Indiana Jones and The Nice Circle pits Dr. Henry Walton Jones, Jr. in opposition to his best foes, the fascist Nazi regime of the Thirties and ‘40s, as soon as once more. And in traditional MachineGames vogue, it feels unimaginable to bash their heads in utilizing, effectively, absolutely anything I can discover. I’m not shocked by MachineGames’ dealing with of fight in opposition to Nazis – they’ve been within the enterprise of letting gamers kill Nazis since helming the trendy Wolfenstein video games. So far as I’m involved, they almost perfected a extra immersive-sim tackle taking down Nazis in The Nice Circle. One factor that did shock me, although, was a facet quest about an explorer named Annika.
This “subject work” mission, which is the sport’s stand-in for a facet quest, is one you’ll be able to decide up close to the top of Indy’s journey. As such, right here’s your official spoiler warning to not proceed when you haven’t but crushed the sport.
Spoilers For Indiana Jones And The Nice Circle Under
After making your strategy to Sukhothai, Thailand, you’ll ultimately obtain a subject work mission referred to as “A Examine In Worry.” After native chief Pailin asks you for assist discovering a mysterious stone in Wat Mahathat, you arrive on the website to search out Nazis have blown up the structure to search out an entrance to an underground temple. When you make your method in, you discover one other archaeologist named Annika needing assist to advance additional into the location. Because the temple requires the arms of greater than only one particular person, Indy and Annika staff up.
It doesn’t take lengthy for the 2 to start chatting, and we be taught that Annika is definitely working for Voss, the sport’s principal Nazi antagonist. From that time ahead, Indy digs into this with Annika, questioning if she is aware of Voss is a Nazi, if she understands what which means within the wider world of archaeology, and if she even is aware of Voss’ grander plan in The Nice Circle (which I received’t spoil right here). She performs considerably coy, performing as if she isn’t conscious of Voss and his fascist allegiance’s intentions. Indy, not able to take her out the best way he does another Nazi he runs into as Annika is required for each of them to flee the temple, tries to elucidate to her what her working alliance with Voss means.
MachineGames stops wanting saying having dinner with a Nazi makes you a Nazi, or I suppose to place it into sport phrases, selecting to be an archaeologist for a Nazi makes you a Nazi. However, as the 2 converse extra, with Indy attempting to grasp why she’s working with Voss, declaring how Nazis don’t perceive the follow of archaeology, we be taught Annika was a former pupil of Indy and requested him to write down her a reference for a chance. Her reference grew to become one in all many who Indy couldn’t full (he would possibly’ve been busy within the Temple of Doom), and Annika doesn’t overlook this, taking it as a private assault.
Annika’s bitter grapes brings her into the fold of the Nazis, as a result of I suppose if a professor you want doesn’t provide the reference you need, the following step is to embrace fascism. At one other level in my life, I seemingly would’ve laughed at this leap of logic. However in 2025, it’s not unbelievable – it’s actuality. In any sector, be it video games, films, politics, or elsewhere, there are various examples of people that don’t get what they need, or are canceled (see: face penalties for his or her actions), and rapidly develop into grifters. They really feel pushed out of 1 area (once more, being held accountable), and as a substitute of proudly owning it, apologizing, and taking steps to be a greater particular person, they rapidly swap to the once-opposition and someway make a fast buck. This act is grifting, and it’s exactly what Annika does.
She doesn’t get what she desires from Indy and jumps ship to hitch his hated enemies. Positive, Annika does get what she desires from this fascist regime – the possibility to be an archaeologist professionally – however she’s doing it for literal Nazis. She hints at this all through this mission, however ultimately drops the act after the duo discover what they’re in search of. As an alternative of serving to Indy escape, she methods him, letting him know that she’s very conscious of what Voss is and what his plans are, and that she has no downside being part of it earlier than kicking Indy right into a pit to his presumed demise.
Fortuitously, Indy escapes, however not earlier than discovering that Annika bought cocky and careless, and misplaced an arm within the course of (discovered crushed by a door and separated from her physique). Indy remarks casually that she bought what she deserved, and it’s an excellent second. At no level does Indy justify Annika’s actions or sympathize – he pushes again instantly, calling her out for what she is as a result of there’s no sympathazing or humanizing a Nazi. She’s far too grasping and vengeful to hearken to any of Indy’s warnings, giving up morals and humanity within the title of revenge. It’s 1937, so she isn’t fairly in a position to begin a podcast or YouTube channel like her ilk would possibly in 2025, however she is embraced by the Nazis all the identical.
There’s loads I really like about how MachineGames dealt with this narrative vignette with Annika. I really like that instantly, Indy is like “wait, what, why on Earth would you’re employed for them? That’s wild and unforgivable. Cease this.” I additionally love that MachineGames reveals no compassion or humanity for Annika, ultimately revealing she is aware of her true position and he or she’s morally okay with it. And eventually, the developer makes sure that Annika will get what she deserves within the type of a smashed arm, which is able to make her future archaeological adventures harder. It’s not fairly the shovel upside the top or the hammer to the cranium Indy delivers to the numerous different Nazis in The Nice Circle, nevertheless it’s satisfying all the identical.
I admire MachineGames utilizing a facet quest to dive even deeper into the best way Nazis work, their careless regard for historical past and humanity within the chase for energy, and their punishment for doing this. In a sport full of alternatives to instantly silence Nazis earlier than they’ll get a phrase in (the usually correct strategy to take care of them), it’s additionally good to let one say all of the silly stuff we anticipate to come back out of their mouths earlier than placing them of their place. That’s the message of Annika’s story: the grift will ultimately chew you within the ass. Whereas The Nice Circle is a little more indifferent in how that occurs right here – on this occasion, nature handed Annika her comeuppance – it’s nonetheless satisfying to observe a developer absolutely discover this cycle.