Indiana Jones is a multi-generational icon, and the weight of developing a new entry in the franchise must be as intimidating as a rolling boulder. He’s a character that has permeated every facet of media since he first found the Ark of the Covenant back in 1981.

The impact of his legacy in video games cannot be understated, either. After all, medium-defining icon Lara Croft and her tomb-raiding contemporaries would not exist without Henry Jones Jr. setting the standard. Indy’s own videogame outings have been mixed, with plenty of misfires (I’m looking at you, Staff of Kings) and at least one classic in 1992’s Fate of Atlantis. Now, MachineGames has a (whip) crack at the character, bringing the cinematic storytelling and brutal action it honed with its Wolfenstein cycle, to create a genuine blockbuster of a game.

Indiana Jones and the Great Circle perfectly embodies the old-fashioned adventuring spirit that makes the series such an enduring cultural presence. Following its Xbox debut in 2024 and PS5 port in 2025, thankfully, it arrives on Switch 2 in a state as handsome as ’80s-era Harrison Ford, complete with the odd scar or two.

After a tutorial that lovingly recreates the iconic opening of Raiders of the Lost Ark, we rejoin Indiana Jones in 1937 as he investigates a break-in at Marshall College. A mysterious symbol worn by an imposingly large thief (played by the late, great Tony Todd) sends him to Vatican City. There, he teams up with Journalist Gina Lombardi and uncovers a secret conspiracy to protect a geographical phenomenon known as the Great Circle.

This being 1937, you can bet the Nazis want to harness the supernatural power behind these interconnected sites of intrigue. From Rome, Indy travels to Egypt, Siam, Iraq, and several other locations around the globe, attempting to protect the secret of the Great Circle from a villainous archaeologist and his swastika-wearing buddies.

A first-person adventure, the main campaign is big in every sense of the word, with a good balance of exploration, combat, and archaeological puzzling. There’s a surprising amount of visually diverse locales filled with side quests and collectibles. MachineGames builds on the semi-open-world design it experimented with in its previous titles, making each location Indy visits a hub of activity and discovery. Every level has a clear identity, right down to the local delicacies that give Indy a boost of health and stamina.

Progressing the story is required to fully unlock these areas, but plundering each map for everything it has will significantly extend the game’s lifespan beyond the 15-20 hour main adventure (“it ain’t the years, honey, it’s the mileage”). It’s also worth noting that the Order Of The Giants DLC is available (though not included) at launch and brings a five-hour story that has Indy exploring Roman catacombs.

These beautiful locations are not just populated by opulent buildings and diverse wildlife; they are crawling with enemies. Disguises help Indy move through areas safely, but there will be times when you need to poke around areas you shouldn’t. Professor Jones can either sneak around or confront bad guys head-on.

Sneaking is usually the smarter option, as raising an alarm will send a battalion of jackboots swarming his position. Indy is not BJ Blazkowicz; he cannot dual-wield automatic weapons, and ammo is usually not plentiful on Egyptian dig sites.

When stealth fails, melee combat becomes your go-to for dispatching enemies. This is where Indiana Jones and the Great Circle really sings. The loud crash of a fist impacting someone’s face will be familiar to anyone who has enjoyed Indy’s cinematic adventures. Then there’s the satisfying crack of his trusty whip as it disarms an enemy, leaving them open to attack with anything handy lying around.

There is such a diverse collection of items you can use to hit someone that half the fun of a combat encounter is deciding which comical weapon to use. Bottles, hammers, guitars, flyswatters – the list goes on. Of all the things I expected from an Indiana Jones game, beating a man half to death with a paintbrush was not one of them.

There are guns, of course, and they feel just as good to shoot as Indy’s fists feel to throw, but resources are scarce enough that mowing down Nazis with a Winchester 1887 is a rare treat.

In addition to the brilliant sound design, bolstered by a gorgeous musical score that makes great use of John Williams’ themes, I can’t get through this review without calling attention to Troy Baker, who manages to transcend mere impression with his performance as Indy. Baker nails the world-weary confidence of the title character and his voice is essential to the overall authenticity of the experience. Special mention must also go to Mario Gavrilis as the oddball main antagonist, Emerich Voss.

It’s not all fortune and glory, though; archaeology is a messy business. Combat can be frustrating at times, thanks in no small part to an item selection system that will have you mashing the D-pad to try and bandage yourself up mid-fight and accidentally eating a prickly pear.

There are plenty of upgrades and perks to increase survivability (like reviving by donning Indy’s hat), but on the higher end of the game’s four difficulty levels, getting into a fight can be a slog. Thankfully, there are some nice accessibility options, like auto parry, that can stop Indiana taking such a pummelling.

One thing that doesn’t take a beating is the Switch 2, which handles this huge, stunning game with enthusiasm. Alongside the surprising presence of both gyro and mouse controls, the devs have taken great care in not compromising the spectacle of this adventure. An obvious performance caveat is the 30fps lock, with MachineGames choosing the lower frame tradeoff to preserve overall visual quality.

The devs state that resolution is 1080p docked and 720p handheld, with DLSS on hand as usual to pick up the slack. Despite the lower frame rate, this version stands up surprisingly well. Frames remained stable throughout my playthrough and the only visual hiccup was some occasional texture pop-in when running through open areas. It’s extremely impressive to play a game like this in handheld mode, and while the visuals are noticeably downgraded out of the dock, it still looks and sounds great.

Conclusion

A globe-trotting adventure with compelling exploration, crunchy melee, and tomb-raiding puzzles. With a great story and sky-high production value, Indiana Jones and the Great Circle is an authentic new franchise entry with a capable lead in Troy Baker. And despite taking the odd hit, the Switch 2 port holds its own admirably.