The Best Settings In Indiana Jones And The Great Circle

Indiana Jones and the Great Circle takes a slightly different approach to its open-world formula and does not just allow you to explore one big location for the entirety of the game’s runtime. Instead, to tell its story as effectively as possible, developer MachineGames divides its latest title into various chapters, with each one taking place in a different location across the globe as Indiana Jones tries to figure out the mystery behind the Great Circle before his enemies do.

Naturally, since Indiana Jones and the Great Circle is a narrative-based game at its core and has to keep the pacing of the plot moving, some locations are much more realized and given more attention than others.

8

The Himalayas

South Asia

Taking a massive detour from the sandy lands of Egypt, you will be visiting the snowy mountain peaks of the Himalayas in the fourth chapter of Indiana Jones and the Great Circle, and let’s just say that once the awe due to the weather and landscape change passes over, you will realize that the location does not really have much going for it. For starters, because of the blizzard constantly blocking the view for the majority of your time in South Asia, you will not be able to truly appreciate that you are literally at one of the highest points in the world.

The game also significantly slows down its pacing during your visit to the Himalayas. For most of it, you will be making your way to the top of the mountain while passing through snow, broken bridges, and deadly narrow paths. This limits your exploration options and does not really offer anything that has not been seen in other titles, like God of War Ragnarök, for example.

7

Ziggurat Of Ur

Iraq, Middle East

As the last act of Indiana Jones and the Great Circle takes place in the Ziggurat of Ur temple in Iraq, it serves as more of a setting to get the climax of the game going rather than a full-fledged location that you can properly explore and appreciate. Thankfully, the set pieces that accompany the Middle Eastern location are exciting enough, but that is mostly all that you will be getting out of the temple in the final chapter of the game.

Despite the Ziggurat of Ur being a setting that works for the climactic elements that accompany it, the Nazi-controlled temple does not really have a distinctive personality of its own, feeling like a location that you would see in first-person shooter video games like Call of Duty due to its heavily guarded nature and checkposts all around it.

6

Peruvian Jungle

South America

If you have been following the Indiana Jones series since its inception with Raiders of the Lost Ark, you probably remember the iconic opening scene, which is set in the Peruvian jungle, and since the MachineGames title takes place after that first film, the developer also decided to adapt the exact same sequence in its game’s prologue. You may not spend too much time in Peru, but your South American journey will be quite memorable, as it feels like playing through a segment of arguably one of the greatest films of all time.

You will come across plenty of Easter eggs while exploring the jungle, go through booby traps in the temple, and face a familiar betrayal during the prologue of Indiana Jones and the Great Circle, as the location offers excellent nostalgic value and serves as the perfect starting point for the game.

5

Marshall College

Connecticut, USA

The Peruvian Jungle is not the only instance of immediate fanservice that Indiana Jones and the Great Circle has in store for you, as right after the prologue, the game will take you to Marshall College, another location that was featured quite prominently in Raiders of the Lost Ark. Serving as the setting for the first chapter of the MachineGames title, the interior of the university is highly detailed with Easter eggs sprinkled in throughout, ranging from a reference to the student who professes her love for Indiana Jones to the apple that is left on his desk in the classroom.

The college in Connecticut, USA, acts as a great setting to give you some time to breathe and take in your surroundings before things start to go wrong in the game’s narrative, because after that, you will be heading on your global adventure.

4

Shanghai

China, East Asia

While the Himalayas segment of Indiana Jones and the Great Circle hinders its pacing but ends on a high enough note, its transition into the next chapter of the game, which is set in Shanghai, is one of the most unforgettable sequences you will be playing through. Your time in China will not be too long, but the set piece that accompanies it is so memorable that you can forgive it for not being an extensive area that you can fully explore.

Firstly, even while getting attacked by Japanese planes and being engulfed in flames, the East Asian city looks gorgeous, and during the extremely thrilling action sequence, you will be parkouring across destroyed buildings and rooftops, trying to get to a plane and get it working to escape the bombardment, hanging onto the plane with your whip, and shooting at enemy aircraft with a turret gun to ensure your survival. Short and sweet, its fast-paced nature will most likely stick with you long after the fifth chapter of the game comes to an end.

3

Sukhothai

Siam, Southeast Asia

One of the most varied areas that resemble somewhat of an open world in Indiana Jones and the Great Circle is Siam, which is now known as Thailand. Aside from the main narrative route, you will also be able to explore temples and complete puzzles for rewards. Even while progressing through the story, you will come across various interesting NPCs whose assistance you will require to take down the enemy, and while trying to get to Sukhothai, you will have to use a boat, swim, swing with your whip, shoot at enemies, and more, which adds a lot more gameplay variety to the MachineGames title.

The Southeast Asian setting also looks quite stunning, combining the forest vibe of the Peruvian jungle with bodies of water and detailed structures to give it a distinct touch.

2

Gizeh

Egypt, Africa

Although the Gizeh chapter does not have too many puzzles, the setting itself works wonders thanks to the village being full of life, with shops set up in tents and plenty of people to interact with, giving it a bustling feel that is not really found in the majority of other locations in Indiana Jones and the Great Circle. From heading over to merchants in the village and buying goods that will come in handy during your exploration sessions to disguising yourself as a worker to get close to the pyramids, the Egyptian location has some of the most fun segments that you will come across in the game.

The pyramids also look splendid, and during your time in Gizeh, you will also have to fight a big boss, adding more flavor to the combat elements of the game with a terrifying twist you might not have seen coming.

1

The Vatican

Europe

Your trip to The Vatican is the first time you will properly feel the open-world aspects of Indiana Jones and the Great Circle, and thankfully, the location is absolutely stunning when it comes to its detailed architecture. Not only are the exteriors of the buildings beautiful to look at, but MachineGames also went all out with the interior designs of the area, a combination that isn’t found in any other location in the game.

The Vatican is Indiana Jones and the Great Circle at its most graphically impressive, and the visuals are not even the only thing that makes the location stand out as the best in the title. There are various puzzles to tackle and plenty of adventure books to find, along with the first proper boss fight of the game, and, of course, Indiana Jones meets his companion Gina in The Vatican as well, making it the most significant setting in the MachineGames title.