Troy Baker pulls of a great Harrison Ford impersonation as he voices the titular protagonist, fully capturing his witty and sarcastic personality. You'll hear familiar sounds from the movies, like fist strikes and Indy's whip cracking. The ambient noises are cool and realistic, like low hollow echoes and wind blowing softly in the temples, caves and tunnels you explore, or the bird calls and chittering insects in the jungles you travel through. Everything sounds amazing.

Being released just in time for Christmas, this masterpiece from Bethesda will make a terrific gift not only for Indy fans but adventure game fans everywhere.

When I first heard of the games development I had my doubts. I thought it was going to be just another Bethesda flop, bad and uninteresting. Wow was I wrong. This game is a masterpiece, well thought out, and fun to play. The puzzles are difficult yet doable, the combat and stealth are engaging and fresh. Within an hour of my first play through I realized how complex and large the game world was. This game rewards knowing history. YOU FEEL LIKE INDIANA JONES! I only have one complaint, it's kind of slow, although that is easily overlooked as the game is so good in every other way. The voice acting is superb. The graphics are gorgeous. This is a masterpiece and fits very well into world. I would highly recommend to any fans of the franchise.

This is an absolute masterpiece! I am a huge fan of the franchise and it is one of my favorite movies ever, so I would never use this term lightly, especially for a video game, and especially for an Indiana Jones video game, as I would expect only the highest of standard and would scrutinize every little detail. Yet, they have managed to pull it off and do the impossible - an impeccable game in every aspect!

Amazing script, story, and direction; mesmerizing graphics and level/world design; perfect casting and acting; extremely engaging, fun, smart, witty, full of real historical knowledge; and the oozing charisma of Mr. Henry Jones Jr. Himself!

It really brought me into the golden age of Indiana and Spielberg. I still can't believe it, but they really did absolutely everything right! Heck, I would go as far as to say it is innovative and with it, they are setting a new standard for how games in this genre should look and feel like.

I thought it was going to be another Bethesda flop and garbage, after so many recent disappointments, but man did they nail it - absolutely brilliant!

I had relatively low hopes for this game, especially since the last few projects have not been the best. From the moment the game started I was hooked. No spoilers but I didn't expect the beginning of the game, and it is a fun Easter Egg for all Indy fans.

Gameplay is super fun and combat is one of the best elements of the game. It's probably the most realistic combat in recent memory. Indy is human and you feel that with every swing and every hit he takes. While most games have an overpowered combat system, combat is fun and challenging. Puzzles manage to be fun but not to tedious, and they manage to stay away from being too repetitive.

The gameplay is beautiful and feels like you're playing through one of the movies. Bethesda manages to do one of the most beloved franchises in history justice.