During the Xbox Game Showcase earlier this month, Bethesda and developer MachineGames debuted some extended footage from Indiana Jones and the Great Circle.
Announced back in January 2021, Indiana Jones and the Great Circle is an original story starring the famed archaeologist, set between the events of Raiders of the Lost Ark and Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade. Drawing heavily from the film series, the globe-trotting adventure follows Indiana Jones as he attempts to thwart the sinister forces who are scouring the globe for the secret to an ancient power connected to the Great Circle.
"From the hallowed halls of the Vatican and the sunken temples of Sukhothai to the pyramids of Egypt and the snowy peaks of the Himalayas, Indy’s latest journey will send him around the world in a race against time as he hunts down mysterious and powerful artifacts," Bethesda explains, setting the stage for the new footage. "But Indiana isn’t the only one on the trail of these artifacts. Working with Gina, Indy will face off against Voss and his men in the hunt for the secrets of these relics."
Following an intercepted message, Indiana and Gina have tracked down one of the artifact locations deep in the Himilayas of Nepal. After a treacherous trek through the mountains, the two arrive at a frozen battleship tucked away in the peaks.
Naturally — and this should be familiar to anyone who has watched the Indiana Jones movies — Indy and Gina are greeted by a squad of Nazi soldiers, led by a man named Gantz. From the magnificent set pieces to the incredible voice acting to the perfectly tuned score to the actual sequence of events, the cinematic narrative that unfolds feels just like you're watching one of the classic movies. And for those wondering, the voice you are hearing for Indiana Jones is none other than Troy Baker, the same voice behind Joel in The Last of Us franchise.
"Working with Indiana Jones makes you want to pull experiences from the wide range of set-pieces that made you go ‘Wow!’ as a kid,” said Game Director Jerk Gustafsson. “We all remember the thrill of seeing Indy’s daring and often narrow escapes, and we want to have those kinds of moments in the Great Circle as well."
Gameplay in Indiana Jones and the Great Circle is primarily played in the first-person perspective with players wielding Indy's trademark whip to distract, disarm, and attack enemies. The whip is also used for navigating the environment, such as swinging over unsuspecting patrols and scaling walls. Gameplay in general is said to be a mix of stealth infiltration, melee combat, and gunplay. We've gotten a glimpse of all of this and more in previously released trailers.
Indiana Jones and the Great Circle is currently in development with a release window set for this year. It's coming to Xbox Series X|S and PC. It will be available to play for free day one through Game Pass.