Indiana Jones and The Great Circle is a bombastic FPS that lives up the movies’ legacy

Xbox has finally shown off its exclusive Indiana Jones game for Xbox Series X and PC. Developed by Wolfenstein studio MachineGames, Indiana Jones and The Great Circle looks like a brilliant new adventure in the long-running action series.

While the recent fifth movie in the franchise, Indiana Jones and the Dial of Destiny, failed to impress, MachineGames’ new video game adaptation looks like a riot. The first Indy game since 2009’s LEGO Indiana Jones 2, this should be everything fans have been craving.

In the first gameplay reveal, MachineGames detailed how they’re bringing the franchise to first person. As you look through the eyes of the iconic action character, you’ll battle Nazis, discover museum worthy treasures and uncover yet another myth.

Created with a stunningly detailed but still cartoonish style, Indiana Jones combines first-person puzzles with brutal hand-to-hand combat, whip mechanics and — of course — MachineGames’ historically brilliant gunplay. One scene even shows Indy jumping from the wing of one plane onto another plane.

Not everything will take place in a first-person perspective. Climbing up buildings or sliding down ziplines with your whip will cut to a third-person camera, whether you’re climbing the Himalayas or handing in the side of a blimp. Furthermore, cutscenes are designed to be a true cinematic experience.

“I wanted to make an Indiana Jones game forever. I knew what age I wanted him to be, what arc I wanted him to go to,” said Bethesda’s Todd Howard. “I could remember pitching Lucasfilm on the game and being a bit nervous… their excitement has bled into the project. I’ve been a fan of this my whole life.”

Set between Raiders of the Lost Arc and The Last Crusade, the story sees Indiana chase a thief who stole a seemingly harmless relic from the museum. As the story progresses, the hero goes on yet another world-hopping adventure that ends up being much bigger than it seems.

MachineGames explained that the studio’s expertise in first-person gameplay was key to make you truly feel like Indiana Jones. “Whether it’s cracking your whip, solving puzzles, or seeing your bloody knuckles in a fistfight” it’s the best way to embody the action hero.

Alongside the main path, MachineGames’ Indiana Jones and the Great Circle has numerous secret areas with their own puzzles and combat environments. If you loved the Wolfenstein games’ amazing secrets, you’ll love this.

Indiana Jones and The Great Circle releases on Xbox Series X, Xbox Series S and PC later this year. The game also launches on Xbox Game Pass and Xbox Cloud Gaming simultaneously.