Summary
It has been 15 years since the lastIndiana Jonesgame was released —Indiana Jones and the Staff of Kingson PS2, Nintendo Wii, and Nintendo DS in 2009 — and while it and each game before it did their very best to capture the essence of the IP in gaming form, none have been quite as successful at doing so as MachineGames’Indiana Jones and the Great Circle. This is all largely due to the developer’s commitment, not just to make anothervideo game based onIndiana Jones, but to make a video game that feels like a true-to-film experience where the most defining features of the IP are brought to life like never before.
At the heart of theIndiana JonesIP is, of course, the adventurous archaeologist himself, whose humanity, scrappy resourcefulness, and rugged humor make him both a lovable and relatable character. This is precisely where MachineGames began its journey to developingIndiana Jones and the Great Circle, and its efforts are truly realized in the game’s ability to project Indy’s dual nature onto the players themselves. AsIndiana Jones and the Great Circleis a first-person game based on a pre-established character, it goes to great lengths to ensure players feel like Indiana Jones, as opposed to simply controlling him, and pulling on both the intelligence and adventurous spirit of players accomplishes this.
Indiana Jones and the Great Circle Projects Indy’s Duality Onto Players
Indiana Jones and the Great Circle’s Puzzles Project Indy’s Intelligence Onto Players
Indiana Jones and the Great Circlemay be a first-person game, but since players are ultimately in control of a character whose experiences are still his own, they can’t rely on Indy’s own intelligence to solveIndiana Jones and the Great Circle’s puzzles. Indiana Jones is, without a doubt, one of the most intelligent people on the planet in his line of work, but the vast majority of players probably aren’t studied historians or linguists, and therefore won’t have the luxury of his level of intelligence. As such,Indiana Jones and the Great Circleputs players in similar situations that Indy might find himself entrenched in, but they are still the ones required to think like Indy, rather than Indy doing the thinking for them, as he has in every film.
AsIndiana Jones and the Great Circleis a first-person game based on a pre-established character, it goes to great lengths to ensure players feel like Indiana Jones, as opposed to simply controlling him, and pulling on both the intelligence and adventurous spirit of players accomplishes this.
That being said, solvingIndiana Jones and the Great Circle’s puzzlesdoesn’t come without Indy’s help, as he frequently chimes in with helpful comments as he externally processes his findings. Even with his help, however, players are still largely on their own when it comes to solving puzzles in the game, and that is especially true ofIndiana Jones and the Great Circle’s optional areas, where narratives aren’t needed to accompany the thrill of discovery. In this way,Indiana Jones and the Great Circleprojects Indy’s intelligence onto the player, saying, “You’re Indy now. Think like Indy.”
Indiana Jones and the Great Circle’s Combat Projects Indy’s Adventurer Side Onto Players
Indy’s intelligence isn’t the only aspect of hischaracter thatIndiana Jones and the Great Circleprojectsonto players, as it projects his adventurous side onto them as well. Indiana Jones has always been known for his scrappy resourcefulness and improvisational approach to solving problems, but now that players are in the driver’s seat of the beloved character, they are the ones who need to be resourceful now; they are the ones who need to use improvisation to escape danger. Rarely doesIndiana Jones and the Great Circlehold players' hands, as it expects them to improvise just as Indy would in a similar situation, thereby projecting the archaeologist’s adventurous side onto them to enhance the immersion of becoming the character.
By challenging players to think and act like Indiana Jones,Indiana Jones and the Great Circlegoes beyond traditional adaptations, offering gameplay that honors Indiana Jones' duality, with his adventurous spirit and iconic scrappiness. This approach captures the essence of the humanity and ingenuity that make Indy so timeless and relatable, all while empowering players to live out their own adventure in his boots.
