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When I first heard MachineGames was developing an Indiana Jones title, my mind immediately jumped to their signature Wolfenstein series - those frantic, blood-soaked corridors where BJ Blazkowicz mows down Nazis with glorious abandon. So when I got my hands on The Great Circle, I'll admit I approached it with certain expectations, only to discover something entirely different unfolding before me. This isn't the run-and-gun experience I anticipated, but rather a thoughtful stealth adventure that owes more to Dishonored than to Wolfenstein's bullet-heavy chaos. The studio's pivot feels both daring and appropriate for the character - after all, Indiana Jones has always been more about clever escapes and strategic takedowns than wholesale slaughter.
What struck me most during my first three hours with the game was how deliberately the stealth mechanics guide your approach to each encounter. The Great Circle presents you with sprawling environments filled with shadowy corners and vertical spaces that encourage careful navigation rather than direct confrontation. I found myself spending nearly 70% of my initial playtime crouched behind crates or hanging from ledges, watching patrol patterns and waiting for the perfect moment to strike. The violence, when it comes, is indeed sudden and brutal - a quick takedown from the shadows, a well-placed whip disarm, or a perfectly timed distraction that lets you slip past guards unnoticed. This rhythmic alternation between patient observation and brief, intense action perfectly captures the spirit of Indiana Jones' archaeological adventures, where brains consistently trump bullets.
The comparison to Dishonored isn't merely superficial - I counted at least five distinct systems that directly parallel Arkane's masterpiece. The way light and shadow affect enemy visibility, the sound propagation model that makes footsteps matter, the multiple pathways through each environment, the emphasis on non-lethal options, even the visual feedback when you're hidden - all feel refined and purposeful. Where MachineGames shows some inexperience is in the occasional AI inconsistency; I noticed guards would sometimes fail to investigate obvious disturbances, breaking immersion momentarily. Still, these moments were rare enough in my 12-hour playthrough that they didn't significantly detract from the overall experience.
What truly makes The Great Circle work is how its mechanics serve the fantasy of being Indiana Jones. The whip isn't just a weapon - it's a traversal tool, a distraction device, and occasionally a means of disarming opponents. I found particular joy in using it to swing across gaps or retrieve out-of-reach items, moments that genuinely made me feel like the iconic adventurer. The game understands that Indiana Jones isn't defined by how many people he kills, but by how cleverly he navigates danger. This design philosophy represents a remarkable departure for a studio that built its reputation on high-octane shooters, and I'd argue it's their most mature work to date.
The pacing deserves special mention - where Wolfenstein games typically maintain a relentless intensity, The Great Circle embraces quieter moments. I spent what felt like twenty minutes in one particularly memorable sequence simply exploring an ancient temple, solving environmental puzzles, and appreciating the atmospheric storytelling. These contemplative stretches make the action sequences feel more impactful when they arrive. The transition from stealth to action isn't jarring but organic - you might be carefully avoiding detection one moment, then frantically fleeing a collapsing ruin the next. This ebb and flow creates a rhythm that feels uniquely suited to the source material.
From a technical perspective, the game performs admirably, maintaining a steady 60 frames per second on current-gen consoles during my playthrough. Load times are surprisingly brief, typically under four seconds between areas, which helps maintain immersion. The lighting system deserves particular praise - the way shadows deepen in dark corners and light spills through cracks in ancient walls adds tremendously to the stealth gameplay while creating some genuinely beautiful visual moments. I did encounter two hard crashes during my time with the game, both occurring during complex physics interactions, but the robust checkpoint system meant I never lost significant progress.
What MachineGames has accomplished with The Great Circle is a testament to their versatility as developers. They've taken a beloved character and built gameplay systems that authentically reflect his nature rather than forcing him into their established mold. The result is something fresh for the studio yet perfectly faithful to Indiana Jones. While it may not satisfy players seeking the uncomplicated catharsis of mowing down Nazis with heavy weaponry, it offers a more thoughtful adventure that, in my opinion, better serves the character. The occasional rough edges are easily overlooked when the core experience is this compelling - a confident step in a new direction that suggests exciting possibilities for the studio's future projects.
