The Great Circle vs The Staff of Kings: Which Indiana Jones to try first in 2025

Indiana Jones and the Great Circle was a massive win for the Xbox community after MachineGames developed an original story that found its place in the established franchise. Fans of the iconic action-adventure series were pleased to get a first-person perspective of what it's like to be a seasoned treasure hunter.

While the world celebrates Indy's return to the gaming space, another game didn't get its chance to shine. In 2009, LucasArts worked on Indiana Jones and the Staff of Kings for the PlayStation 2, Wii, Nintendo DS, and PSP; unfortunately, the developers didn't push the PlayStation 3 and Xbox 360 versions due to limited resources.

Disclaimer: Some aspects of the article reflect the writer's subjective views about the game.

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Why you should play Indiana Jones and the Great Circle in 2025

1) It is playable on current-gen machines

The gaming community is in for a cinematic treat through this Indiana Jones project (Image via Bethesda Softworks)

Fans should realize that Indiana Jones and the Great Circle is canon to the live-action film counterparts, so this version of the character has experienced the events of The Temple of Doom and Raiders of the Lost Ark. MachineGames decided to set the game in 1937 since the films didn't show what Indy was up to during that time and wanted to set up the events for succeeding films.

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2) The voice acting is impeccable

This wouldn't be the first time Troy Baker played a treasure hunter (Image via Bethesda Softworks)

While Harrison Ford couldn't get into the recording booth or wear a motion capture suit to reprise his role, seasoned voice actor Troy Baker's calendar was free, and he did an impressive job that even impressed Ford. Baker's range and ability to capture the voice of an established character were enough to convince some players it was the original actor, which is a testament to Baker's abilities.

The stellar performance of the entire voice cast felt like a perfect blend of being in an interactive experience and watching a classic Indiana Jones film. Other characters from the previous films appear, such as Marcus Brody, a close friend of Indy, while new characters are introduced.

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3) The first-person perspective was a bold yet familiar choice

MachineGames essentially sent its resume to the Bethesda Game Studios director and producer Todd Howard after showing how well its developers know how to handle themes of fighting against the Nazis through the Wolfenstein series. While some players were skeptical about solely using a first-person perspective, it didn't harm the gameplay much.

The Wolfenstein series convinced Bethesda Game Studios that MachineGames was the best candidate to work on Indiana Jones and the Great Circle (Image via Bethesda Softworks)

The developers applied everything they learned from working on the Wolfenstein franchise for Indiana Jones and the Great Circle. While most fans expected a third-person perspective for a jaw-dropping, globe-trotting adventure akin to the Uncharted games, MachineGames wanted the players to view the world through Indy's eyes rather than overwhelm them with visuals.

The combat is much more grounded and gritty, especially once Indy's cover is blown. While the Indiana Jones movies have a fair amount of action sequences, the game has that in spades, and players have more options to best deal with an enemy encounter. Stealth is a viable choice for players to explore areas by sneaking behind enemies and collecting items like bullets for Indy's revolver.

The first-person perspective immerses the player as they solve environmental puzzles. The developers opted for a linear structure by crafting a compelling narrative to keep players interested with a mix of a few open areas to explore and discover collectibles for achievements, perfect for keeping it in line with Indy's treasure-hunting roots.

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4) Nostalgia

Indiana Jones and the Great Circle is a great action-adventure experience (Image via Bethesda Softworks)

Indiana Jones and the Great Circle is a love letter to the fans and a great opportunity for gamers today unfamiliar with the character to get on board. Fans should consider trying this game to get the full experience, especially since it is canon to the timeline. This adventure is a well-rounded game that could appeal to different people.

If you want a great game to experience on your Xbox Series X/S or PC, look no further. Indiana Jones and the Great Circle is available through Game Pass and is coming to the PlayStation 5 in the next few months.

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Why you should play Indiana Jones and the Staff of Kings in 2025

1) The staff is the coolest artifact featured in the franchise

The staff is in a different league (Image via Appreciation Culture || LucasArts)

Despite not being playable on the PlayStation 3 and Xbox 360, The Staff of Kings is an underrated entry. It may not be as flashy as other games released in 2009, but it is still Indiana Jones minus the rewarding environmental puzzles and is full of janky control schemes. Nevertheless, Indy has discovered countless relics during his time, but the staff is something else.

The Staff of Kings refers to the staff Moses used to split the Red Sea, and the developers knew how to end the game on a lighter note. Indy is renowned for his fear of snakes, and the staff, having a mind of its own, transformed into one after defeating their enemies.

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2) The combat

The combat was decent and immersive (Image via Appreciation Culture || LucasArts)

While in combat, Indy can use his whip, like in the Great Circle; however, LucasArts went the extra mile and integrated the motion controls of the Wii Remote to pick up objects, such as frying pans and shovels, to use against enemies. This mechanic was present in Sifu, where players could look around the environment for useful items.

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3) The story is underrated

While it may not have aged like wine, the story did pull its weight (Image via Appreciation Culture || LucasArts)

Like every other Indiana Jones story, The Staff of Kings is a globe-trotting adventure. It features cookie-cutter elements like a generic bad guy wanting to steal an ancient artifact for selfish intent and Indy saving the day with that artifact, but it wasn't all that bad.