Indiana Jones and the Great Circle's DLC Reminds Me Why I…

I was born at the worst time to be an Indiana Jones fan. While I had been subjected to the original Indiana Jones trilogy many times when I was a toddler, I was a bit too young for it to sink in properly. And by the time I was old enough to really start enjoying movies, Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull was hitting the big screen. I can wholeheartedly say Kingdom of the Crystal Skull is not a good movie now, but to my little nine-year-old brain sitting in a theater for one of the first times, it was the greatest movie ever made, and my misguided love for what's widely considered to be the franchise's worst entry is what finally kicked my younger self into gear.

I became an Indiana Jones mega fan overnight. I used my pocket money to buy all the DVDs. I begged my mum to buy Indiana Jones and the Emperor's Tomb for my original Xbox when we passed by the now-defunct Gamestation in my hometown. I hyperfixated on Indiana Jones so much that I convinced myself my life's calling was to become an archaeologist.

As you can probably tell from me writing this article and not digging up fossils on Time Team, my nine-year-old self didn't get his dream career, but I've carried his deep love for the Indiana Jones franchise with me for almost two decades now. But, boy, has it been a struggle.

Indiana Jones and the Great Circle Saved My Love of The Franchise

Official gameplay screenshot of Indiana Jones and the Great Circle.

Indiana Jones and the Dial of Destiny Broke Me

The original Indiana Jones trilogy has always held a very special place in my heart, and while Kingdom of the Crystal Skull is far from a good movie, I have a lot of nostalgia for it. Indiana Jones and the Dial of Destiny, however, broke me.

The first Indiana Jones movie I was getting to see on the big screen since I was nine, my excitement was through the roof in the lead up to Indiana Jones and the Dial of Destiny's release back in June 2023. My excitement was so fervent, in fact, that my wife and friends felt it necessary to gently warn me about getting my hopes up.

"But James Mangold is directing!" I'd say. "Phoebe Waller-Bridge is in it! We love Fleabag!" I'd exclaim. "And sure, Harrison Ford is getting on a bit, but Indy's the one character he really, truly cares about! It can't be bad!" This was going to be it. The return to form the franchise so desperately needed.

Indy with a whip in Indiana Jones and the Dial of Destiny

Of course, I was wrong. I sat there watching Dial of Destiny on opening night, and though it technically ticked all the boxes of things I wanted to see in a new Indiana Jones movie, it all just felt a bit...wrong. Everything just felt a little bit off, from the characterization of Indy to the action choreography to the plot and central mystery at the heart of the whole thing.

I left the movie theater a shell of my former self, and I genuinely fell into a bit of a depression for about a week. I was convinced that this was the final death knell in one of my favorite franchises of all time, and that broke not just my heart, but my nine-year-old self's as well.

Like a Giant-Sized Angel, Indiana Jones and the Great Circle Rescued Me

I tried to learn my lesson after Dial of Destiny. I had been eagerly anticipating MachineGames' Indiana Jones project since that very first typewriter trailer back in January 2021, and the closer Indiana Jones and the Great Circle got, the less I could contain my excitement, though I tried my hardest to.

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December 2024 finally rolled around, and reviews for Indiana Jones and the Great Circle looked pretty great across the board. But reviews aren't the be-all and end-all. Sure, most outlets were in agreement that it was a great next step for the franchise, but I couldn't let myself get too excited. Not again.

Though I was originally going to wait for its full launch, I caved and paid for Indiana Jones and the Great Circle's Premium Edition upgrade so I could play a few days early. And I'm still so glad I did, because the second I spotted Alfred Molina's Satipo over Indy's shoulder and realized what the game's first mission was, I knew it was all going to be okay.

MachineGames has reportedly canceled an unannounced project

What followed was 20+ hours of pure bliss. Indiana Jones and the Great Circle really felt like the complete package for a lifelong Indy fan like myself, and while the game isn't perfect, it gave me exactly what I wanted and then some. The Great Circle managed to tell its own strong standalone story while still paying homage to the groundbreaking silver screen entries that came before it, and in one fell swoop, it managed to restore my faith in the entire Indiana Jones franchise.

Future Indiana Jones Games Shouldn't Have to Fight to Stay Relevant

Indiana Jones: The Order of Giants Is The Perfect Distillation of the Franchise's Formula

Indiana Jones Order of Giants Snake Puzzle

Indiana Jones and the Great Circle was more than enough Indy content to keep me satisfied for a while, but MachineGames has just served up a delicious bite-sized dessert, and I couldn't resist. Indiana Jones and the Great Circle's The Order of Giants DLC is a short but sweet 3-4 hour side adventure that takes place during the main game's Vatican section, and while it too isn't without its flaws, it's still the latest reminder of why I love this franchise so much.

Indiana Jones: The Order of Giants has it all. Indy's once again trying to get to the bottom of a mythological mystery, all while being pursued by fascists. Along the way, he uses his almost superhuman knowledge of ancient history to solve some puzzles, he raids some tombs, he faces off against a secret cult, and comes face to face with a figure ripped right out of Greek mythology. And throughout all of that, there are countless fist fights, whip swings, and self-aware one-liners.

Where Indiana Jones and the Dial of Destiny felt like it was just ticking franchise staples off a checklist, The Order of Giants revels in each and every item, understanding all the while exactly why the franchise is so loved in the first place, and in turn, reassuring me once again that the Indiana Jones I know and love isn't dead just yet. It's just picking itself back up off the cliff, fedora in hand.

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