After the resounding success of Indiana Jones And The Great Circle, Indy returns in a new adventure entitled The Order Of Giants. Does this DLC deliver another classic Indy story? Or are you left wanting to play the main game all over again?
Gotta Get Those Giants
If you are familiar with my review for Indiana Jones And The Great Circle, you’ll know that I am a huge fan of the series and a huge fan of the game. I truly believe the base game is one of the greatest games ever made. So when Bethesda and Machine Games announced a story expansion pack, my excitement could not be contained. Thankfully, my faith in the developers, to continue the success of the game, has been rewarded. The Order Of Giants is absolutely phenomenal. This downloadable content brings everything that made The Great Circle so memorable, whilst innovating and making some refreshingly new cinematic moments.
The Order Of Giants takes place in the Vatican City portion of the game, which if you’ve played, you will know is towards the start of the game. Now, with the DLC, Indy can encounter Father Orlando Ricci, a young scholar who is searching for a legendary figure known as The Nameless Crusader. Ricci has been barred from entering the palace built by Pope Paul IV, due to his obsession with the legend and believing a secret chamber lies beneath the palace. If you know Indiana Jones, this is more than enough to tickle his fancy and interest. But Indy isn’t the only one searching for this legendary figure, as a secret organisation seeks to keep Indy and others from discovering the truth.
From here, this story takes you through hidden chambers, sewers, crypts and the main location of the DLC – Rome. The final climactic area, which I won’t reveal, is a breath-taking arena which is something truly to behold. If you are looking for more of a classic Indiana Jones tale, this is your game. The Order Of Giants packs mystery, action and some real thought provoking puzzles. My one and only gripe about this story content is that there’s not enough! It can take a player around four hours or less to complete. I just hope this isn’t the end of Machine Games telling Indy stories!
Why Change Perfection?
If you have played The Great Circle (You will have to have completed up to a certain point to access this content) then this once again is more of the same when it comes to gameplay and combat. From a first person perspective, The Order Of Giants blends action, stealth, platforming and puzzles to complete and utter perfection. Indy will punch, whip and shoot his way through enemies, whether it’s bursting straight into a fight or sneaking and eliminating enemies methodically. The level of freedom you are given in both the base game and this content is staggering and really makes you feel like you are in control. And yes, you can still pick up and quite literally smash an enemy over the head with anything Indy can get his hands on!
Whilst gameplay and combat have remained their perfect same, the puzzles have managed to achieve something I thought impossible – they’re even better! There are a total of six major puzzles that players will have to solve in this additional content and they are real mind benders. The puzzles are so intrinsically tied to the overarching plot of this tale that it really makes every move you make feel so impactful. Some of these puzzles will take some players a long time to solve, so this is a real step up in difficulty from the base game, which for me, is fantastic. My personal favourite revolves around a ball on fire that you have to navigate through a maze! The platforming remains as strong as ever and has been woven into more of the puzzles, making for even more jaw dropping moments! And of course, there are many notes to find and photos to capture. Gameplay and combat in The Order Of Giants have been crafted to perfection.
Rome, In All Its Glory
Once again, Machine Games have made one hell of a gorgeous game. The new added locations drip head to toe in stunning realistic detail, with of course Rome the true highlight. Even though most of the story takes place underneath Rome, every location feels as iconic as the next. I waxed lyrical about the lighting in the base game and once again I am here to tell you that it’s the best lighting in the industry. Clicking Indy’s lighter in a darkened crypt, hidden chamber or corridor to illuminate the area is something truly to behold. Magical at times. The new characters added look as good as Indy himself and the facial animations are once again industry leading. The snake puzzle is a true highlight of visual fidelity, detail and depth. Machine Games are firmly at the forefront of visual presentation.
Similarly, the sound design and score are back with a bang. Every punch, whip crack and shot fired sound exactly like they do in the films, making you genuinely feel like Indiana. Everything sounds fantastic, from the puzzle doors unlocking, to the climactic fight at the end of the story. All of the characters are once again voiced to perfection, with the new additions perfectly complementing Troy Baker’s performance as Indy. Finally, the soundtrack, composed by Gordy Haab, returns with all its glory, whilst also providing some great new additions. A real tour de force in audio presentation.
Verdict
Simply put, Indiana Jones And The Great Circle: The Order Of Giants continues the original game’s perfection with another brilliant story of mystery, action and comedic moments along the way. New and fantastic thought provoking puzzles, coupled with perfect combat and platforming, make this additional story content a must play. I just wish it wasn’t as short as it ended up being. Indiana Jones has never been this good. Bethesda and Machine Games, I eagerly await/pray for a sequel to this magnificent game! Play it!
