Game news Recommended at 86%, it’s the best Xbox exclusive of 2024: Game Pass subscribers can play it on PC too
Published on 01/26/2025 at 6:42 p.m.
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What’s interesting about the Game Pass subscription offered by Xbox and Microsoft is that it allows you to have access to a multitude of video games released in recent years, but not only that! Thanks to the American giant’s strategy, the manufacturer’s exclusives are made available from the day of their release. If there is one title that should be launched in 2024, it’s this one: it’s the best of last year, and we’re talking about… Indiana Jones and the Ancient Circle.
When we take stock of the year that has passed, Indiana Jones and the Ancient Circle stands out as one of the best Xbox exclusives of the year 2024, if not the best, with a score of 86% on Metacriticshowing a favorable reception from critics. This action-adventure title, developed by MachineGames and published by Bethesda Softworks, is also accessible to Xbox Game Pass subscribers on PC, thus offering wide accessibility to this game which has captured the hearts of gamers. The popularity of the game is confirmed with a satisfaction rate of 92% on Steam, demonstrating the enthusiasm generated by this unique Indy adventure.
A thrilling adventure in the world of Indiana Jones
The game transports us to 1937, between the events of Raiders of the Lost Ark and The Last Crusade, in a solo adventure that brilliantly recreates the essence of the character created by Spielberg and Lucas. The player embodies Indiana Jones, launched in pursuit of a mysterious artifact stolen from Marshall College, which will lead him to travel the world. The plot takes place in various locations such as the Vatican, Egypt, and Thailand, in the company of new characters such as Gina Lombardi. The player will have to thwart the plans of Emmerich Voss, a German archaeologist in Hitler’s service. The gameplay offers action phases, infiltration, melee combat as well as puzzles. Indy’s famous whip is obviously included and can be used to attack, disarm, or even move around the environment. The developers have opted for a first-person view, an ideal approach to promote immersion. If PC and Xbox Series players have been enjoying it for a few weeks, PS5 players will have to wait until spring 2025 to try it.
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An immersive experience, despite some weaknesses
Indiana Jones and the Ancient Circle is a tribute to the franchise, with careful cutscenes, quality dialogues, and music faithful to the original compositions. To make matters worse, the game was even accompanied by the official French dubbing of actor Harrison Ford, in the person of Richard Darbois. However, the game is not without its flaws. Semi-open areas, although offering a certain freedom, sometimes lack coherence and can lead to frustration. The puzzles, despite their integration into the setting, are sometimes too simple and lack challenge. The NPCs do not always look natural, with facial animations sometimes frozen, and technical bugs can occur.
Despite these few weaknesses, the game was able to seduce us with its authentic atmosphere, its detailed environments, and its original approach to the genre. In our test, we gave it the score of 16/20highlighting its strong points, notably respect for the license, the choice of the first person, as well as the quality of its cutscenes and its music. The title is a successful blend of action, adventure and exploration, which will delight Indiana Jones fans. If we put aside these few flaws, Indiana Jones and the Ancient Circle remains a captivating adventure which offers an original perspective on the genre, and which fully deserves its critical and public success.
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