Foster real connections in free-to-play virtual social app
MANCHESTER, UK – December 19, 2024 – StageTime, the virtual social app for connecting and sharing the joy of performing, makes its grand debut on the virtual Meta Quest stage on Thursday, January 16, 2025.
Hop into a lively cyberspace primed for singalongs, social interactions, and epic performances envisioned by an ex-software engineer from a top social VR platform, and creator of the leading VR karaoke space. Create memories and lasting connections in this immersive, virtual venue. Invite up to 10 friends into a bustling performance room and put on a rockin’ gig, funny standup act, or a heartfelt poetry recital.
Aspiring entertainers can quickly and easily get the party started. StageTime offers a zero friction process, placing players in public rooms without the need to set up an account, eliminating pesky barriers and allowing partygoers to immediately dive into the festivities. This seamless integration is one of many key features that sets StageTime apart from other social apps in the VR space. Customize an avatar fit for a superstar with multiple options for hair colors and styles, skin tones, accessories, and more.
Stage all-out performances, complete with full-body avatar representation. Vocal animations sync to each person’s voice, creating a seamless and captivating experience. Every twirl, tap, and move is rendered in VR. Take the spotlight for all to see, or sit back, enjoy others’ performances, and cheer them on along the way!
Using YouTube connectivity, StageTime allows users to sync their favorite videos to share with others in real time. Become the life of the party and pick any video to share with friends. StageTime allows seamless sync for each user, so there are no pesky delays or lag to drag down the party. The in-game LIV creator kit also offers a camera for recording and selfie options in first, third, and landscape perspectives.
“My goal is to present StageTime as a new way to connect with people through shared experiences in a live, virtual setting,” said Hamza Qureshi, Founder of Virtuware. “By blending performance and connection, StageTime invites people everywhere to celebrate creativity, share their talent, and forge meaningful moments together.”
The party continues following StageTime’s launch, as Virtuware’s vision is to continue providing support in the long-term. Fans of the social platform can look forward to a robust content roadmap, with plans to integrate new venues and environments, additional customization options for stellar avatar designs, and monetization with the ability to purchase avatar emotes, cosmetics, and more.
StageTime launches for free worldwide on the Meta store on Thursday, January 16, 2025. For more information on the game, please visit the official website, follow StageTime on TikTok, and join the community Discord.
About Virtuware
Virtuware is a development studio based out of Manchester, UK. With several years of experience in the VR space, Virtuware aims to create fun and engaging experiences for users through social connections.
Stalkers in the Zone will find unique winter artefacts and anomalies, breathtaking encounters with icy mutants, and battles with holiday bosses!
CREATE A FESTIVE ATMOSPHERE WITH CHRISTMAS TREES!
Players have the opportunity to dress their own Christmas Tree with festive decorations, each earning extra points.
The more extravagantly the tree is decorated, the greater the daily reward will be.
Decorations for the tree could be found or obtained through the following activities:
Random appearance in various boxes and barrels
Gifts scattered across all locations
Human campgrounds and mutant dens (with some chance from regular events)
Holiday bosses in locations
Holiday airdrops.
At the end of the event, a summary will be held where each participant will receive a reward depending on their place on the leaderboard. Decorate, receive daily gifts, and compete for the coolest and most beautiful Christmas tree!
UNIQUE SEASONAL REWARDS
This season, you can expect unique rewards, including the Antares Exosuit—a new scientific armor specially created for the harsh conditions of the Zone. By the way, in the new North, faction safes can now be found, so don’t miss the chance to loot some cool stuff!
STALCRAFT: X is available to play for free now via Steam and the EXBO launcher.
An update brings new racing game mode and a set of new futuristic vehicle parts
Gaijin Entertainment announces the release of the “Wasteland Drift” update and the start of the Christmas holidays celebration in the post-apocalyptic online action game Crossout. Players are getting a series of time-limited game modes with non-standard rules, the next season of the battle pass with rewards from the Syndicate faction, a new Syndicate-style PvP map, and new parts for armored vehicles.
A good example of new Syndicate-built weapons is the “Punji” turret, which allows you to install energy rods on the battlefield. Two such objects, located at a distance of up to 30 meters, generate a force field, and if the enemy crosses it, they receive significant damage. Another example, the “Satori” cabin, is ideal for drifting fans: the armored vehicle’s skidding increases the weapon’s damage, and the longer the skid lasts, the better.
The new map “New Fuji” features remains of the destroyed energy infrastructure, and some of those are still intact. For example, the players can turn on the generator to reactivate the system for a while and release an impulse that affects both allies and enemies. The oriental flavor of the map and the Syndicate faction as a whole is illustrated by the tracks Shamisen Hunter, Kariya and Twilight Samurai by musician Satxri, which were also added to Crossout in the “Wasteland Drift” update.
Finally, until January 22, players have access to special alternating PvP and PvE modes in which they can earn “crackers” and then exchange them for rewards. In particular, players will find a new racing mode “No Brakes”, in which participants in pre-installed cars must drive three laps faster than their opponents, while escaping from police pursuit. The fuel supply in the accelerators can be replenished by successfully drifting, and drivers caught by the cops themselves become law enforcement officers and hunt racers.
The exact schedule of modes and their rules are available on the official Crossout website.
About Crossout
Set in a post-apocalyptic world, Crossout is an MMO vehicle combat game available on PC, PlayStation 4, Xbox One, PlayStation 5 and Xbox Series X|S offering players complete customisation in building and upgrading deadly armored vehicles to destroy enemies in open PvP and PvE battles. Crossout gives players thousands of possibilities to design their vehicle, including shape, armor, weapons, support systems and, of course, cosmetic enhancements. Official website: http://crossout.net
About Gaijin Entertainment
Gaijin Entertainment is the developer and publisher of the online games War Thunder, Crossout, Enlisted, CRSED: F.O.A.D. and Star Conflict as well as other PC, Mac, Linux, PS4, PS5, Nintendo Switch, Xbox One, Xbox Series X|S, iOS and Android titles across several genres. The company’s diverse portfolio has received a range of mass media and game industry awards including such as Gamescom Award and many more. Official website: http://gaijinent.com/
Season’s greetings, Travelers! HoYoverse is excited to announce that Genshin Impact Version 5.3, titled “Incandescent Ode of Resurrection,” will launch on January 1, 2025. This milestone update introduces the highly anticipated Pyro Archon, Mavuika, continues Natlan’s Archon Quest, and brings back the festive Lantern Rite with incredible rewards to celebrate the New Year.
Primogems ×1,600 and the new glider “Wings of Fate’s Course Intertwined” via in-game mails.
Intertwined Fate ×10 from the daily login event.
A free 4-star Liyue character through the Lantern Rite event.
Xiangling’s new outfit, “New Year’s Cheer,” available via Festive Fever.
New Main Story Content
The Archon Quest continues in Act V of Natlan, where the Traveler and Mavuika face the Abyss in a decisive battle, unlocking the Pyro element for the Traveler.
New Playable Characters
Mavuika (5-Star Pyro): The Pyro Archon can ride her motorbike for exploration and unleash fiery attacks in combat.
Lan Yan (4-Star): Deploys adaptive Elemental shields to protect allies.
Lantern Rite Returns
Celebrate the Lantern Rite Festival with new stories, mini-games, and generous rewards.
Two New Outfits
Hu Tao: “Cherries Snow-Laden” (limited-time discount).
Xiangling: “New Year’s Cheer” (free reward during Lantern Rite).
New Bosses
Wayward Hermetic Spiritspeaker: A world boss introducing fresh challenges.
Lord of Eroded Primal Fire: A powerful new Weekly Boss for daring Travelers.
Permanent Additions and Optimizations
Rhythm game mode becomes a permanent feature, adding Kazuha and Ganyu to Envisaged Echoes.
Quality-of-life improvements:
Boss respawn time reduced to 5 seconds without needing to teleport.
Artifact inventory limit increased to 2,100.
Enhanced Training Guide for new players.
HoYoFair 2025: Genshin Impact Fan Art Special Program
The HoYoFair 2025 Fan Art Special Program, “Dimensional Detective Chronicles,” will premiere on December 28 at 8 PM (UTC+8) on YouTube, X, and TikTok. Highlights include:
New episodes of fan-favorite series, such as:
“If Genshin Had a Cyberpunk Anime: Progenitor” by Dillongoo.
“Genshin with Guns” animations by No_Tables.
A text-based detective-themed mini-adventure game, available starting December 25 at 12 PM (UTC+8).
Celebrate the New Year in Teyvat!
Prepare for an unforgettable journey with Version 5.3 as Genshin Impact continues to expand its world and immerse Travelers in thrilling adventures.
Developed by HoYoverse, Genshin Impact is an open-world action RPG offering a vibrant world, rich lore, and dynamic gameplay. Available on PC, PlayStation, and mobile platforms.
BeardedBrothers.Games continue to make improvements to their Early Access blend of narrative-driven open-world racing and in-depth car repair mechanics, Underground Garage, with a new update available now. This latest update of the game completely revamps the games’ physics to make driving feel smoother, more responsive and more immersive. The update also includes a new map with ten new time attacks added to the new part of the map, a new car and a host of quality of life improvements and bug fixes.
Underground Garage is a Need For Speed meets Car Mechanic Simulator blend of car customisation and racing that lets you raid junkyards for old parts and cars, delve deep under the hood to repair and tweak every conceivable aspect of your cars, give them custom paint jobs, then take them out into an open world to take on challenges. A demo is also available on Steam for players to try out the game before jumping into the Early Access version. The full patch notes are available for viewing here.
Stockholm, Sweden – 20th Decemeber 2024: After The Game Awards 2024 ended, Swedish game developer 10 Chambers transformed the Los Angeles skyline with a stunning display of light and fire to celebrate the show’s 10th Anniversary and promote its upcoming co-op FPS heist game, Den of Wolves. A total of 1,100 drones were deployed, including 100 equipped with pyrotechnical flamethrowers, all choreographed by a specialized 30-person control team. Now, they’re releasing a video of it all – and the full-length music track from the trailer, “Takeover.”
10 Chambers premiered the first gameplay trailer for Den of Wolves during The Game Awards 2024. The game is led by Creative Director Ulf Andersson, creator of the critically acclaimed heist games Payday: THE HEIST and PAYDAY 2. Den of Wolves is a co-op heist FPS where you and your friends operate as criminals for hire in the conflicts between rival corporations in Midway City, a hyper-capitalistic free trade zone set in 2097.
“It was our first gameplay trailer for Den of Wolves, and it was The Game Award’s 10th anniversary – so we set out to do something extra special to celebrate”, says Rasmus Harnell, Brand Experience Manager at 10 Chambers. “You could say it grew in scope, and I didn’t know back then that I would end up having to close off a street in central Los Angeles – and hire two LAPD officers to make sure we weren’t up to no good.”
The drone show was inspired by the trailer shown at The Game Awards and employed 1,100 drones to recreate moments from the trailer, 100 of which were fire shooting, pyrotechnical drones. 10 Chambers worked with multiple Guinness World Record Holder and America’s Got Talent Finalists, Sky Elements, to bring the drone show to life as the audience exited the Game Awards venue.
The Den of Wolves team has been inundated with comments about the trailer’s heavy EDM track which really sets the tone for the heists featured. So many, in fact, the composer Simon Viklund chose to turn it into a full-length track, and it’s now available on all major streaming platforms.
About 10 Chambers
Founded in 2015, 10 Chambers is a game studio based in Stockholm, Sweden. The studio was founded by Ulf Andersson, who founded Overkill Software and was the brain behind the PAYDAY franchise. 10 Chambers’ debut title GTFO was released in 2019. The studio is currently in active development of its second title, Den of Wolves.
For more information about Den of Wolves, visit www.denofwolves.com PAYDAY THE HEIST® and PAYDAY 2® are registered trademarks of their respective owners. 10 Chambers AB is not associated with, affiliated with, sponsored by and/or endorsed by them.
Unleash chaos in this intense horde-survivor before Early Access Launch
Košice, Slovak Republic – 20 December 2024 – Grindstone and Games Farm invite players to descend into Niflheim with a limited-time demo of Jotunnslayer: Hordes of Hel, available from December 20th through January 7th. Showcasing stunning new Key Art by renowned Slovak artist Michal Ivan (Blizzard, Riot Games, Marvel), this demo brings back the highly requested Revenant character and Loki skill type, previously available exclusively during October’s Steam Next Fest, providing enough gameplay to whet players’ appetites over the holiday season ahead of the game’s Early Access launch on January 21st, 2025.
When the game launches into Early Access, players will have access to four distinct heroes – Berserker, Seeress, Revenant, and the newly revealed Flame Sister – as they battle across the scorching realm of Muspelheim and the frozen wastes of Niflheim, wielding divine powers from four legendary Norse gods in this visually stunning take on the horde-survivor genre.
Do you have what it takes to become the Jotunnslayer? Download the demo and join the official Discord community for news and updates.
About Games Farm
Games Farm is an independent game development studio with a team of more than 50 people, headquartered in Kosice, Slovakia. It specialises in developing premium cross-platform titles for PC and consoles with a portfolio of over 20 titles released to date. From a small unknown studio, Games Farm has evolved into a globally recognised RPG developer with renowned brands like the Heretic Kingdoms franchise and an ever-increasing roster of quality titles.
About Grindstone
Grindstone is a videogame production and publishing company with a strong background in game development based in Slovakia. It was founded in 2017 as a spin-off from the well-established Slovakian development studio Games Farm to create new opportunities and support game developers in delivering creatively and commercially viable games that can compete on global markets.
Build your own custom BattleRigs & Hit the Road in ARK’s First Motorized Vehicles in This Post-Apocalyptic Chapter
SEATTLE, WA – December 19, 2024 – Studio Wildcard today launched two massive content drops for ARK: Survival Ascended (ASA) available now for PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X/S, and Steam – Extinction Ascended and Bob’s Tall Tales: Wasteland Wars. The Extinction map brings survivors back to Earth—the birthplace of the ARK saga and the stage for its epic finale. Will you conquer the colossal roaming Titans that dominate the planet and complete the ARK cycle to secure Earth’s future?
Available as a free update, Extinction Ascended introduces the bellowing Dreadnoughtus, ARK’s newest community-voted creature, which delivers both size and strength making it a hardy ally in battles against the Titans. Additionally players will now have access to powerful new tames, unique gear, and epic challenges.
Also launching today is the third and final installment in the Bob’s Tall Tales series: Wasteland War! Narrated by ARK’s legendary “Bob” (Karl Urban, The Boys) as he recounts epic adventures to young Meeka, (Auliʻi Cravalho, Moana), in Wasteland War players can explore the desolate wastelands on modularly-built BattleRigs – blaze your own high-octane trail of destruction! Drive into the new BattleRig Garage to customize these powerful, highly modular, all-terrain war machines with a variety of attachments and heavy-duty turrets, in over 10,000 possible variations. You can also recruit a new permanent personal tame, the loyal Armadoggo, to help you unearth ‘Tek Item Traits’.
In addition to the BattleRig vehicles and Armadoggo tame, with Wasteland War, players will also unlock:
New Weapons – Explosive Spear, Extinguisher Grenade
Drive through the desolate wastes in highly-customizable cars called ‘BattleRigs—with over 10,000 possible variations—and blaze your own high-octane trail of destruction.
With a platform saddle large enough to carry your artillery and the ability to spit acid-coated projectiles, the Dreadnoughtus will be your ultimate ally for taking on the Titans of Extinction.
With its customizable armor attachments and resourceful abilities, Armadoggo is always ready to lend a paw.
Wasteland War Gameplay Features
Customize BattleRigs: Take on the Wasteland with rugged, fully customizable BattleRigs. These versatile machines are designed for survival, allowing players to equip turrets for extra firepower, functional attachments for specialized tasks, and personalized paint jobs. Whether you’re transporting supplies, battling enemies, or exploring the terrain, BattleRigs are your ultimate tool for domination.
New Structures & Weapons: Build and defend your wasteland legacy with powerful new structures and gear. Construct fortified bases to protect your tribe and arm yourself with explosive spears and fire-quenching grenades to seize control of the battlefield.
The Armadoggo: Meet your loyal survival companion, the Armadoggo. This resourceful sidekick assists in digging for treasure, fetching items, and fending off threats. With customizable armor attachments, and the ability to find powerful new ‘Tek Item Traits’, the Armadoggo is more than just a pet—it’s a vital part of your survival strategy.
ARK: Extinction Ascended Gameplay Features
Return to Earth: Journey back to the desolate remains of Earth, where the ARK saga began. Explore ruined landscapes, abandoned micro-biospheres, and a massive overgrown metropolis as you uncover the secrets of Earth’s downfall and its potential revival.
Dreadnoughtus: Stomping into the post-apocalyptic chaos of Extinction, the Dreadnoughtus is as unstoppable as its name suggests. Towering above the fray, this behemoth exudes an aura of calm that contradicts its immense power. When it bellows, the air itself seems to tremble, unleashing a sound so forceful it disrupts the very essence of Element, leveling the playing field against even the fiercest Titans. If you’re preparing for war, the Dreadnoughtus is the ally you need—a towering testament to survival against the odds.
Tame New Creatures: Dominate the wastelands with powerful new tames, including robotic surveillance drones, teleporting security bots, and customizable battle mechs.
Craft Unique Gear: Unlock exotic new tools and structures, such as creature leashes, taxidermy mounts, Tek bridges, cryopods, gravity grenades, and automated airlift crates to elevate your survival.
Conquer Epic Challenges: Face Earth’s ultimate threats, from colossal Titans to waves of Element-corrupted creatures, while braving environmental hazards like Element eruptions, eclipses, and meteor showers. Protect orbital supply drops to secure valuable loot.
Haven’t yet experienced ARK: Survival Ascended? The base game is on sale for 40% off (Steam, PlayStation 5 and Xbox Series X/S), while Bob’s Tall Tales DLC is 33% off and the Fantastic Tames are 20% off.
The definitive survival experience returns better than ever with ARK: Survival Ascended! Create a Survivor, form a tribe, and then tame, train, breed & ride dinosaurs within a living ecosystem. ASA is now available on PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X|S, Windows PC and Steam.
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ABOUT STUDIO WILDCARD Since revealing its flagship game ARK: Survival Evolved in 2015, Studio Wildcard has tirelessly strived to bring its dinosaur-filled vision to the masses. With millions of players worldwide, the team has delivered an amazing amount of new content and leveraged cutting-edge technology to keep fans engaged. With a transmedia universe, the ARK story can be discovered on all gaming platforms, within spin-off titles, and now as a new epic narrative featuring a star-studded cast in ARK: The Animated Series on Paramount+.
Sydney, Australia (December 20, 2024) – Milestone, a leading global racing game developer and publisher based in Milan, and Feld Motor Sports, Inc., the worldwide leader in specialised arena and stadium-based motorsports entertainment, announced today the release of the Aloha Expansion for Monster Jam™ Showdown.
This massive expansion will take players on a tropical adventure in a brand-new environment featuring six new tracks and one arena inspired by the fascinating and wild nature of Hawaii. The Monster Jam™ Showdown – Aloha Expansion will also include five fierce trucks – the perfect companions to dive into new events and prevail over the bosses guarding the exotic map, which adds to the three environments already included in the Showdown Tour. From Wreckreation, an RV style Monster Jam™ truck; to Lumberjack, the perfect fit for the Hawaiian road; and two of the most beloved trucks coming from the toy world, Fire Rescue and Full Charge, all are ideal choices to face the impervious terrains of the islands. Finally, a true legend will join the journey, the very first version of the Grave Digger™ body to ever showcase a spooky paint job, “Grandma” Grave Digger™.
The Monster Jam™ Showdown – Aloha Expansion is included in the Monster Jam™ Showdown – Big Air Edition as well as in the Season Pass or can be purchased separately. Monster Jam™ Showdown is available for PlayStation 5, PlayStation 4, Xbox Series X|S, Xbox One, Nintendo Switch™, and PC via Steam and Epic Games Store. For more information, visit monsterjamvideogame.com.
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About Milestone
About Milestone Founded in Milan in 1996, Milestone is one of the leading and longest-established racing game developers and publishers in the world. The +300 people team is responsible for hit series like MotoGP™, Monster Energy Supercross – The Official Videogame, the acclaimed Hot Wheels Unleashed™, as well as its own IP, RIDE. For more information, please visit https://milestone.it/
About Feld Motor Sports
Feld Motor Sports, Inc.™ is the worldwide leader in producing and presenting specialized arena and stadium-based motorsports entertainment. Properties include Monster Jam™, Monster Energy AMA Supercross, and the SuperMotocross World Championship. Feld Motor Sports, Inc. is a subsidiary of Feld Entertainment, Inc.
About Monster Jam
Unexpected, unscripted, and unforgettable, Monster Jam™ features world-class athletes competing for championships on perfectly engineered dirt tracks that push these ever-evolving, state-of-the-art trucks to the limit. Beyond the 350 global live events each year, the Monster Jam brand extends off the track into the home through products, content, and merchandise that keeps the fun alive year-round. For more information, visit MonsterJam.com.
When it comes to video games created off of already existing properties, there is always some level of trepidation involved. Many have experienced their favorite franchise receive a video game adaptation or brand new entry only to discover it to be a soulless cash grab. This feeling has shifted in recent memory as the standard cycle for game development has seen many of these attempts dwindle and actual effort be put into creating great stories off of beloved properties. Still, this concern remained. Then, when Bethesda and MachineGames announced a brand new story for Indiana Jones, many wondered if they could hope for a new great entry following a few less than well-received movies. With MachineGames’ skilled Nazi slaying devs at the wheel hopes were high for Indiana Jones and the Great Circle, but have they pulled it off?
Story
Set between Raiders of the Lost Ark and The Last Crusade in the year 1936, Jones is slumbering at his office at Marshall College when he hears a commotion in the museum area. Upon investigating the noise, he finds that a giant of a man has broken into the college and, despite his best efforts to stop him, escapes after stealing a recently obtained artifact. With Indiana doing a bit of investigation, he learns that the stolen artifact was, oddly enough, a mummified cat and that his assailant was perhaps just a bit too big to get away scot free as the man left a pendant with the Vatican Secret Archive’s emblem on it.
With the help of an old friend in the Vatican, Indiana begins to investigate despite the place being populated by Mussolini’s Blackshirts and finds that there is far more to that cat mummy than meets the eye. In fact, it is shockingly important as Indiana learns that it is tied into a globe-spanning religious mystery called the Great Circle, with various religious locations forming a perfect circle and containing mysterious stones that could lead to untapped power. With the help of a reporter named Gina Lombardi, who is searching for her kidnapped sister, Indiana must track down the other sacred sites and what they contain before their mysterious power is gathered by Hitler’s allies and potentially dooming the world.
MachineGames makes it quite clear from the very minute players press start that they know exactly what fans of the franchise want and how to deliver it. This is done by giving players a brief run through of the famous opening moments from Raiders of the Lost Ark complete with avoiding traps, solving puzzles, and even running away from a giant boulder. Of course, this is all quickly revealed to be a flashback dream of Indy’s when he awakes at the real start of the game but using this iconic moment as a tutorial of sorts is perfect for fans. From then on Indiana Jones and the Great Circle feels like a proper Indiana Jones adventure, complete with mysteries that need to be solved, many of which are tied to religious artifacts or locations, secret societies to uncover, and of course plenty of Nazis to take down or avoid along the way all while trying to prevent a possibly world ending artifact fall into the hands of the Third Reich.
It’s not just the plot that feels right at home in the Indiana Jones franchise but all of the characters that players meet will feel like natural fits for the series, be it Indy’s often eclectic allies, the spunky sidekick that is Gina, and of course the dastardly villains that are countered by Indy’s quick wit and quicker whip. These interactions between characters feel as natural to the franchise as a fan could hope for and it helps create an engaging story from beginning to end, with some excellent pacing throughout. Sure, the story can slow a bit when players are navigating through the open locations in the game, but this is also where players can often undertake most of the title’s side-quests or, as the game calls them, “field work.”
Calling field work side-quests in Indiana Jones and the Great Circle almost does them a disservice since they are actually full-fledged questlines. Nearly all of them feature cutscenes, expand upon the lore of the location or current events where Indy is at or perhaps even historical elements, and brand new characters that players would miss otherwise. These side-quests vary in type and quality a bit, with some being a bit less than others but even then they are generally always a bonus to the already stellar storytelling. Combine this with the generous “Adventure Points” they reward among the occasional extra bonuses along the way and they are always worthwhile.
Gameplay
One of the first things that raised eyebrows with Indiana Jones and the Great Circle was the fact that MachineGames was taking an iconic character like Indy and putting players not in a third-person action adventure, but into a first person game instead. Ironically however, this has worked out quite well as the majority of the game will be played in first-person, giving players an up close and personal look with various puzzles and traps that they will need to solve and avoid, brutes and guards that they need to beatdown, and of course a great view at the various wonderful vistas Indy will be traveling to. The game will shift to third-person view whenever Indy is climbing around the environment, be it using his whip to pull himself up to a new vantage point or lower himself down safely or sliding around on ledges to navigate everything from the rooftops of the Vatican to ancient crumbling ruins of a nearly forgotten religion. This creates an impressive blend for an adventure game, and one that works so well thanks to nearly all of its elements being refined perfectly.
Another interesting aspect of Indiana Jones and the Great Circle is the way it paces out its exploration. The game is linear in nature but as players progress through the storyline they will find themselves in standard straightforward missions that have an objective to complete, or a ruin to navigate to reach a certain destination, and between these missions they will often be either brought back or brought into a new largely open location that encourages a massive amount of exploration. this can range from exploring the Vatican, parts of Egypt, and more. These open areas feature the aforementioned “Field Work,” a store to buy things, and a ton of optional things players can track down ranging from simple collectable postcards or magazines to documents containing lore, hints towards mysteries that can then be solved, and even photo opportunities to take pictures using Indy’s camera for documentation.
All of these little activities and finding things award players with small amounts of Adventure Points. These adventure points are used as the primary way to upgrade Indy’s various abilities as, during his travels, Indy will acquire various books either from finding them in the world or buying them and these books all add various effects and have an Adventure Point cost to unlock that ranges depending on the usefulness of the book. Some of these books provide simple bonuses such as increasing Indy’s health and stamina or giving him a second chance in a fight if he falls in combat. Others are more unique and a bit more situational, such as increasing Indy’s climbing speed and various other bonuses. It is interesting to note that as players explore and progress the story in these open areas, players will generally also be able to purchase books or locate books that pinpoint the positions of various collectables as well, making it easier for those who want to aim for a full completion.
Traveling around levels is an interesting aspect in Indiana Jones and the Great Circle as the game’s level design is fantastic in the way it will keep players on their toes. Thanks to Indy’s whip, there is a lot more vertical exploration than one would expect for a first person title and the whip comes into play quite often as players can use it to swing across gaps or use it as a makeshift rope to climb up or slide down to a location. Alongside this players can also find various, often hinted at with white rubbings, ledges or climbable objects to shimmy around or navigate a location in third-person by climbing. Surprisingly, the first-person viewpoint doesn’t hinder exploration in any way, in fact it makes some elements more exciting such as swinging between areas and the shift from first-person to third-person is incredibly smooth to ensure players can quickly move if needed.
There is a certain level of stealth available in the game but it isn’t quite the best for a few reasons. Indy can sneak around and avoid detection from guards and even use disguises to blend in with the regular populace of a location, though trained officers can see through these disguises. Eliminating guards stealthily is a limited option, requiring one of the many melee weapons scattered in the level to knock out a guard from behind or, if they are near a cliff, simply shoving them off. Players can also pick up and move bodies to hide them from being discovered. The iffy part with stealth comes from the inconsistency of guard awareness. Often Indy can sneak right by a guard in a way that would likely have him discovered only to get by scot free while other times might see guards starting to notice and come to investigate him even when he’s in cover or at a far distance, making for some inconsistent stealth.
Thankfully, stealth is optional. Indy’s always been a skilled brawler and that remains true here. Players will almost always find themselves in melee combat of sorts when fighting enemies as firearms are few and far between and even Indy’s own revolver has a limited amount of ammo and is hard to come by. Shooting enemies with firearms, be it Indy’s revolver or an acquired gun, is an effective way to take down an enemy but will also alert everyone to Indy’s location. The title does offer a fun and unique way to use guns though, as players can swap their hold on a firearm and use it as a melee weapon instead, useful if players are out of ammo. The guns, just like any other picked up melee item be it a hammer, lute, or even a fly swatter have pips of durability that deplete when used and will break after they are gone, leaving Indy to fight with his fists and whip.
Fisticuffs is an intuitive and fluid combat mechanic. Players can guard and dodge incoming blows from an enemy to directly attack a weakpoint or even counterattack if they block at the proper time. It is worth noting that Indy’s stamina meter will deplete with every punch thrown and blocking slows his recovery time. Chaining together left and right swings using the triggers feels visceral and weighty, with enemies even having facial bruising and damage from being beaten up. Indy’s whip can also be used in fights in various ways. Using the whip to smack an enemy holding a weapon can force them to drop it, aiming at their head can temporarily stun an opponent, or wrapping up a leg and tugging can pull them from their feet, leaving them wide open for punishment. There are various types of thugs Indy will battle against and the whip wont work on some of them. Along these same lines it is worth noting that while getting in a firefight might be exciting and the guns do control well, if Indy is shot he is almost always going to instantly die, meaning guns should always be a last resort or, if an enemy has a gun, must be the first one targeted. In a bit of a unique approach to a certain enemy type, dogs cannot be killed by Indy and he will instead either shoot his gun away from the canine or players can use the whip to scare them into submission. Dog enemies are ruthless though so players will need to be vigilant for them and not turn their back even if they seem subdued as it is entirely possible for the dog to start attacking again.
As for the puzzles throughout the game, they will come in all shapes and sizes and can even vary a bit if the player feels like they need a bit of help. Players can select the “puzzle difficulty” when starting their game to make things more accessible and even if they don’t Indy can use his camera to unlock clues to solving a puzzle faster. The puzzles themselves range from simply solving a riddle or hunting down clues using the environment to deciphering elements that are far more complicated and can actually be quite challenging. This is especially true in the latter half of the game where some of the puzzles become real head-scratchers and given the nature of Indiana Jones, this is a good thing, especially since none of the solutions are obtuse and can be figured out naturally if players put their mind to it.
Audio & Visuals
It must be said that MachineGames has gone above and beyond to recreating Indiana Jones in this title as well as the locations that players will be exploring. The character models are incredible, especially in cut-scenes to the point that they are borderline movie quality with their facial expressions and reactions to conversations. As mentioned before, enemy faces will even bruise and deform slightly as they are beaten up, adding an extra level of weight to the already hefty feeling of combat. The environments are heavily detailed with plenty of unique aspects to discover and explore and that doesn’t even cover the specific set-pieces designed into the more linear levels.
While the developers were able to make use of Indy’s signature appearance with permission from Harrison Ford, the voice actor for Indy here is Troy Baker. Despite not being the man himself, Troy Baker does an exceptional job sounding just like fans remember, with only a few occasional words sounding a bit off. Alongside Troy Baker the rest of the English voice cast, and foreign voice cast as well that speaks up during the English dub, handle their characters perfectly here. The sound effects are nice and crisp, especially in terms of whip cracks and the meaty thunking of punching out an enemy or breaking a mop over their head. As for the background music the title features some of the classic theme songs reworked to fit the game better and they all sound incredible as those who love the Indiana Jones franchise will adore the soundtrack, especially certain tracks that play during key moments.
Overall
There was some concern with how MachineGames was going to handle Indiana Jones, especially with their choice of first-person perspective but it must be said that the developers have created perhaps the most interesting and engaging Indiana Jones storyline since Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade. With such an enjoyable storyline and some exceptional gameplay mechanics that all work amazingly well outside of some issues with stealth mechanics, any fan of Indy or even a fan of adventure games in general must check out Indiana Jones and the Great Circle.
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