Indiana Jones and the Great Circle vs. Uncharted

Indiana Jones and the Great Circle is highly reminiscent of Uncharted. Being more recent, The Great Circle has been compared to Uncharted. It is ironic, considering that Uncharted was originally inspired by Indiana Jones IP. Moreover, the game’s developers maintain that it is considerably different from Uncharted, and many players would argue that the comparison should go the other way.

Both games share a closely similar overall style. However, they are different in many significant aspects. Here is a comprehensive comparison between Indiana Jones and the Great Circle versus Uncharted.

What is Indiana Jones and the Great Circle?

Indiana Jones and the Great Circle is a first-person action-adventure game from developer MachineGames. The game launched recently in December 2024 and has received lots of comparison to the Uncharted game series, the last of which launched in 2022.

Jerk Gustafsson, the executive producer at MachineGames, has acknowledged the inspiration that this game has taken from Uncharted and Tomb Raider. “These are both a fantastic series of games, and it’s hard not to be influenced by the quality and execution of any titles coming out of those developers,” says Gustafsson.

However, he also maintains that the game has a unique concept and is different in several crucial ways. He adds, “There are definitely a few things that set us apart though: not only the obvious first-person perspective but our non-linear structure that is more grounded in player movement and combat, as well as the overall pacing of the game. Those things differ quite a lot.”

What is Uncharted?

Uncharted is an action-adventure video game series developed by Naughty Dog. Interestingly, the game shares a closely similar concept to the overall Indiana Jones concept. It is about a group of treasure hunters exploring the world for treasure and uncovering historical mysteries in the process. Notably, it blends historical fiction and characters with real-world events and figures. The first Uncharted game launched in 2007, while the most recent one was released in 2022.

Story

The story in Indiana Jones and the Great Circle takes place between the events in Raiders of the Lost Ark and The Last Crusade. Dr. Jones wakes up from his sleep when he hears what sounds like someone breaking in at Marshall College. He is right, and he catches the intruder red-handed. However, the intruder is stronger, and he overpowers Dr. Jones, knocks him out, and escapes. Playing as Dr. Jones, you wake up to try to figure out what was stolen and why. This incident puts you on the pursuit of an important artifact that holds the answers to the world’s greatest mystery.

The story in Uncharted evolves with every installment. It follows the adventures of Nathan Drake and his fellow treasure seekers as they explore the world for treasure and secrets. Their adventures often pit them against thieves and rival treasure hunters, setting the stage for epic action.

Gameplay

Admittedly, the overall styles in Uncharted and Indiana Jones and the Great Circle are quite similar. However, their gameplay designs differ in a few crucial aspects.

The most notable difference between the games is in their points of view. The main games in Uncharted feature a third-person POV. In contrast, Indiana Jones and the Great Circle is a first-person game. MachineGames does a great job of presenting the adventure, combat, and stealth mechanics from a first-person POV. However, the game occasionally switches from the first-person POV at certain instances in the gameplay. Moreover, the cutscenes are not in a first-person POV.

The games’ combat systems are also quite different. The combat system in Uncharted involves a lot of gunplay. Players can equip various types of guns, including pistols, rifles, shotguns, and more. Moreover, they can equip explosives like grenades. Melee combat is available, but the game focuses more on gunplay. In contrast, Indiana Jones and the Great Circle focuses on melee combat. You can grab, punch, dodge, parry, and use your whip to disarm enemies or pull them closer. Moreover, you can grab various items and use them as weapons, such as hammers and pipes.

Indiana Jones and the Great Circle also focuses more on stealth than Uncharted. Dr. Jones would rather sneak past Nazis and other enemies than start a fight. The fights are also stealthy, hence why the game focuses less on gunplay, as guns draw too much attention. Besides conventional stealth, the game also utilizes social stealth. You can dress Dr. Jones in various disguises to sneak past guards and enemies. In contrast, most of the installments in Uncharted don’t mind causing a commotion. However, it is worth noting that stealth is a core element of the gameplay in Uncharted 4 and The Lost Legacy.

Most Uncharted installments are open-world games. In contrast, Indiana Jones and the Great Circle is a semi-open-world game. It features several large maps that players can explore whenever they wish. Moreover, each map has an impressive volume of content and unique design. You can collect items, uncover secrets, and enter side-quests when exploring the maps. The exploration system is organic. However, it is worth noting that The Lost Legacy and Uncharted 4 have semi-open worlds.

Last but not least, the games also differ in puzzle-solving mechanics. All Uncharted games feature many clever puzzles. However, Indiana Jones and the Great Circle focuses more on puzzles than Uncharted. The game features more puzzles than most Uncharted installments. Moreover, puzzle-solving plays a greater role in the overall gameplay.

Verdict

The comparisons between Uncharted and Indiana Jones and the Great Circle are warranted. However, the games have many significant differences that make each one unique. The Great Circle is a first-person game, while Uncharted games stick to a third-person POV. Moreover, Indiana Jones focuses more on stealth and melee combat, while Uncharted focuses on gunplay and outright confrontations with enemies. Ultimately, each game is uniquely enjoyable and worth playing.