Three years after first announcing the development of a game in the Indiana Jones franchise, MachineGames and Bethesda finally unveiled Indiana Jones and the Great Circle which is set to release later this year. The reveal of Indiana Jones and the Great Circle came out of the recent Xbox Developer Direct that showcased a handful of exciting titles alongside it, including Senua’s Saga: Hellblade 2 and Avowed. However, as exciting as the gameplay reveal of Indiana Jones and the Great Circle was, it was held back by the underwhelming title of the game, which comes from a franchise known for its exciting titles.

From the gameplay shown in the reveal trailer, it appears MachineGames' history with the Wolfenstein franchise has influenced the development of Indiana Jones and the Great Circle. While some fans found the first-person perspective of the game to be a little jarring, the game's primary use of this perspective puts players in the shoes of Indiana Jones, similar to how the Wolfenstein games put players in the action from BJ Blazkowicz's perspective. Gameplay perspective preferences aside, many fans would likely agree that the title "The Great Circle" leaves something to be desired when it comes to hyping up Indiana Jones' adventure in this game.

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MachineGames' Indiana Jones Game Could Have Had a Better Title than 'The Great Circle'

In a franchise that features movies with titles like Indiana Jones and the Temple of Doom and Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade, Indiana Jones and the Great Circle doesn't have the same epic implications that make the player excited about seeing the events of Indy's grand quest unfold. The prospect of going on a crusade or entering the Temple of Doom seems much more exciting than something as generic sounding as a Great Circle. For a franchise known for its daring adventures and action-packed sequences, The Great Circle doesn't feel like it belongs in the series, despite being set between Raiders of the Lost Ark and The Last Crusade.

Even past Indiana Jones video game adaptations have had more exciting names than The Great Circle, with titles like Indiana Jones and the Fate of Atlantis and Indiana Jones and the Infernal Machine sounding like much more exciting adventures. The point-and-click gameplay of Fate of Atlantis is betrayed by its action-packed name, which seems to be the opposite of the problem The Great Circle has. The title of the game may make more sense once players get to experience The Great Circle for themselves, but on the surface, it doesn't sound like an enticing outing for Indiana Jones.

How the Game Could Redeem its 'Great Circle' Name

It's never a good idea to judge a book by its cover, or a game by its title in this case, and from what has been revealed about the plot of Indiana Jones and the Great Circle so far, there is a good reason for this name. According to the game's plot, the Great Circle is the name for the alignment of major ancient spiritual sites around the world, and Indiana Jones sets off with investigative reporter Gina Lombardi to uncover the meaning behind this alignment. Why these sites form the Great Circle could end up being a fascinating twist, and what secrets the Great Circle holds might be the key to making this game's story engaging.

The gameplay of Indiana Jones and the Great Circle might also make up for the underwhelming title if it can deliver the same level of excitement as the Wolfenstein series. While the Indiana Jones franchise involves solving historical mysteries more than Wolfenstein does, The Great Circle looks to feature just as much Nazi-fighting action as MachineGames' previous titles. Players who are willing to look past the game's lackluster title could be in for a treat if MachineGames' pedigree is anything to go by.

Indiana Jones and The Great Circle will arrive sometime in 2024 for PC and Xbox Series X/S.