The Great Circle
There it is. 15 years after the last Indiana Jones video game (except some strange pinball and LEGO games) we will get a new one. It will have an original story and the teaser looks absolutely stunning. “Indiana Jones and the Great Circle” is supposed to come out this year and as an archaeogamer, I couldn’t be more excited.
What is the game about?
The game-play reveal trailer shows it best. Our protagonist is searching for various sites around the globe that supposedly all align into one perfect great circle (therefore the title). The trailer shows him at various sites fighting some Nazis and presenting his famous wit and whip. The game is set in 1937 between the movies Raiders of the Lost Ark (1981) and the Last Crusade (1989). The voyage leads you to the Vatican, the pyramids of Egypt, to the sunken temples of Sukhothai and other places.
What do I think of it?
Well, I am torn so I write here from two perspectives.
Gamer: Yes! This looks really awesome. Playing Indy, punching Nazis, using the whip, solving riddles… This all looks great. Also the characters (especially Indy and what I think will be the main villain) look really good. There is a discussion going on that it will not feature the original voices, but I don’t mind really. The voice in the trailer sounded just fine to me.
Archaeologist: Gee! Not another one. It is obvious that this game is again about solving riddles in exotic places, utilising pseudo-archaeological tropes and propagating the stealing of artefacts to prevent some overpowered enemy from doing the same. “Myths, history, just different ways to interpret the past”. Well, no, not really Indy….
Where to go from here?
Well I think it became clear that I am undecided. It will be a good game I guess, but also driving stereotypes about our profession once more. At least I think it will, but who knows. I will definitely play it and report and am looking forward to do so. You can say whatever you want about old Indy, but he is still a fun character. For fortune and glory kid… Fortune and glory.
