Experience the Thinking and Combat of Iconic Hero Indiana Jones in Latest Game Version
Indiana Jones and the Great Mind-Quest
Step into the boots of everyone's favorite archaeologist in the upcoming game, Indiana Jones and the Great Circle. This title isn't just about wearing the famous fedora, it's about embodying the character's brilliant mind and cunning spirit. The creators at Machine Games aimed to make you look and think like Indy, with subtle details taken straight from the movies. Remember that iconic scene in Raiders of the Lost Ark? Yep, shooting isn't your go-to method in this game.
While Indiana Jones does carry a gun in the games, it's not the first tool you'll reach for. Creative director Axel Torvenius explains, "We want you to try to use your wits and your whip rather than just shooting through situations." Guns are dangerous and should be a last resort. It's all about being clever and navigating around enemies instead of plowing through them.
Last week, io9 attended a virtual presentation showcasing gameplay and answering questions about the highly anticipated title. What we learned: the game is set in 1937, right after the events of Raiders of the Lost Ark. It's predominantly first-person and was the plan since day one, adding a sense of intimacy to the adventure as you get up close and personal with ancient relics.
While the game is largely linear, there are open-world sections filled with side missions, Easter eggs, and exploration. It's a game about one single adventure, where you'll use your whip to traverse, engage in intense hand-to-hand combat, solve puzzles, and when all else fails, pull out the gun.
An essential part of the game is your journal, which documents your journey and provides clues for what's next. Your camera fills up your journal and plays an integral role in puzzles too, though the specifics weren't clear. As you take more photos and solve more puzzles, you'll accumulate "Adventure Points" which can be used to upgrade your character.
The gameplay we saw featured Indy and a local woman raiding a temple, requiring a special medallion. In disguise, Indy infiltrates a bad guy's base to obtain it. After that, it's into the temple, where traps and obstacles await. You'll whip around, pull levers, explore, and delve deeper into the temple. Don't worry about missing anything; highlighted objects call out interactable items.
Even though we didn't get to play hands-on, Indiana Jones and the Great Circle feels like the Indiana Jones adventure you've been waiting for on your home console. It understands what makes Indy, Indy.
Update, August 20, 4:05 p.m.: At Gamescon today, it was confirmed that Indiana Jones and the Great Circle from Bethesda and Machine Games will be out for Xbox December 5; PlayStation 5 is coming spring 2025.
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Puzzle-Solving Strategies in "Indiana Jones and the Great Circle":
- Symbol Pedestals: Align rings (circle, diamond, cross) using specific keys found throughout the game. Each alignment opens new paths or reveals hidden items.
- Mechanical Puzzles: Manipulate cogs, levers, and pulleys to create paths or unlock doors.
- Environmental Puzzles: Use light to reveal hidden paths, mirrors for redirecting light beams, and water to overcome obstacles.
- Photography Clues: Use your camera to photograph puzzles repeatedly, providing clues to solve them. This is especially useful for complex mechanisms or hidden symbols.
- Adventure Books: Collecting these books provides permanent boosts, enhancing your skills and aiding in puzzle-solving by improving abilities to withstand challenges.
- In Indiana Jones and the Great Circle, players will solve puzzles by aligning specific symbols on pedestals, which opens new paths and reveals hidden items.
- The game features mechanical puzzles where players manipulate cogs, levers, and pulleys to create paths or unlock doors.
- Environmental puzzles in the game require players to use light sources to reveal hidden paths, mirrors to redirect light beams, and water to overcome obstacles.
- Players can photograph puzzles multiple times using their camera in Indiana Jones and the Great Circle to gather clues for their solution, particularly for complex mechanisms or hidden symbols.
- Collecting adventure books in the game provides permanent boosts to enhance skills and aid in puzzle-solving by improving abilities to withstand challenges.
