No, that’s not really Harrison Ford you’re hearing inIndiana Jones and the Great Circle- but you’re not alone if you can’t tell the difference. Although role originator Harrison Ford has portrayed the derring-do adventurer on screen as recently as 2023’sThe Dial of Destiny, he doesn’t lend his voice toLucasfilm and Machine Games' recent adaptation. Instead, the video game Indy is played by prolific voice actor Troy Baker, best known for portraying Joel Miller inThe Last of Us, Booker DeWitt inBioshock Infinite, and Sam Drake inUncharted, among many others.
Reddit userMixedMartialLawrecently shared a comparison of the two actors' work, promptingmany players to comment on Baker’s near-perfect recreation of Ford’s performance. In a three-minute video, the original post juxtaposes similar lines from theIndiana Jonesfilms andThe Great Circle, allowing players to hear their tones, inflections, and pronunciations side by side. The results are unbelievable, with Baker managing so much more than a simple Indy impression - even if it’s not always perfect.
Harrison Ford Will Always Be Indiana Jones, But Troy Baker Did A Wonderful Job
Fans Compare Indy Performances
The general player consensus on Baker’s performance is deservedly positive - even Harrison Ford himself gave him props during The Game Awards 2024. Most acknowledge thatBaker did an excellent job of imitating Ford’s manner of speaking as Indiana Jones, matching his vocal fry and tendency to mumble. Even when he raises his voice, he sounds almost exactly like Ford in Indy’s more emotional scenes. Players likeKavorklesteinsay it’s nearly impossible to tell the difference, even when listening to the two performances side by side.
Others, likeepidipnis, acknowledged that, while Baker’s performance is excellent, his Harrison Ford impression isn’t the only reason he works in the role.The game’s dialogue also deserves its share of the credit, as Indy can’t sound like Indy if he has a different manner of speaking. His muted excitement at putting the pieces together, his authoritative tone when expounding on history, his tongue-in-cheek quips at bested rivals are all perfectly intact, and go a long way towards makingThe Great Circlethe perfectIndiana Jonesgame.
Still, Baker’s performance isn’t perfect, and that’s more noticeable in some sections of the game than in others. Indy isn’t known for being the most excitable character, but occasionally, when he discovers something truly incredible, there’s often a muted sense of excitement in his voice - barely detectable, but undeniably there.TheDarkWarriorBlakesaysBaker failed to deliver on this aspect at times, which, while not an inherent flaw in the performance, is noticeably different from Ford’s take on the role.
Buteven this comment is overwhelmingly positive on Baker’s performance, calling it “a big contributor to why the game works.” That much is true: part of what makesThe Great Circleso great is that it really feels like anIndiana Jonesfilm, just interactive and drawn out to a much longer runtime.
Our Take: Indiana Jones And The Great Circle Is A Standout 2024 Title
And Troy Baker’s Performance Is No Small Part
It’s no secret thatIndiana Jones and the Great Circlehas been a critical and commercial success, and Troy Baker’s performance has no small part in that. From top to bottom,everything about it looks, feels, and sounds like anIndiana Jonesmovie, including the performance of its lead actor.
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Its success has prompted just about everyone to call for more games like it. Its astronomical sales numbers mean Disney higher-ups alike want moreIndiana Jonesgames; others hopeit’ll start an imsim renaissance. Both fan and critical reactions have been positive across the board, which meansthere’s likely to be more Indy coming soon.
But withFord officially retired from playing Indy, Baker’s voice is more important than ever. It’s almost a certainty that, in any futureIndiana Jonesvideo game projects, Baker will reprise his role. That means his performance is important to more than justIndiana Jones and the Great Circlespecifically - it could launch an entirely new kind of series revival.
Sources:MixedMartialLaw/Reddit,Kavorklestein/Reddit,epidipnis/Reddit,TheDarkWarriorBlake/Reddit
Indiana Jones and the Great Circle
Indiana Jones and the Great Circle is a first-person action-adventure game developed by the creative team at MachineGames. Set in 1937 between Raiders of the Lost Ark and The Last Crusade, players take on the role of the titular globe-trotting adventurer/archaeology professor Dr. Indiana Jones, as he races across the world to stop a dangerous organization from utilizing the power of the mystical Great Circle.
