Indiana Jones and the Great Circle is a lot of fun. The new game from MachineGames and Bethesda lets you step into the (I assume very muddy and warm) boots of the famous adventurer for an exciting new journey around the world. Along the way you solve ancient puzzles and riddles and, of course, fight Nazis.
Great Circle is very good, mixing stealth, action, puzzles, and exploration into a Dishonored-like experience worth playing on Xbox or PC. But there are some things the game doesn’t tell you, and a few lessons I’ve learned from playing it. So here are some adventuring tips to help you succeed in Indy’s latest adventure.
(Update 12/10/2024: This post has been updated with more tips!)
Follow the main quest
You’ll unlock important features, outfits, and more that will help you explore the large maps more thoroughly. And don’t worry, you can return to maps and finish up exploring once the credits roll.
Turn down the music and turn up the voices
The default audio mix in Great Circle is very music-heavy and while I enjoy the game’s soundtrack, I had trouble hearing Troy Baker’s Indy when playing. So I dropped the in-game music down about 10 points and upped the voice acting level by around 10.
Always be eating!
Food is very important in Great Circle. Bread can give you extra health, letting you take more hits in a fight. Fruit, meanwhile, gives you extra stamina, helping you throw more punches or climb for longer, so always eat a ton of it. The game will let you know when you’re maxed out.
Grab lots of food, too
Don’t just eat food, grab it! Indy can carry a few fruits and bread items with him at all times. When you’ve maxed out how much you can eat, max out how much you can carry. It will help you later.
Crack that whip!
Your whip isn’t just useful for swinging around places or pulling stuff down, it’s also very handy in a fight. You can whip enemies to stun them or even remove their weapons. If you get surprised by an enemy, whip them, steal their dropped weapon, and then beat them with it.
Also, crack that whip to scare dogs
You don’t have to kill dogs in Great Circle. Instead, just crack the whip near them and they’ll run away scared.
Thoroughly look at all items when solving puzzles
There are a lot of puzzles to solve in Great Circle, and a few times I found myself stumped. In these instances I found the answer, or a clue at least, by checking out the notes and items associated with the puzzle a bit more thoroughly. Indy can examine these things and even spin them around. Do that!
I’ve found notes, markings, and other clues on the backs of many objects, and that helped me solve hard puzzles.
Don’t go alone, always bring a weapon
Whenever possible, try to carry a weapon. These are very useful as you can knock out enemies with one hit if you sneak up behind them, but you can also use them in fistfights to gain an advantage.
Sneak around, don’t fight
While you might want to punch and shoot your way through the game, you’re better off sneaking around. Enemies aren’t super smart and have bad peripheral vision.
Also, if you use a weapon to knock someone out with one hit nobody will hear it, even if you do it with a really loud item like a guitar.
But... It’s sometimes okay to shoot enemies
Some areas in Great Circle are filled with many enemies who will come running the moment you fire a gun. However, don’t assume you should never grab a rifle and take some Nazis out.
Small camps with a few guards or areas with just a handful of enemy soldiers are usually easy to clear out with your revolver or any firearms you find around the place. This is especially true if you can find a high point to snipe from and a rifle.
When spotted, run away for a bit
Stealth is a big part of Indiana Jones and the Great Circle. Sometimes you’ll make a mistake and everyone will come running to kick your ass. Don’t fight them off; instead just run away and find a bush or room to hide in. Within a few moments, they’ll give up and you can walk back out and continue adventuring.
Use fast-travel signs
While it’s a lot of fun to explore the big maps in the game, don’t be afraid to use fast travel when hunting around for the last few secrets or side quests. To use fast travel, look for signposts found in the map (they sparkle a little) and click where you want to go. Keep in mind you need to have been to a spot at least once to fast-travel there.
Walk around with your journal out
Indy’s journal is very useful, as when you have it open in map mode the game will put objective markers in the world. This will help you get to where you need to go.
Don’t forget to actually buy those upgrades you collect
Great Circle lets you find books that will help improve Indy’s abilities and stats. However, remember that just picking up and collecting a book isn’t enough. You still need to open your journal, flip over to upgrades, and use Adventure Points to buy and unlock the collected upgrade. It’s a bit odd, but worth remembering.
Also, use your camera to get extra Adventure Points
While you earn upgrade points by completing missions and quests, you also score some from taking photos of important people, places, or events. Keep an eye out for the camera icon in the top left of the screen and pull yours out whenever it pops up. Then look around for whatever special thing can be photographed and snap a pic for points.
Take Photos Of Puzzles
There are a few puzzles in this game that are truly tricky. Some got me to grab a piece of paper and take notes! So don’t feel bad for needing help. Just take out your camera and snap a pic of the puzzle and Indy will give you a clue. You can do this a few times to get more clues before eventually, the game will just practically give you the solution.
Listen To Random NPCs And Help Solve Their Little Problems
Often you can help people via undocumented side quests. For example, a woman in Vatican City was looking for her missing paintbrush, which I found in roughly the same area. I brought it back and she was grateful. I also got some sweet Adventure Points, too. So keep an ear out for people in need.
You Can Break The Lock Off All Those Tiny Boxes
Yeah, I didn’t realize that until like seven hours into the game. But yes, all those lockboxes with tiny padlocks can be opened if you smash the lock with a melee weapon.
Wait A Moment Before Picking Up Your Hat
Early on in Great Circle, you’ll gain an ability that lets you get back up after being killed. But before you can pop back up, you have to scramble around for your fallen hat. While it might be tempting to grab it immediately, wait a moment. Once you are in this state, enemies will just walk away and go back to their routines. You can use this to sneak away once they have turned their backs on you. It feels like cheating, but Indy ain’t above cheating. Just remember not to wait too long or you’ll die and restart at your last checkpoint!
You Can Climb Vines
This only comes up a few times in the game, but for some reason, it doesn’t explain that yes, some vines hanging on walls can be climbed up like ladders. You’re welcome.
Don’t Be Afraid To Shoot People
Some areas in Great Circle are filled with many enemies who will come running the moment you fire a gun. However, don’t assume you should never grab a rifle and take some Nazis out. Small camps with a few guards or areas with just a handful of enemy soldiers are usually easy to clear out with your revolver or any firearms you find around the place. This is especially true if you can find a high point to snipe from and a rifle.
Your Pistol Is A Melee Weapon, Too
If you find yourself in a tight situation and you need a weapon to knock someone out quietly, don’t forget your revolver can do the job. Just hit X on Xbox to flip your gun around and use it as a club. You can do this with all guns, in fact, and it’s very useful.
All Disguises Have A Dedicated Weapon
Every outfit in the game comes with a weapon, usually a melee item, that you carry on you at all times, even when you pick up another weapon or climb a ladder. This means you can walk around with two weapons or firearms at once.
These special disguise weapons live in your inventory and are very useful! You can access them by hitting left on the D-pad. If any of them break, don’t worry, as you can repair them. And honestly, this is the best use for all the repair kits you’ll find anyway.
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