Game review: Indiana Jones and the Great Circle (PS5)
Last year, Bethesda and MachineGames released Indiana Jones and the Great Circle on both PC and Xbox platforms. At the time of the game's release, people thought it would have stayed as an Xbox exclusive because Microsoft owns Bethesda and all of its IPs.
Fast forward to April 2025, and Indiana Jones and the Great Circle has surprisingly come out for the PS5 console. This is part of Microsoft's new strategy to try and release its video game library for more gamers. Other Xbox games that have been released on PS5 recently have included Sea of Thieves, Forza Horizon 5 and more.
Since FutureFive NZ has already reviewed Indiana Jones and the Great Circle on PC, this review will look more at whether this PS5 version is worth it. We will also dive in to see how it compares to the Xbox version too.
Graphics
Most people who play on Xbox own an Xbox Series X console. The native resolution is around 1200p to 1800p, and it upscales to 4K. The base PS5 version has a softer image and also has a resolution between 1200p to 1800p.
PS5 Pro owners get the best image quality when it comes to consoles because it can run in native 4K (2160p). The picture is much sharper than the other console versions, although the game still runs at a stable 60fps on every platform.
There is also a noticeable colour difference between the PS5 and Xbox versions. The PS5 version appears lighter in colour and arguably has more realistic lighting. The Xbox version on the other hand is darker and has more vivid colours like a movie.
That being said, all versions of the game look good if you are playing on a decent 4K TV.
PS5 benefits
Another benefit of owning a PS5 Pro is that the game loads much faster than on other platforms. However, the PS5 Pro still has a price tag of $1379.00 NZD, so it's up to you if think it's worth getting.
The PS5 version also has haptic feedback and adaptive triggers thanks to its DualSense controller. The controller also lights up in different colours to show if Indy might be in danger or not.
Price
Both the PS5 and Xbox versions of Indiana Jones and the Great Circle cost $129.00 NZD if you are looking to buy the game at full price. This is the recommended retail price because JB Hi-Fi NZ is selling the PS5 version for slightly less at $114.00 NZD, and $99.00 NZD on Xbox.
However, one advantage for both PC and Xbox gamers is that they can play the full game of Indiana Jones and the Great Circle with a much cheaper Game Pass subscription. Currently, you can get a monthly Game Pass subscription on PC for $16.95 NZD or $28.95 NZD on Xbox.
Bear in mind, that a Game Pass subscription is similar to renting the game because you lose access when you stop paying the monthly fee. However, Game Pass is still a good option for playing new-release Xbox games if money is tight.
PS5 Physical Edition
If you own a PS5 and want to buy the physical edition of Indiana Jones and the Great Circle, you still need an active internet connection to play it. It has been reported that only 20GB of data is included in the disc version that you buy. An additional 100GB of data is needed to be downloaded to make the game playable. I thought this was important to talk about just in case there are some people out there who own a PS5, but don't have access to the internet.
Gameplay
The gameplay and content are identical on all versions. This is a first-person action game where Indiana Jones travels the world in order to stop the Nazis from controlling an ancient artefact. The game has lots of puzzles for you to solve, although you can use a camera to help you find clues to figure them out.
The only part of the gameplay that feels clunky is the first-person-style melee combat. I have a feeling the hand-to-hand combat would have felt smoother if this game was a third-person game instead. The gunplay is slightly better than melee combat, but ammo is pretty limited.
Players can stealthily take out enemies using any object that Indiana Jones can find. Jones can also heal himself by stealing any edible food he sees in the environment. The best part about the gameplay is that you can use his iconic whip both in exploration and during combat sequences!
Conclusion
If you own both an Xbox Series X and a PS5, I don't think that it is necessary to buy Indiana Jones and the Great Circle on both platforms. Both versions are nearly identical aside from some better graphics for PS5 Pro owners.
If you never played this game before, I still think it's worth playing if you are a huge fan of the Indiana Jones movies. Voice actor Troy Baker does a great job of mimicking Harrison Ford's voice in this game too.
Verdict: 8.5/10
