Indiana Jones on Switch 2 makes a rough first impression, but a better second one
by Dominic L · tsaVery few games set out their stall in the first five minutes as well as Indiana Jones and the Great Circle did in 2024. Retreading the iconic opening of Raiders of the Lost Ark, MachineGames immediately showed that not only was it capable of bringing Indy to digital life, but it could craft a cinematic experience that was reverential while adding to the legacy of the original trilogy.
The only problem with this incredible opening is that, in terms of the Switch 2 at least, it’s possibly the worst introduction for the less powerful hardware. This leafy, lush jungle area, with its sun-dappled shadows and luscious fronds, is very obviously a little much for the Nintendo handheld to handle.
The overall image quality is good, though there’s the clear shimmer of anti-aliasing at work, but it’s the pop-in that you’ll notice first. Shadows, foliage and even the tree trunks will obviously pop as you wander through this section, and it really detracts from the atmosphere and effectiveness of the cinematic presentation MachineGames is aiming for. While it’s trying to create the illusion of light breaking through the tree canopy, what it looks like on Switch 2 is basic spots of light flashing across the floor.
It must have been beyond the scope of what the team was able or allowed to do, but surely they should have reworked this element, perhaps fixing the scenery and lighting in place to making the most of what’s there underneath. Even the most ardent Switch 2 fan will worry that this is going to set the precedent for the rest of the game, though thankfully, I’m here to tell you that’s not the case. You can stop worrying around the time that Indiana grabs his hat from a swiftly closing door. Mostly.
Once you’re in the game proper, experiencing Indy’s college workplace, exploring the beautifully presented Vatican and thumping fascists on the head with an acoustic guitar, those worries will disappear. That’s not to say that there aren’t still some performance issues. There continue to be moments of noticeable pop-in, especially for shadows and lighting and foliage models, and the occasional frame rate wobble from the lowered 30fps target – the game originally targeted 60fps on PC, Xbox and PS5 – when the environment and large numbers of NPCs push the limits of the Switch 2’s hardware, but they are not dramatic, nor truly detrimental to what remains an incredible game.
Our one note of caution is that we’ve not made it through to the Sukhothai region, which has you travelling around jungle waterways and could revive the level of distraction felt in the opening dream sequence.
How acceptable this is does, to a certain extent, depend on your own sensitivities. Are you a Switch 2 owner who’s here for the exclusives, and play your multiplatform releases elsewhere? Or is this remarkable little handheld your sole console? If you’re the latter, Indiana Jones and the Great Circle remains an easy recommendation, bringing across the game in enjoyable form, with a few visual quirks amongst the downgrades, which you could ultimately look past.
Truthfully, the step down to 30fps from 60fps has given MachineGames enough headroom to retain an awful lot of what made this game look great on more powerful hardware. In real terms, it looks excellent, and the architecture, the external and internal environments, still look stunning, creating an incredibly strong sense of place.
The overall experience is very much in keeping with the PC, PS5 and Xbox Series outings, and the well-paced stealth, exploration and puzzle-solving feels just as involved as it does elsewhere. I’d forgotten just how good Indiana Jones and the Great Circle was – a lot has happened in the past two years – but this was a remarkable reminder of what MachineGames achieved.
The motion capture and the character models for Indy and his friends remain excellent, and the cutscenes in particular are every bit as cinematic as Steven Spielberg’s original films. Similarly, Gordy Haab’s musical compositions channel the spirit of John Williams, while maintaining an atmosphere and emotional counterpoint of their own – little surprise when his other works include Star Wars: Jedi Survivor and Star Wars: Battlefront. If you’ve got a surround sound setup, you’ll find yourself drawn in that much further by the game’s audio.
Troy Baker’s award-winning performance as Indiana Jones himself is also a key part of the game’s success, ensuring that you feel that this is a genuine part of the series, rather than simply a digital recreation. Thankfully, he has the scene-chewing Emmerich Voss – played by Marios Gavrilis – to play against as well, and the quality of these performances carries the game’s narrative along perfectly.
All of the inherent strengths of Indiana Jones and The Great Circle remain in place on the Switch 2, and it performs surprisingly well overall. If the team can improve some of the lighting and shadowing issues, it would be a nigh-on perfect port, of one of the best games of recent years.