The history of gaming is written at a brisk pace. Not too long ago, LucasArts and Sierra fought it off for the throne of the adventure game kingdom. Nowadays most gamers don't even recall what a classic point & click game is, let alone th??at Sierra and LucasArts even existe?d.

Let's freshen up everyone's memory with some of the best adventure games ever made by what I believe was the best adventure game studio to ever exist??.

Loom (1990)

Loom is the black sheep of LucasArts' adventure catalogue, but it's not a bad game. It features a very experimental take on point & click gameplay, and it's one of the very few LucasArts titles to mostly do awa?y with comedy to pursue a more serious storyline in a hard fantasy setting.

Loom mostly achieved what it set out to do, as its story got a lot of praise by the time of its release, but I'm just not crazy about its overtly complex take on gameplay. Loom didn't sell very well, so everything LucasArts came up with for Loom mostly died with it �and we're als??o not likely to see a remaster anytime soon.

The Dig (1995)

The Dig is the other game in LucasArts' catalog to deviate from the norm, and also to mixed results. Whereas Loom went for Fantasy, The Dig went for Sci-Fi, b?ut it had a few more cards up its ??sleeve than its predecessor.

The Dig featured fantastic presentation that included a movie-worthy soundtrack, excellent voice acting by Hollywood pros, fantastic graphics, and even state of the art cutscenes. The Dig felt mesmerizing due to its highly-immersive environment, but most complained about it being? hampered by gameplay that felt challenging in an unfun way.

Though The Dig has ??enjoyed a ?deserved positive re-evaluation in the years since it's launch, it's also yet to receive a remaster.

Maniac Mansion (1987)

This is the first LucasArts adventure title, and also the game that put Lucasarts on the map for its?? prowess in the adventure game ??genre.

Maniac Mansion came out in 1987 and is yet to get the remaster treatment so yes, it will feel considerably dated to someone picking it up nowadays �especially if they're new to the genre. Still, it features a very memorable cast of characters and a wide collection of great jokes, so it's still an artifact worth unearthing f??or some.

The Secret of Monkey Island (1990)

This is both the most iconic series to spawn out of LucasArts, and also the one still living, as proven by the fantastic Return To Monkey Island. The Secret of Monkey Island is where it all?? started and, despite being a little rough around the edges for today's standards gameplay-wise, it still has a bunch of jokes? that instantly became classics.

Did you know The Secret Of Monkey Island is the reason why the Pirates of The Caribbean: Curse Of The Black Pearl exists? That's how awesome this game is. The only reas?on I'm not ranking it higher is because it also the reason why the sequels exist.

Sam & Max Hit The Road (1993)

Detective work is a staple of adventure games, and one of the best titles in the detective point & click adventure genre ?is, interestingly, a spoof of the genre.

On top of some great puzzles �the lifeblood of the genre �this beautiful game based on the comics by Steve Purcell stars Max, the rabbit part of this detective duo, who's a complete psycho and one of the funniest characters in gaming. Deadpool & Wolverine proved once again that buddy comedies are the way to go, and Hit The Road remains an absolute classic of the genre.

And, best of all, naysayers can't criticize it for doing law enforcers dirty, because Sam & Max aren't police �they're freelance police!

Full Throttle (1995)

Adventure games tend to put players in the shoes of characters who tend to have more brains than brawn �is my kind way of avoiding calling them nerds. Full Throttle is a great antidote for that, as it allows play?ers to embody one badass �one who's also pretty smart.

Full Throttle manages to have a bit more of a darker edge, but not without doing away with Lucasarts' classic charm and comedic flair. It's also filled with memorable puzzles that oftentimes come accompanied with beautiful 2d animation sequences. Full Throttle also enjoyed the remaster treatme?nt, so there's no excuse to avoid trying it out nowadays.

Indiana Jones and the Fate of Atlantis (1992)

Living in a time when an Indiana Jones video game is better than any Indiana Jones sequel feels unprecedented, but Indiana Jones and The Great Circle isn't the first game to do it. Before that, we had Indiana Jones and the Fate of Atlantis, the rare point & click adventure that surpassed most of the movies it was based on, and, interestingly, also gave players the kind of gameplay freedom people are praising The Great Circle for.

The controls are a bit dated by today's standards. A nice simple remaster is way overdue, but, if you like Indiana Jones and/or games with intricate puzzles and a fun story, Fate Of Atlantis is still worth checking out.

Monkey Island 2: LeChuck's Revenge (1991)

Monkey Island 2 is one of the greatest sequels of all time. It outdoes the already great predecessor in just about every thing it did right, then even adds a lot of welcome elements to the mix. LeChuck's Revenge feels darker, and with the darkness comes a much op?portune higher level of difficulty and depth for? its the puzzles.

The series went back to its lighter tone for all the remaining games in the series, so LeChuck's Revenge is both awesome and unique.

Maniac Mansion: Day Of The Tentacle (1993)

Day Of The Tentacle improves upon the original in every way, so much so that even though they play similarly, it feels like its very own thing. It's quite a strange feeling, but one completely in tune with this game where a sentient tentacle �yes, as in the octopi appendage �becomes super smart and deci?des to take over the world.

Day Of The Tentacle plays to the strength of LucasArts adventure games, which is their humor. Day Of The Tentacle is a hallmark of all-around hilarity. Good games writing sometimes isn't even something you read or hear from a character, rather a deeper part of the game's design, and Day Of The Tentacle sure has that in spades �tough it also features great jokes of the regular kind, if ?you're worried about that.

Grim Fandango (1998)

Though their games tended to go toe to toe quality-wise, Lucasarts' games tended to sell less than those of Sierra. Grim Fandango's numbers turned out so low that they paled even when compared to the lowest-selling Lucasarts titles. Quite disheartening, as not only is Grim Fandango arguably the greatest adventure game ever made �it's definitely the funniest game ever made as far as I am concerned �and also the most modern title ever made by eithe??r company.

And sure, even the most modern title to come out in the late '90s doesn't feel all that modern now, but no problem, as the remastered version is sure to have covered all the rough edges from the original release. I honestly do believe that regardless of your �and its �age, Grim Fandango is the rare title that might?? change how you see and play ?video games as a whole.

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Indiana Jones is an enduring action hero whose undisputedly awesome adventures will continue to entertain and inspire. The recent release of Indiana Jones and the Great Circle has definitely proved that there’s nothing quite as fun as a dangerous treasure hunt with mystical artifacts and punchable baddies. If you’re a fan of the series and you love these kinds of stories, then you’ll enjoy all the books like Indiana Jones that we’re highlighting with this list.

1. Seven Deadly Wonders (Matthew Reilly)

Matthew Reilly’s Seven Deadly Wonders reads like a fast-paced action movie, and will keep fans of Indiana Jones (and The Mummy) hooked from cover to cover. Jack West Jr. and his team of heroic archeologists and soldiers need to find the seven parts of an ancient treasure to stop a solar flare from wiping out humanity. Each of these p?ieces is residing within one of the world’s most iconic ancient wonders. The trouble is, there are more than a few nefarious organizati??ons trying to get to them first, and their people are just as deadly as the traps and puzzles that are guarding the artifacts.

2. Timeline (Michael Crichton)

In Timeline, a team of archeologists working at a dig site in France find a note from their leading professor, Edward Johnston, that’s over 600 years old. The note desperately requests their aid, and as a result, they begin to investigate Johnston’s disappearance from the present. They soon discover that the ITC, which is the company that funded their dig, used quantum technology to send the professor back to 1357, during the Hundred Years�War. Michael Crichton’s book is significantly more satisfying than its film adaption, so even if you’ve already seen the Timeline movie, you’l??l likely have ??a great time reading the novel.

3. The Imperial Alchemist (A. H. Wang)

The Imperial Alchemist is a globetrotting adventure that takes its protagonist, Georgia Lee, on a journey through ancient China to find the secret history behind the myths surrounding the Elixir of Life. It’s a fascinating mystery with plenty of action and more than a few enjoyable characters. At each step along the way, you’ll continuously wonder which parts of the elixir’s story are true, and which parts are simply a legend. Just like Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade, the book calls into question what humans would actually do if there really was an artifact out there capable of granting us eternal life. The Imperial Alchemist is the first part?? of trilogy of novels about Lee’s archaeological ad?ventures.

4. Amazonia (James Rollins)

A scientific expedition into the Amazon rainforest disappears, and all of its team members are thought to be dead until a lone solider who accompanied the team comes back years after the group first set out. The man entered the jungle with one arm, but somehow, he’s leaving it with two. He’s marked with strange tribal symbols, and with his death, leaves behind a handful of other strange mysteries as well. It’s up to Nathan Rand and his team to journey into the depths of the jungle to discover what really happened to him, and the rest of the original expedition. Amazonia has a premise that will instantly draw you in??, and a storyline that continues to darken with unique twists.

5. Labyrinth (Kate Mosse)

If you’re interested in setting out on a different quest for the Holy Grail than the one in The Last Crusade, then you’ll love reading Kate Mosse’s Labyrinth. The novel follows two storylines simultaneously, with one set in the present day and the other taking place 800 years earlier. Alice discovers the maze-like s??ymbol of the Cathars while she’s working on an archeological dig site, and soon finds that there are dangerous people hunting for what she’s found. Meanwhile, Alais, the historical protagonist, inherits the relics needed for finding the Grail, and must evade those who seek its power. The overlapping narratives give the book a consistent level of tension that’s sure to keep you turning the pages as fast as possible.

6. The Hunt for Atlantis (Andy McDermott)

When Nina Wilde and Eddie Chase discover a sign that points the way towards the mystical city of Atlantis, they kickstart a globe-spanning adventure that turns out to be full of peril. A secret organization known as the Brotherhood of Selasphoros tails their every move, and will stop at nothing to halt their progress. The Hunt for Atlantis is not just about archaeological discoveries and the race against evil. The lead characters and their chemistry make for a gripping read, and there’s plenty of fun dialogue between the two. Nina’s and Eddie’s adventures continue in The Tomb of Hercules and The Secret of Excalibur, which are also fantastic books to read if you like Indiana Jones.

7. The Lost City of Z (David Grann)

In 1925, the legendary explorer Percy Fawcett entered the Amazon in hopes of finding an ancient, fabled civilization and its chief city, Z. He encountered hostile natives, but the real danger was the forest itself. Explorers such as Fawcett thought that the Amazon was the home of El Dorado, and journeyed into the deepest parts of the South American continent in search of it. So what ever happened to Fawcett and his team, and what did he find? The Lost City of Z follows all the historical clues that we have available in an attempt to answer these questions. The book got a film adaption back in 2017, and offers a more grounded look at jungles of South America than the likes of Kingdom of the Crystal Skull.

8. What the River Knows (Isabel Ibañez)

What the River Knows is a neatly designed mystery that lets the reader in on each of its secrets at a perfect pace. The story begins in nineteenth century Argentina, where the protagonist, Inez, learns of her parent’s demise, which occurred during a trip in Egypt. Left with a fort??une and a strange golden ring, she sails to Cairo in search of answers, but begins to uncover more questions instead. There are slightly more supernatural elements than your average Indy adventure, but you’re a fan of the original film trilogy, then you’ll love this journey out into the sands.

9. The Red Pyramid (Rick Riordan)

Younger fans of Indiana Jones will love The Red Pyramid, which centers around the adventures of siblings Sadie and Carter Kane. Carter travels the world with his father, who tells everyone that he’s an Egyptologist. When the pair of them return home to see Sadie, they visit the British Museum, where a strange ritual occurs that awakens the ancient Eg?yptian gods. The deity Set has a dangerous plan that the siblings will need to stop. The book is the first of three in the Kane Chronicles series. If youâ€??™re a fan of the author’s other YA series, Percy Jackson, then you’ll love these novels as well.

10. Indiana Jones and The Peril in Delphi (Rob MacGregor)

The Indiana Jones novels are, of course, also great reads for fans of the original films. The first of these books is Peril at Delphi, which takes place in the 1920s, several years before Temple of Doom. When a strange earthquake uncovers a set of ancient ruins below Delphi, Indy explores them and soon finds a strange artifact that might be important for stopping what his fellow archeologist, Dorian Belecamus, has in store for him. Paperback editions of this book are essentially collector’s items, an?d can be tricky to find. However, if you’re a fan of the series, then y??ou’ve got to pick one up.

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I must admit, despite not being the biggest fan of the overall franchise, I've been thoroughly enjoying Indiana Jones and the Great Circle. Troy Baker's solid impersonation of the titular whip-slinger is absolutely spot-on. However, it appears that s??ome players have had problems making use of Indy's iconic item.

In the most recent patch - the aptly named Update 2 �MachineGames has sent forth a few fixes for The Great Circle. There have been a couple of tweaks to some of the missions in which Gina isn't pulli??ng her weigh?t, for example.

However, the one that stood out for me in the official patch notes is the bit that says the studio has f??ixed an issue in which the player "may be unable to equip Indy’s whip." I've been lucky not to have experienced this problem, but imagine a world in which you get to play Indiana Jones but are unable to use his whip. It'd b?e like Spider-Man without his web-shooting abilities, Doom Guy without the Super Shotgun, or any Keanu Reeves film where he doesn't get to say "whoa."

Couldn't bear it!

Update 2 also fixes a few PC-specific things in the game, mostly related to Nvidia. For example, the patch sh?ould sort out performance problems for DLSS an?d Low Latency Mode. So, if you're playing on PC, hopefully, you'll see some improvements going forward.

For any streamers ??out there, there is one note at the bottom of the patch notes that says content creators "may have experienced crashes in the game if using OBS Studio software to capture video." Updating OBS to version 31.0.0 should sort this. Thought it was worth mentioning here.

Other than that, it's business as usual. As I said above, I think Indiana Jones and the Great Circle is a solid game overall, and I say that as someone who hasn't really been overly keen on MachineGames' past work (save for the Quake 2 maps the team did for the recent remaster). It's been getting some pretty great reviews overall, and it might actual??ly inspire ?me to go back and watch the films again.

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Indiana Jones and the Great Circle i?s one of the most pleasant surprises of 2024. MachineGames' latest title sends the? famous archaeologist around the world for another exhilarating adventure, combining elements of stealth, combat, and puzzle gameplay.

If you've just finished Indiana Jones and the Great Circle and are looking for something similar to? satisfy the same urge, why not try out some of these action-adventure games from over the years?

Wolfenstein: The New Order

MachineGames doesn't have a monopoly on the "fighting Nazis" niche, but it does it as well as any developer out there right now. Before Indiana Jones and the Great Circle, the studio was putting a modern spin on a classic franchise with Wolfenstein: The New Order.

This 2014 game spawned several sequels, but the original is well worth revisiting. Wolfenstein: The New Order takes place in an alternat??e timeline where Nazi Germany won WW2, and you're there to fight back. In this sense, it scratches the same itch as the new Indy game.

Tomb Raider (2013)

Lara Croft is the closest thing we have to a female Indiana Jones, but there's a lot more than that to her, too. Nothing shows this off better than 2013's Tomb Raider, a gritty reboot that sees Croft fight to survive on the dangerous island of Yamatai. In classic adventurer fashion, you'll also raid ancient tombs and solve complex puzzles, making it a great complement coming off the back of Indiana Jones and the Great Circle.

Crystal Dynamics' Tomb Raider is the start of a trilogy, but I recommend starting at the beginning. In terms of tone, it's most similar to Indiana Jones, but all three titles hold up extremely well if Tomb Raider tickles your fancy.

Uncharted 4: A Thief's End

Uncharted 4: A Thief's End has you solving puzzles from a third-person perspective with a mix of stealth, melee, and firearms combat while hunting for treasure on a worldwide adventure. It's an Indiana Jones game in all but name.

While I'd recommend playing the first three Uncharted games, you can definitely jump in with A Thief's End. You'll learn more about the overarching story and characters by revisiting the older titles, but if you're after something similar to Indiana Jones and the Great Circle, you'll still have plenty of ??fun with this as a standalone title.

The Last Guardian

After years of delays, The Last Guardian was finally released in 2016. It was worth the wait, telling? the touching story of an unnamed boy and his adventure with his huge dog-l??ike companion, Trico.

There's almost no typical combat in The Last Guardian. Instead, you must use your wits to solve puzzles to keep the boy and Trico alive throughout the trials they face on their adventure. It's a change of pace from something like Indiana Jones and the Great Circle, but the puzzle game??play gives them a surprising amount in c?ommon.

Dishonored

Dishonored is a game that will make you think about every action you take. Every situation has?? multiple solutions and gives you ample time to prepare before you make your move. Will you meticulously eliminate your enemies stealthily or go in swinging? It's up to you to decide.

While 2012's Dishonored embraces a grittier aesthetic and more fantasy elements than Indiana Jones and the Great Circle, it??'s difficult to imagine liking one and not the other. They share many strands of DNA.

Assassin's Creed Origins

While Assassin's Creed Origins is technically an RPG, it has all the hallmarks of an excellent action-adventure game. Explore the beautifully rendered Ancient? Egypt as Bayek, founder of the Hidden Ones, as you attempt to avenge ?the death of your son.

Indy fans will find the tomb and pyramid exploration here a lot of fun, but that's only a minor part of what Assassin's Creed Origins has to offer. Some might even say it's too big, given the enormo?us size of the open world t??o explore.

Indiana Jones and the Emperor's Tomb

If you're craving Indiana Jones, what better way to scratch the itch than to play another Indiana Jones game? In terms of style, Indiana Jones and the Emperor's Tomb is the closest you're getting to The Great Circle, a third-person action game t?hat takes Indy through a series of dank crypts around the world.

With clunky controls and a camera that is a nightmare to control, Indiana Jones and the Emperor's Tomb feels every bit like a game released in 2003. But it captures the spirit of Indiana Jones as we??ll as anything, and isn't that what really matters?

Star Wars Jedi: Fallen Order

Star Wars Jedi: Fallen Order offers a surprising amount of puzzles to solve using the Force. It's a key pillar of the game's exploration, which also takes heavy inspiration from Metroidvania games. It's a surprising mix, but one that?? works extremely well with the game's Soulslike combat mechanics.

The Lucas connection between Star Wars and Indiana Jones is clear. If you're looking for a fresh action-adventure game to lose yourself in off the back of Indiana Jones and the Great Circle, you shouldn't look further than Star Wars Jedi: Fallen Order. Its sequel, Star Wars Jedi: Survivor, is a blast, too.

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Denuvo anti-piracy tech has often been a sore point for gamers, especially on PC. However, many of you will be pleased to know that MachineGames' Indiana Jones and the Great Circle will ?not be shipping with the offending DRM software when it launches on December 9.

This was confirmed by publisher Bethesda in a post on X recently. The message seems to be a reply to a now-deleted comment from a user, prompting the studio to say that The Great Circle "does not include Denuvo." This was then followed by a s??tatement declaring that it was only ever used in "review builds for leak precautions."

Indeed, if you look on the game's official Steam page, you can see d??own the right-hand side that a third-party EULA needs to be agreed to before playing the game, but there's no mention of DRM in use anywhere. This should be good news ??for PC users.

Indiana Jones and the Stuttering Framerates

If you're not familiar with it (you lucky, lucky people), Denuvo is a form of Digital Rights Management software that became more abundant during the early days of the internet as a means of protecting data on ??music CDs??. These days, however, it's typically associated with video games.

While publishers and studios implement it as a way of preventing intellectual properties from being pirated or tampered with illicitly, it can often lead to issues for the user. Denuvo is especially egregious on this front, with it being linked to low performance and persistent drops in framerates on games like Deathloop. Ergo: Denuvo is often seen as controversial, especially from a consumer/gamer perspective.

As such, many games have it removed post-launch, which is exactly what happened with Back 4 Blood, Lies of P, Doom Eternal, and more.

Given this, PC gamers will be pleased to know that Indiana Jones and the Great Circle shan't be shippi??ng with the contentious DRM software. However, that doesn't necessarily mean it?? won't ever be put in. If Denuvo can be removed after a game's release, does that mean it can also be implemented after the fact? Only time will tell.

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Indiana Jones and the Great Circle is on the way, and with it set to release in only a few months, we've l??earned quite a bit about the Bethesda Softworks title. Now, we're finding out why Indy won't be so focused on guns.

The Great Circle's place in the overall Indiana Jones franchise timeline, which legacy characters from the films will appear, and details about the story have all come to light. Developer MachineGames has also been revealed how the game will approach gunplay, with The Great Circle apparently leaning away from guns f?or the most part, forcing players to progress by other mean?s.

Speaking with Edge magazine (via GamesRadar), The Great Circle creative director Axel Torvenius explained: "We do not encourage gunplay. It's not being pushed as the primary way forward. The primary way forward is always trying? to use your wits and your whip."

Torvenius went on to assert that this approach was taken to remain true to the Indiana Jones character fans have known for decades. Since Torvenius made these remarks, some Indy fans online have questioned the validity of the claim, arguing that The Great Circle team made the wrong call wit???h the game's relationship with firearms.

In reality, I think Torvenius is right. Extensive gunplay has no place in an Indiana Jones video game.

Indiana Jones is a professor, not a gunslinger

An element of Torveniu?s' chat with Edge that seems to be overlooked in the gunplay debate is his succinct explanation of?? who Indiana Jones is.

"At the end of the day, he's a teacher and a somewhat clumsy archeologist," Torvenius said. "He just happens to have this passion that puts him in these weird situations constantly with enemies and traps." Through that brief summary of Dr. Jones, it's understood entirely why trying to turn The Great Circle into just another first-person shooter tit??le would be the absolute wrong move.

There's no denying that there is a certain level of violenc??e to Indiana Jones' adventures. Enemies and allies alike are constantly being thrown into harm's way as Jones seeks out the world's most powerful and mysterious artifacts, hoping to keep them out of the clutches of evil. More often than not, his fists, whip, and cunning are enough to keep him and his friends alive. Whittling the tools at players' disposal down to these bare essentials minimized sounds like it should make for a more authentic Indy portrayal and a more engaging game.

Even the movies minimize gunplay

At the same time, there is a case to be made for Indiana Jones' gun use. After all, when push comes to shove, he's never afraid to pick up a firearm to get out of a bind. Who could forget the iconic Raiders of the Lost Ark confrontation with the Cairo Swordsman, who tries to pull Indy into a fight with his flashy sword skills only to be shot in the blink of an eye? There's also the Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade rescue of Dr. Henry ?Jones Sr., where his son mows down a group of enemy soldiers with a machine gun to aid in their escape. Thus, it's evident that to some extent guns are tied closely to Indy.

However, the key thing to understand is that in the aforementioned examples, and pretty much any other one could pull from the Indiana Jones movies, guns are only used briefly. After he shoots the Swordsman, he holsters his pistol, and once the enemy soldiers are laying dead on the ground, he tosses the machine gun aside. Taking conflict to such an extreme isn't Indy's goal, but he's willing to do it under specific circumstances, particularly in life or death scenarios. Maintaining that mentality in The Great Circle is the right way to go if Torvenius and? the other min??ds behind it want to emulate Indy's movie characterization.

Clearly, the folks at MachineGames have done their homework on Indiana Jones and his unorthodox conflict resolution skills to prepare for The Great Circle. Time will tell how their efforts pan out when the g?ame launches on December 9 for Windows, Xbox Series X, and Xbox Series S.

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The latest Indiana Jones and The Great Circle trailer captures everything fans love about the iconic movie franchise, and even includes a nod to?? where it all started.

During the Xbox Games Showcase, Bethesda provided another look at Indiana Jones and the Great Circle. The trailer did not confirm an official release date beyond the 2024 release win??dow already known. Still, it did show Indy and his sidekick Gina in action deep in the Himalayas as they hunt down an artifact called The Great before the Germans get to i?t first.

The first-person, single-player adventure is set between the events of Raiders of the Lost Arc and the Last Crusade, meaning Indiana Jones is still in his prime. Indiana Jones and the Great Circle features a mix of puzzles, dramatic action set pieces, up close and personal fist fights, and gunslinging. Also, it wouldn't be an Indiana Jones title? without being abl??e to use his trusty whip in action.

This is a developing news story and will be updated as new information is available.

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There are countless LEGO sets available to purchase and, if you’re trying to keep to a certain budget, things can get a little complicated. With sets costing hundreds of dollars, it’s not always easy to find an affordable LEGO set to gift or hoard. 

However, as a collector with a child who is also turning into something of a LEGO fan, I’ve had to get thrifty, and I’ve become pretty good at finding LEGO sets on the cheaper side. On this l??is??t, I’ve included something for all tastes and the best part? None of these sets sell for more than $50 USD.

Bonsai Tree

Price: $49.99 USD

The Bonsai Tree LEGO set allows you to create not just one tree, but two. Well, almost. You can build one trunk and then have the choice between greenery or Cherry Blossoms to complete the look. I love this set and have i??t in my bedroom, changing the leaves depending on the season.

Venomized Groot (Marvel)

Price: $49.99 USD

I can’t be the only person whose favorite character from the Marvel universe is Groot, and this set combines him with another favorite - Venom. You can build this s??et to be either half-venomized or completely venomized, allowing for some customization and variety if you decide to deconstruct and build the?? set again. 

Dobby the House Elf (Harry Potter)

Price: $34.99 USD

One for the Harry Potter fans, Dobby the House Elf doesn’t come alone. You also get a LEGO version of Tom Riddle’s Diary from The Chamber of Secrets, complete with soggy sock, and the cake which results in bars being put on Harry’s window. Dobby’s g?iant green eyes and happy smi?le are just too cute.

Everyone is Awesome

Price: $34.99 USD

The Everyone is Awesome set is definitely a display piece, with its rainbow backing and solid color minifigs. Designed by Matthew Aston, it’s a celebration of inclusivit?y, positivity and kindness. Even if it’s not designed to be played with, this one’s still a pretty cool set to have. Bonus points if you can avoid getting the song stuck in your head.

Dinosaur Fossils: T. Rex Skull (Jurassic World)

Price: $39.99 USD

Even if you’re not that much of a fan of the Jurassic World franchise (though I’m unsure how you couldn’t be, at least when it comes to the original movie), this set looks really nice sitting on a shelf. You get both the T. Rex footp??rint and fossilized skull to display, as well as a small plaque relaying details about real-life T. Rex. 

Isabelle’s House Visit (Animal Crossing)

Price: $39.99 USD

Part of the fairly recent inclusion of Animal Crossing as a LEGO collection, Isabelle’s House Visit includes not only the house and surrounding green??ery, but also a floating present and two minifigs - Isabelle and Fauna - which complete the scene. The set has only 389 pieces, so it's one? children can help with and enjoy dismantling just to put it back together again.

Orchid

Price: $49.99 USD

My fiancé purchased the Orchid set for me as a gift and we built it together, so I may be a little biased here, but I cannot overstate how good value this set is. It’s actually pretty big, standing at 15 inches tall, so it’s replaced the real plant on my dining table. I can attest that, as someone who is terrible at keeping houseplants alive, LEGO flowers are an excellent alternative!

Escape from the Lost Tomb (Indiana Jones)

Price: $39.99 USD

If you’re a fan of the Indiana Jones franchise, or Egyptian iconology, or just LEGO in general and hankering to build something, the Escape from the Lost Tomb ??set is good value for money. It has 600 pieces and, when built, has interactive parts which make it good for both kids and adults. 

Spider Tank (Star Wars)

Price: $49.99 USD

This mechanical spider from the Mandalorian comes with three minifigs: The Mandalorian himself, Grogu, and Bo-Katan Kryze. The Spider Tank itself has a shooting function, designed to fling tiny bits of LEGO across the living room for you to find hours later once the kids are in bed, so I’d argue that this one should be kept out of small kids, lest your fee??t feel the force of the LEGO step.

The Sword Outpost (Minecraft)

Price: $44.99 USD

I have to admit, my first thought when the Minecraft collection of LEGO was announced was, “What took them so long?� I mean, it’s a world built entirely from blocks so it just makes sense to make things from the game out of LEGO. Well, this is one of the sets now available from the Minecraft LEGO collection, including an oversized version of a Diamond Sword and multiple minifigs, li??ke the adorably blocky pig.

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Last week, many of us were excited to see the official reveal trailer of MachineGames' upcoming Indiana Jones title The Great Circle. But footage shown at Developer Direct last week appears to be hinting at the return of Quake.

During the showcase of the upcoming Indiana Jones release �at around the 11:35 mark �we see a quick shot of a whiteboard, covered in barely legible red ink. However, among these scrawls you can clearly make out the iconic logo from the first Quake game.

Just above that, it's also possible to make out the characters "AKE 6." Given that the first letter is almost cut off from the screen, it could be inferred that this is the other half of the wor?d "QUAKE."

Indy goes gothic

This could easily be nothing more than a throwaway reference, but the fact that it appears at all is interesting. Now, you don't need me to tell you that there's been no confirmation of any Quake proj?ects in the pipeline. At least none that we're aware of.

Having said that, with developer MachineGames taking the reins on the modern Wolfenstein titles �not to mention last year's Quake 2 remaster, in which the studio contributed new maps �no one would be surprised if the team turned its attention to the original Quake.

Whether this would be a reboot or a new entry cannot be said, but given that the number six is present in the Indiana Jones trailer, it could be a continuation. If you're thinking there are only four games in the Quake series, consider Quake Champions the fifth installment. Or even Enemy Territory: Quake Wars.

In any case, these are just rum?ors at the moment. Chances are, if anyone was going to bring the legendary FPS back, who better than id Software? But MachineGames would def??initely be a solid choice, so we'll just have to wait and see if the hidden clue in the video is more than just an Easter egg.

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Mi??crosoft is ready to get 2024 rolling. The company has announced that it will host an Xbox Developer Direct on January 18.

Xbox teased several of the projects that we'll be seeing during the January 18 Developer Direct. Amongst them are Obsidian Entertainment's Avowed, MachineGames' Indiana Jones title, and Ninja Theory's Senua’s Saga: Hellblade 2.

The Xbox Wire shed a few more details on what to expect from the event, including our first real look at Indiana Jones. The? Developer Direct will spend about 10 minutes on the project, which includes the first gameplay trailer and details ?on the title's setting and story.

There weren't really any details given for Hellblade 2's segment. Instead, the Xbox Wire says to expect a behind-the-scenes look at the game courtesy of Ninja Theory. We last saw the title at The Game Awards within an impressive new trailer and a release window confirmed for this year.

Avowed is getting a "deep dive into the gameplay experience" from Obsidian Entertainment. The studio will d?etail the game's Living Lands and the action RPG's "deep theme??s, dynamic gameplay, and thoughtful reactivity."

Also at the Developer Direct will be Oxide Games' Ara: History Untold. We'll get a new look at gameplay and features from the history strategy game crafted by veteran developers of the Civilization series.

Xbox also notes that there will be a standalone presentation from Zenimax Online Studios following the Developer Direct. Here you can expect details on The Elder Scrolls Online's 2024 roadmap, including a new ?zone, storyline, and gameplay features.

The Xbox D?eveloper Direct will stream on Xbox channels on Thursday, January 18 at 12:00 p.m. PST, 3:00 p.m. EST.

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Though Game Pass may pick up the slack

Both Starfield and MachineGames' Indiana Jones are going to be exclusives for the Xbox. As such, not only will a lot of PlayStation owners be pissed off they won't get to play either of these games, but some may question whether Microsoft?? has considered th??at this move will likely mean less sales.

However, the Xbox company has anticipated this, it seems. Screenshots from court documents used in the Microsoft vs. FTC case (as uploaded by games journalist Stephen Totilo) reveal that Tim Stuart, chief financial officer for the tech giant, believes exclus?ivity won't be a problem.

//twitter.com/stephent??otilo/status/1679307950706372611

In fact, Microsoft is confident both Starfield and Indiana Jones would sell "more than 10 million units" if they were going to be released on PlayStation. Testifying in court, Stuart said that the co?mpany had "evaluated exclusivity of ZeniMax [parent company of Bethesda] games in December 2020".

Ten million is a huge potential loss

Having said that, Microsoft is certain it can offset such a potential loss through Game Pass. By making Starfield and Indiana Jones? available on the Xbox cloud s??ervice, the company hopes to make up for not selling 10 million units via its biggest competitor.

In the g???rand scheme of things, it doesn't seem like Stuart or Microsoft are concerned about not being able to shift millions more on the PlayStation. Given the immense hype surrounding Bethesda's upcoming sci-fi RPG, there's no question about it being able to make a significant profit.

Starfield is due for release on September 6 for Xbox Series X|S and PC. If you want something to do until then, may we suggest this 1,000-page compendium?

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No Ticket

It has been a very, very long time since we last heard anything from Bethesda's exciting new Indiana Jones title, but?? we have some new news straig??ht from the horse's mouth �Though it might not be good news for everybody, with the reveal that the epic adventure will indeed be an Xbox/PC exclusive.

As reported by pundit Stephen Tolito, the revelation comes from no less than Bethesda Softworks own vice president, Pete Hines, who made the announcement during the preliminary questioning for the Microsoft vs. FTC lawsuit. According to Hines, Bethesda initially made a deal with IP owners Walt Disney to develop an Indiana Jones game for multiple platforms, but this was changed following Microsoft's acquisition of Bethesda, mirroring the circumstances surrounding the recently released (and maligned) Redfall.

//twitter.com/stephentotilo/status/167193974??529368883??2?s=20

As we have reported on many an occasion, The FTC's lawsuit against Microsoft has been filed in order to argue against the latter's proposed $67 billion purchase of publisher Activision Blizzard. This long-running and increasingly cumbersome deal has had to climb over many hurdles and walls on its way to fruition, with the FTC lawsuit set?? to prove one of its largest obstacles. While preliminary hearings are underway, the case will go to U.S. courts in August, though both parties will have the right to appeal regardless of the result.

We can very likely expect to ?hear more behind-the-curtain tidbits before the summer is through.

The as-yet-unnamed Indiana Jones title is currently?? in development for Xbox and PC at MachineGames.

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The former Darkness designer looks to make an Indy project

Game developer Jens Andersson, who's worked on projects like The Darkness and Chronicles of Riddick: Escape From Butcher Bay, is taking up a new role at MachineGames. Andersson is joining the team to work on its upcoming Indiana Jones game.

In a statement shared on Twitter and spotted by VGC, Andersson confirms he's joining the project as the Design Director on Indiana Jones. Andersson says that in 2009 he accepted an offer to lead design on an Indiana Jones project, but th??e game was cancelled before he got t?here.

"Now, I get a chance to do what I [originally] hoped to, but this time I get to do it with some of my oldest and best friends," said Andersson. "Joining MarchineGames is like coming home—amazing people I worked with during Riddick and Darkness, but also teemin??g with new ones, whose talent daily [blows] me away."

//www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZfVYgWYaHmE

Alongside Riddick and The Darkness, Andersson has also worked on Colors Live and the surprisingly fun Metroid-meets-pinball game Yoku's Island Express.

"I'm so excited about what we are building, and the way [we] get to do it—featuring one of the most iconic characters ever, in collaboration with my friends at Lucasfilm, published by one of the biggest publishers in the world, and doing it at an amazing studio like MachineGames," said Ande?rsson. "This will be something special."

A new adventure for Indiana Jones

The new Indiana Jones project was revealed to the public in 2021, and it's been fairly quiet since. MachineGames, of Wolfenstein fame, is developing the new take on Indy. Presumably, there are?? top men working on it. Top. Men.

It does seem like the new Indiana Jones is a ways off though. With a new design director on board, ??we'll hopefully start to see more of what MachineGames is putting together.

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