Indiana Jones and the Great Circle Update Enhances Ray Tracing on Xbox

The latest adventure on Xbox, featuring everyone’s favorite archaeologist, just got a little more polished. Indiana Jones and the Great Circle received an exciting update, as announced by MachineGames and Bethesda Softworks. According to the patch notes released on Tuesday, several bug fixes have been made, including addressing blockers that previously hindered players’ journey. Additionally, there are improvements tailored for specific platforms, such as resolving DLSS issues on PC.

For those with an Xbox Series X|S, the update promises enhanced ray tracing, bringing a more natural lighting effect, eliminating those shockingly bright patches seen earlier. Below are the detailed patch notes for Update 2:

General Changes:
They’ve resolved issues with game slots falsely appearing damaged or missing when, in fact, everything’s fine.

Gameplay Tweaks:
Problems like being unable to equip Indy’s trusty whip or inadvertently stuck with the camera permanently out have been fixed. They also addressed the odd case of dropping the camera while quickly equipping other items.

Graphics Adjustments:
No more "double vision" freeze-ups on screen when Indy narrowly escapes drowning. For anyone who has faced this issue, just repeating the scenario should correct it. They’ve also fine-tuned to cut down on the "stutter" during cutscenes.

Missions and Quests (Spoiler Alert):
Gina should now reliably approach the secret doorway of the Vatican’s hidden treasure chamber, preventing progression hiccups. She’s also now patient enough not to rush through lock-picking tasks before you’ve taken in all the crucial story narratives. Plus, they’ve filled a substantial gap in the floor around the Ziggurat in Sukhothai to keep players from unexpectedly plummeting through.

PC-Specific Updates:
For PC users, issues with Nvidia DLSS affecting performance are now resolved. Other tweaks include ensuring Nvidia Frame Generation and Low Latency Mode function correctly, and fixing overly bright lighting in interiors when Path Tracing is set at medium to high quality. Be aware, though, that enabling HDR for the first time might disable Nvidia Frame Generation temporarily; a simple disable-and-reenable of DLSS solves this, and it’s a one-time fix.

Xbox-Exclusive Enhancements:
Global illumination has seen improvements, fixing shadow anomalies that made them brighter than intended.

What a Game!
I’ve got to hand it to MachineGames for their commitment to enhancing Indiana Jones and the Great Circle continuously. Many players, especially those just jumping on board with the Xbox Series X sale, will appreciate these updates.

I must say, I am a fan of the team’s dedication to integrating ray tracing into the gaming experience, even though it’s a topic of debate. The advances in lighting, even at the lower settings, are simply remarkable.

Reflecting on my review of Indiana Jones and the Great Circle, I noted: "With its captivating exploration, hazard-filled puzzles, and unexpected plot twists, Indiana Jones and the Great Circle is bound to thrill anyone with a hankering for classic adventure"—and these updates only make it better.