Unraveling Indiana Jones and the Great Circle’s™ Puzzles

*Indiana Jones and the Great Circle is available now on Xbox Series X|S, Game Pass and PC, and is coming to PlayStation 5 on April 17.

Pre-order it now.*

Indiana Jones’ adventures have captivated audiences for decades. Daring escapes, global intrigue, and of course, intricate and deep puzzles that test his wits. Now MachineGames is honoring the franchise’s spirit of mystery and excitement in Indiana Jones and the Great Circle™ with everything from massive environmental enigmas to clever traps and small hidden secrets.

The puzzles in The Great Circle don’t just challenge the mind. They add layers of depth to the narrative, making the legendary archaeologist’s latest adventure more immersive and engaging as you approach each situation just like Indy himself. And the team at MachineGames wants you to feel challenged. In staying true to the essence of Indiana Jones, each puzzle encourages you to pay attention to details and think critically.

“We’re doing puzzles that aren’t dumbed down – that require some actual thinking to solve,” says Design Director Jens Andersson. “And your interaction with puzzles kind of depends on the type of player you are. Obviously, there are puzzles on the main path. This is Indiana Jones. But a lot of our puzzles are completely optional and are there for players who want to seek them out. The more you look, the more mysteries you’ll find.” 

Tackling the Great Circle’s Mysteries

Of course, you’ll have help if you need it. Indiana Jones and the Great Circle offers puzzles that are both exciting and accessible, without alienating players who might have different playstyles.

“We do that through our difficulty modes and a solid hint system,” explains Andersson. “You’ll be able to customize your difficulty settings for things like combat and puzzles to ensure your experience is more personal and meets your needs.”

“Indy’s camera is crucial for inspecting things and uncovering information, and it acts as our hint system in the game,” Andersson adds. “When you photograph something, you’ll hear Indy’s thoughts on what you’re looking at. This will definitely come in handy if you ever find yourself stuck on a puzzle.”

TIP: When you’re using the camera on a puzzle, try different zoom levels and look around your environment slowly and carefully until you find that perfect shot.

Every clue you uncover – either through the camera or by solving puzzles – will be tracked in your ever-present journal, which you can refer to at any time. You can even check the journal while you’re walking around.

The journal is also where you can see which Adventure Books you’ve uncovered and assign Adventure Points to upgrade Indy’s abilities. Adventure Books can be found scattered throughout the world – sometimes as a reward for solving a puzzle – and Adventure Points are earned by completing missions, both main story missions and optional objectives that you can pick up through exploration.

TIP: You can also use the journal to revisit locations you’ve already been to if you want to do more exploring and complete side content in those areas.