5 Things You Should Know Before Starting Indiana Jones and the Great Circle
Adventure awaits.
Indiana Jones and the Great Circle is a game that will test your wits at nearly every corner. Whether you’re sneaking past overzealous fascists or solving a centuries-old conundrum somewhere deep in the Cairo desert, you’ll need nearly as much mental preparation as Dr. Jones himself to get to the bottom of the Great Circle’s grandest mysteries.
Thankfully, our time with Machine Games’ masterpiece ahead of launch has given Inverse a basic idea of what players should know before jumping into Indiana’s first gaming appearance in over 15 years. Here are some helpful tips for the globe-trotting journey ahead.
Collectibles Can Be Gathered Later
Don’t worry about gathering every collectible as soon as you receive a corresponding quest. There will be ample time to collect them throughout the mission or even after the credits roll.
For those who want to experience the entirety of Indiana’s new adventure without massive breaks between its big story beats, the amount of side content in each level may seem overwhelming at first. There are people to speak to, elaborate fieldwork to complete, and of course, the main story missions relating to the titular Great Circle.
On the plus side for the completionists among you, most of this side content can be tackled after rolling credits. If you get bored trying to do every little thing before moving on to the next story beat, feel free to push the plot forward. Everything will be waiting for you long after the main journey is over.
Side Quest Solutions Are Almost Always Nearby
Don’t stray too far from where you receive a side quest. The solution is almost always nearby.
If you come across a downtrodden local in your travels requesting your help, don’t stray too far from where they first speak to you. For better and for worse, the solutions for these more minor side quests are almost always within a few feet of the person in need. Find a lady looking for her missing crate of fish or the secret code for a locked safe? Don’t waste time searching entirely different sections of the game’s massive open-ended maps. Search every nook and cranny of the nearby vicinity for the missing item or information in question.
The only exceptions are quests that involve finding multiple items for particular NPCs. These missions encourage players to explore the land like Indiana himself.
If A Place Seems Too Secure, Come Back Later
If you can’t seem to avoid detection in restricted areas, return later once you’ve collected more level specific items.
When going off the beaten path in the early going of an open-ended level like the Vatican or Cairo, you’ll inevitably come across enemy camps and locations overflowing with patrolling officers. While exploring is the name of the game in The Great Circle, sometimes you’ll find yourself stumbling into restricted areas without a proper way into gated-off and secure sections.
If you keep getting caught by enemies or can’t find a nearby key for particular doors, there’s a solid chance you aren’t supposed to be there just yet. Don’t waste your time looking for a way. Go elsewhere and complete other tasks on your list. Find disguises that let you freely roam these restricted areas more freely. Complete more main quests. Indy will verbalize when the next story mission is the point of no return, so there’s zero danger in getting as much done elsewhere before returning to difficult parts of the level.
Find the Fight Clubs
Fight clubs are a good way to hone your fisticuff skills.
All of the open-ended levels in Indiana Jones and the Great Circle have a secret fight pit to discover. These underground fighting rings aren’t immediately accessible and usually involve finding the appropriate disguise.
Why is it important to find and participate in these organized fights? Well for one, they often contain exclusive books that can be used to upgrade Indy’s resilience in a fight. Increasing his stamina or the damage he outputs during fistfights is helpful for the increasingly difficult challenges you face in these illegal fights and during the game’s main quest.
Don’t Be Stingy - Use Your Adventure Points
Hoarding currency in Indiana Jones and the Great Circle like you would any other game is not advised. The game’s economy is built for you to feel capable the first time through. You will also have a much tougher time than intended if you’re not upgrading Indy often with perks and skills.
Every time you pick up a book or purchase a pamphlet from a merchant, head into the books menu and apply those upgrades. Find a book and don’t have the points to buy it? Fret not — completing your next objective will likely net you enough to purchase the upgrade.
So long as you’re completing fieldwork and side missions at a steady clip during each level, you’ll be swimming in adventure points in no time. The game isn’t stingy about its rewards, so you should be stingy about spending it.
