Microsoft’s biggest exclusive of 2024 is rapidly approaching PlayStation shores. On April 17th PS5 players get to experience what many are calling the best Indiana Jones experience in decades. With its blend of exploration and finely honed cinematic direction, Indiana Jones and the Great Circle has a lot to offer the PS5 crowd. Here are some key takeaways regarding the PS5 version of Indiana Jones and the Great Circle worth knowing before a purchase.
Additional Updates and Fixes
The PS5 version brings some cool new features which will be available to all platforms. Most notably, whips get two new abilities: ‘Open Season’ and ‘Sleight of Hand’. Open Season causes a kind of debuff which renders foes more susceptible to attacks, while Sleight of Hand conveniently disarms opponents, flinging their weapon right to Indy. And since the game’s December release, there’s been three updates fixing up a long list of bugs and issues, ensuring a glitch-free experience for first-time PS5 players.
DualSense Functionality
One of the things that differentiates the PS5 from other consoles is the tactile feel of its DualSense controller. This is something Machine Games is making sure to harness with its upcoming port. Not much has been said regarding specifics, but the PlayStation Store page does indeed highlight that DualSense vibration effect and trigger function are supported. Going off of other games with DualSense support, we can expect haptic feedback that changes with terrain as well as dynamic resistance levels with the triggers when shooting different guns and priming a well-aimed grenade.
PS5 Pro Enhancements
You’re especially happy if you’re an Indy fan with a PS5 Pro since some the great visual updates exclusive to high-end PCs will translate the advanced Sony console. While Bethesda has been rather hush-hush concerning specific PS5 Pro enhancements, we know via the PS Store that this Indy adventure has the ‘enhanced for PS5 Pro’ label and will most likely harness things like PlayStation Spectral Super Resolution (PSSR), advanced ray tracing, and (fingers crossed) a 120 FPS option.
PS5 Editions
There are three editions for Indiana Jones and the Great Circle on PS5. The standard edition comes in at the standardized $69.99 price and only includes the game. The $99.99 Premium Edition includes access to the future story DLC titled ‘The Order of Giants’ as well as a new Temple of Doom outfit and a digital artbook. The modern trend of including early access play in higher tiered editions continues here as Indy’s foray onto the PS5 allows access for premium edition buyers. But that’s not the cream of the edition crop. There’s also an expensive $189.99 Collector’s Bundle giving players a bevy of physical goodies. This bundle includes an 11 inch globe that hides a secretive storage compartment, in addition to a leather-bound adventure journal, and the all Premium Edition content.
Pre-order Bonuses
Regardless of edition, any PS5 version pre-order includes a new Traveling Suit outfit for Indy to wear and a whip. These two items are purely cosmetic and it’s unlikely they’ll become available through the store at a later date for those who didn’t pre-order.
Release Date and Early Access Times
And there’s not much time left to secure a pre-order since the game releases April 17th which falls on a Thursday. Early access begins two days before the official release date, so Premium Edition players can look forward to playing it on April 15th.
Is a Microsoft Account Needed to Play?
While it’s not confirmed whether or not PS5 users will need a Microsoft account to play Indy and the Great Circle, previous Xbox exclusive games as well as the upcoming Forza Horizon 5 indicate that it’s likely. That said, some of Microsoft’s single-player offerings didn’t require a Microsoft account sign-in (neither Hi-Fi Rush nor Pentiment required it), so we’ll have to wait and see if this particular single-player adventure does.
Disc Versions Require Internet Download
Unfortunately, we do have confirmations that disc versions of the game require an internet download in order to play the game. Bethesda’s images of the highest-priced Collector Bundle states in the fine print that a disc is still included, but “internet connection is required to download game and content”.
Voice Talent
As for the game itself, there’s quite a lot to love. Any Indiana Jones project has to have top-tier voice talent in order to succeed, and this game nails that aspect. Troy Baker surprisingly sold us on his Indy voice. It’s charming and personalized, yet still has that Harrison Ford identity. Indy’s partner in uncovering the Great Circle mystery happens to be a woman named Gina Lambardi, who is excellently portrayed by actress Alessandra Mastronardi. The main villain is my pick for best performance though. Emmerich Voss is the perfect Indiana Jones villain and actor Marios Gavrilis captures his creepy and deranged personality too well.
Exploration
One distinction this game has to other’s in the genre is the first-person perspective. This heightened immersion allows for more intricate exploration and problem solving. Indy uses a camera and journal to jot down hints and notes as he explores the game’s diverse environments. The diegetic UI with Indy looking at his journal maps and whatnot really add to the immersion of stepping into his shoes as an explorer. And the game is teeming with collectibles around well-hidden nooks and crannies, giving players a compelling reason to go off the beaten path.
Wide Environments
This emphasis on exploration is owed in large part to the game’s wide environments. Exploration is satisfying because there’s just a lot of open space to wander around through. That said, this is still a fairly linear adventure, at least in story terms. Plenty of set piece moments and cinematics dot the game’s progression, but its accompanied by a wealth of slower paced exploration in wide areas.
Stealth
The game’s more methodical pace exemplifies itself perhaps most of all in its stealth. A large portion of combat strategy revolves around sneaking up to enemies for a silent knock-out. Routing past patrols and sneaking around guarded zones is a big part of this Indy adventure and it’s done really well thanks to excellent level design and smooth controls.
Combat
But there is visceral combat in this game too, though it’s not your traditional Machine Games high-paced shooter. Instead, combat in The Great Circle revolves around found melee weapons, Indy’s whip, and a limited amount of small firearms. The famous whip is used to great effect here, being employed to stun and disarm foes.
Oodles of Melee Weapons
Since ammo is so scarce throughout the game, you’re often relegated to picking up random melee weapons through the environment. There’s a lot of wacky objects used for melee here: oversized flyswatters, pipes, pots and pans, and much more. But there’s one trusty melee weapon you always have access to: your fists. The game has a big emphasis on brawling, and while it can be somewhat sloppy, there’s something satisfying about KO’ing Nazis in the face.
Game Length
It’s good that the game has such variety in its gameplay because it has an average run time of around 25 hours. Howlongtobeat has an average completionist playthrough sitting around 38 hours and a rushed story run taking 15. This makes Indiana Jones and the Great Circle one of Machine Games’ most lengthy titles, giving PS5 players with an Indiana Jones craving plenty to dig into and explore.
