It’s official: Indiana Jones and the Great Circle will arrive on December 9 – and I’ve been lucky enough to see a lot more of the game in action following its appearance at Opening Night Live.

Where Xbox Games Showcase brought us a look at a story-driven section set in the Himalayas, at gamescom, MachineGames introduced a lengthy look at almost pure moment-to-moment gameplay from the first-person adventure. The footage showed off multiple locations, the game’s more open, explorable areas, explanations of how your various tools work, combat, skills, and more. I even saw an extended sequence set outside (and beneath) the Great Sphinx of Giza, seeing how a main quest will play out.

There’s a lot to talk about, so let me break it down.

Puzzles

As you’d hope for from an Indiana Jones project, puzzles are the beating heart of the game – and there are a lot of them. In true Indy fashion, there are mysteriously locked chambers, complex ancient mechanisms, and ritualistic sequences of challenges to understand and solve.

In the Giza section of gameplay, I see multiple puzzles along the quest’s path: a stealth section to find a ransacked golden medallion stored in a Nazi base; unlocking a door that unexpectedly opens up a spike pit under Indy’s feet; and a climactic puzzle that draws on classic Indy moments by asking you to reflect multiple beams of light across a room to unlock a mysterious golden mask connected to the game’s central mystery.

In a separate section of gameplay, I see a puzzle that unfolds itself slowly – Indy has to pour a bottle of wine into a plinth set beneath an ancient statue, which simply reveals a clue. The player then spots a crack of light in a wall, uses a nearby hammer to smash it down, and discovers a whole new chamber, and uses the clue they received to unlock a whole new mechanism.

All of these require a mixture of observation, lateral thinking, and clever use of the tools you have at your disposal. Perhaps most excitingly, puzzles aren’t solely found on the main quest path. The game will hide extra puzzles along your way, waiting to be discovered, and with rewards for those who conquer them.

Exploration and Open Areas

While the game has a linear storyline, and more narrative-driven sequences, along the way you’ll come across more open areas – each of which will include side characters, hidden secrets, added rewards, and photo opportunities (more on that later).

In one sequence, I see Indy strolling around an Egyptian bazaar, passing through the crowds and finding a stall, which offers up a conversation with the owner. This seems to open up the opportunity for a side quest – although I’m only teased with the promise of the new artifact he’ll find as a result. These sections are packed with detail – both in the environments themselves, and in the promise of extra things to do. I see hidden passages unlocked by straightening paintings, scattered documents that add more context to the story, and more.

Game director Jerk Gustafsson confirmed that you’ll be able to revisit these areas once you’ve unlocked them, offering you the chance to continue the story, and return to find more at a later time.

Tools

Indy comes equipped with many tools at his disposal – at one point, I even see the player physically packing his suitcase – and MachineGames has been very smart about how each iconic bit of kit can be used in the context of gameplay:

• The Whip – I’ll start with the most obvious. Indy’s iconic bullwhip is used constantly, and with multiple benefits. It’s a useful combat tool, of course, dragging onrushing Nazis in the thick of a fight. Outside of combat, it can be used to grab environmental objects and swing with, smash environmental objects (which can help with certain puzzles), or act as climbing rope.
• The Camera – While less famous as a photographer, Indy packs a film camera in The Great Circle, and it can be used for multiple purposes. Taking pictures of your discoveries offers Adventure Points (more on that below), but it can also help Indy to suss out the mysteries surrounding him, offering pointers for puzzles, or deepening the story.
• The Journal – Indy’s journal – packed with his research – appears through the film series, and you’ll use it much the same way. Documents you find, photos you take, discoveries you come across – all are noted and kept for reference in the journal. You’ll need to find physical maps in the world, which are then kept in the book for reference. It’s also a de facto hint system, with Indy’s own notes helping guide you should you need some assistance.
• The Lighter – Small, but no less effective, is Indy’s trusty lighter. In the Giza section, I see it used to offer a speck of extra light in subterranean chambers, and then to light a bowl of oil to illuminate the environment even more. No doubt it’ll be used to ward off some snakes at some point…
• The Rest – You’re not limited to what Indy brings along with him, either. Scattered around the world are many different tools. At one point, I see Indy pick up a spear and throw it into a wall, unlocking a new point to swing from. Breakable bottles can be used as a noisy distraction in stealth sections, and hammers can help swing the odds of a fight in your favor. Your resourcefulness will be just as useful as your actual resources, it seems.

Skills

One element we hadn’t heard much about before now are Indy’s unlockable skills. We’re promised dozens of skills to unlock – but it’s not through a traditional skill tree. Throughout the game, you’ll find Skill Books hidden in the world, each of which will open up the ability to unlock a new skill.

You’ll do that by earning (and spending) Adventure Points. These points are earned by making discoveries, taking photos, and… generally doing the kinds of things Indiana Jones would do. It’s a neat incentive for being more curious, more inventive, and more Indy-like.

At one point, I see Indy pick up a novel that teaches him “True Grit”, a skill that allows him to take a fatal blow in a fight, but – in classic Indy style – retrieve his hat, dust himself off, and fight back once more.

Disguises

MachineGames has shown how stealth will work in The Great Circle before, with staying undetected often more prudent a choice that rushing into a fight. What we hadn’t seen is another mechanic inspired by classic moments from the films – disguises. Throughout the game, you’ll have opportunities to change in to a new set of clothes in order to blend in and enter forbidden areas.

In the Giza sequence, Indy needs to make his way into the Nazi headquarters at an archaeological digsite, and dresses as one of the workers to do so. Entering a tent, he finds a group of enemies playing cards, and is immediately ordered to fetch them a drink. Playing the part helps him steal an artifact he needs. In another sequence set in the Vatican, Indy dresses as a priest – which will fool most, but not all of the people he passes, meaning keeping a close eye on those around you is crucial.

Combat

When stealth is no longer an option, Indy’s still able to handle himself in a fight. While the game isn’t centered on combat like MachineGames’ previous projects, you still have multiple ways to tackle any scrap you get into. The game’s UI is very light, offering true immersion in a fight, and making the most of the first-person viewpoint – this is heavy, thumping combat, reflective of the movies it comes from.

Melee is your first port of call – fistfighting is a mixture of punches, dodges, grabs, pushes, blocks and parries, with the aim of breaking down an enemy’s defences until you can deliver a custom finisher (some of which are very funny). For a little more control, you can use the whip to control the space a little more, or use environmental elements to finish off your foe quickly – it’s much easier to just push someone down a hole than beat them down.

For the fiercest fights, Indy can bring out his trusty revolver to finish off a threat quickly (although ammo seems to be limited). He can also retrieve enemy weapons as a temporary – you could prioritize taking down a machine gun-wielding Nazi first, in order to make light work of the rest of their squad.

Let the Adventure Begin

There’s so much more to discover about Indiana Jones and the Great Circle, but this latest glimpse at gameplay shows quite how varied an adventure this will be. For me, even more exciting is in how much choice it seems I’ll have along the way – the opportunity to take my time, explore incredible places, and unlock secrets feels as much a part of being Indiana Jones as taking part in the wilder set-pieces. I’m very ready for this journey.

Indiana Jones and the Great Circle arrives on December 9, 2024, for Xbox Series X|S, Windows PC, and Steam – or play it day one with Game Pass.