Troy Baker’s Indiana Jones and the Great Circle Performance Nails One Thing

Posted by By our-little-miss-is-home December 14, 2024 17 Views 6 Min Read
Troy Baker's Indiana Jones and the Great Circle Performance Nails One Thing



Indiana Jones is one of the most iconic characters in movie history, and while the writing behind the rugged hero was instrumental in making him a renowned figure, it was Harrison Ford’s performance that brought him to life. Carrying over the same rogueish charm from Han Solo, but injecting a level of suave sophistication and intelligence that the space smuggler just doesn’t have, Harrison Ford’s portrayals of Indiana Jones are well-loved. So, naturally, capturing that performance was no easy feat for Indiana Jones and the Great Circle.




Rather than get the now 82-year-old Harrison Ford back to play a 38-year-old Indy, developer MachineGames decided to hire a new actor to try and fill the hero’s leather boots. Against all odds, industry icon Troy Baker has arguably just made the performance of his career, delivering a remarkable portrayal that feels genuinely authentic. Along with doing a great Harrison Ford impression, Troy Baker’s performance in Indiana Jones and the Great Circle features some subtleties that really seal the deal.

Indiana Jones and the Great Circle logo with Indy in a confessional

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Troy Baker’s Performance in Indiana Jones and the Great Circle Gets So Much Right

Troy Baker’s Voice Is Doing Much More Than a Harrison Ford Impression

At the most surface-level, Troy Baker’s performance in Indiana Jones and the Great Circle does a great job of sounding like Harrison Ford, with Baker’s voice imitating the Hollywood actor’s gruffness well. But digging just a bit deeper, there’s a lot more to Baker’s performance that really elevates this portrayal of Indiana Jones.


Both the game’s writing and Troy Baker’s performance are willing to take the character of Indiana Jones to a slightly more emotive place than he’s usually in. While Harrison Ford’s Indiana Jones has both quiet moments of reflection and louder moments of anger or concern, Troy Baker adds a slightly deeper emotional level to Indy’s tone, with each little remark giving away a bit more about how the character’s feeling at that moment.

For instance, in The Great Circle, Indy will frequently talk to himself, remarking on something that’s just happened or questioning something that’s currently occurring. In each of these remarks, Troy Baker’s performance hides a subtle layer of emotive expression that reveals a bit more about Indy’s emotional state, such as concern, caution, or excitement. For a game that’s mostly played in first-person, these subtle moments of emotional reflection are vital, allowing players to maintain a connection to Indy without seeing his face.


Troy Baker Nails The Mannerisms of Indiana Jones

But Troy Baker’s performance as Indiana Jones goes far beyond just his voice. What really cements Troy Baker’s Indiana Jones and the Great Circle performance as truly authentic is the actor’s physicality, and more specifically, the little mannerisms that he’s managed to capture from Harrison Ford’s portrayal of the beloved adventurer.

When Harrison Ford’s Indy is puzzled by an ancient trap or inscription, he rubs his chin. When Indy is trying to solve a riddle, his eyes dart around the room wildly. When Indy is trying to excitedly make a point, he physically points, either to the person he’s talking to or to the artifact he’s discussing. And when Indy is trying to kid himself into believing he has a situation under control, his mouth curls into a sly smirk. All of these subtle mannerisms combine to make Indiana Jones the character fans know and love, and Troy Baker carries each and every one into his own performance in Indiana Jones and the Great Circle.

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