Indiana Jones has always been synonymous with adventure, mystery, and a touch of grumpy charm. As the iconic archaeologist makes his way into the world of gaming once again, Indiana Jones and the Great Circle hopes to deliver an immersive experience like never before.
Earlier this month, 9news.com.au was invited to Bethesda’s Sydney headquarters to play a small section of The Great Circle, ahead of the game’s December release.
Indiana Jones and the Great Circle really captures the spirit of the classic adventures. In my time with the game, I travelled to Egypt and the Vatican, facing off against Nazis and solving puzzles that felt straight out of the films — think light manipulation, mirrors, and hidden mechanisms.
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The mix of hand-to-hand combat, whip-based traversal, and tactical encounters made every fight feel like a challenge, especially since you can’t just rely on weapons.
But what stood out to me was how rewarding exploration felt, with vast, open environments and a journal that logs every discovery, making the adventure feel truly personal.
After my hands-on time with the game, I had the opportunity to sit down with Zeke Virant, lead game designer at Machine Games, to talk about what makes this upcoming title stand out.
“I think one of the biggest things we wanted to capture was the spirit of discovery,” Zeke explained.
“Indiana Jones is all about that sense of wonder, that rush when you uncover something hidden or long forgotten. We wanted every corner of the game to feel like there’s a secret waiting to be found, whether it’s a puzzle, an artefact, or a hidden piece of lore,” he told 9news.com.au.
“You’re not just playing through a story — you’re becoming part of it, solving mysteries as Indy would.”
Virant’s role at Machine Games covers a wide range of tasks, from combat balancing to progression systems.
“Basically, my job involves taking any kind of systemic feature and balancing it, making sure that feature sets fit within constraints,” he explained.
Whether it’s deciding “what the whip crack should do” or working on something as seemingly mundane as door interactions, Virant emphasised the importance of getting the details right.
In keeping with the Indiana Jones theme, the game doesn’t shy away from the academic side of archaeology.
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Virant described how deeply they leaned into the idea of Indiana being an archaeologist first and foremost. “We really wanted to go deep into the adventure idea of him. He’s an archaeologist, so we don’t shy away from that.” Players will have the opportunity to use Indiana’s knowledge of languages and history to solve puzzles.
Virant was keen to point out how well researched and detailed the in game lore is.
“I think as people start to play the game bigger, they’ll see how that all fits into the activities and missions,” he said.
When asked if there was a tip he’d offer players diving into the game for the first time, he offered a simple but effective one: “Use the whip. It’s super cool.”
Actor Troy Baker’s portrayal of Indiana Jones also plays a significant role in creating an authentic experience. While Virant wasn’t directly involved in the narrative design, he praised Baker’s dedication to the character.
“He really cares a lot about the game,” Virant shared, recalling a moment when Baker visited the studio and asked him about the game mechanics, showing genuine curiosity about the design choices.
“He came to the studio and did some rehearsing, and I was getting coffee and talking to another designer about, like, we need to figure out the controls for this, and we could do it this way, or that way. And Troy just stepped in, he was like, ‘Oh, can you tell me a little bit about this? Why would you do it that way?’ He was genuinely curious,” Viarant said.
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For those ready to embark on this adventure, Virant’s advice is simple: explore thoroughly, take your time, and don’t be afraid to play the game again.
“There’s so much visual and narrative depth to it. You’ll notice things you might have missed the first time,” he said.
Indiana Jones and the Great Circle is coming to Xbox Series X|S and PC on December 6 and to PlayStation 5 next year.
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