You’re probably standing in the middle of the Belvedere Courtyard right now, wondering why a young priest with a talkative parrot is suddenly the most important person in Rome. It’s a valid question.
Indiana Jones and the Great Circle: The Order of Giants isn't just some extra padding for the main campaign. It is a dense, five-hour deep dive into the weirdest corner of the game's lore: the Nephilim. If you’ve finished the base game, you know Locus is a mountain of a man, but the DLC actually explores the "why" behind the giants. It basically turns 1930s Rome into a giant archaeological layers-cake.
One minute you’re punching Blackshirts in the face. The next, you're waist-deep in the Cloaca Maxima sewers. Honestly, the smell alone would probably kill a lesser man, but Indy just keeps his hat on and keeps moving.
Why the Timing of The Order of Giants Actually Matters
There is a lot of debate on Reddit about when you should actually play this. Technically, you can fast-travel back to the Vatican at any point to meet Father Ricci, but the narrative "sweet spot" is right after you first meet Gina.
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The developers at MachineGames designed this to slot into the timeline of that one very long day Indy spends at the Holy See. If you play it after beating the game, it feels a bit like a flashback. If you play it too early, you might miss some gear that makes life easier—like the lighter you find in Giza.
Starting the Quest
- Reach the Vatican City map.
- Complete the objective "Bring the Parchment to Antonio" in the "Stolen Cat Mummy" mission.
- Look for a new Fieldwork entry called "A Mystery Begins."
- Find Father Ricci (and his parrot, Pio) near the Belvedere Courtyard.
Ricci isn’t just looking for gold. He’s obsessed with the "Nameless Crusader," a giant from the First Crusade whose armor is supposedly hidden under a palace. It sounds like a typical treasure hunt until you realize the Cult of Mithras is involved. These guys aren't just your run-of-the-mill thugs; they’re a secretive, all-male society that’s been around since the Roman Empire, and they are pissed that you’re poking around.
The Puzzles are Way Harder Than the Base Game
If you thought the main game's puzzles were a breeze, The Order of Giants is going to give you a headache. In a good way. The room-scale puzzles here are tactile. You aren't just pressing "E" to interact; you're rotating platforms based on ancient constellations and directing water through Roman drains to reveal hidden slabs.
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Take the Serpent Puzzle in the sewers. It’s a multi-stage nightmare that requires you to manipulate the water flow of the Cloaca Maxima itself. If you get stuck, remember to check the numbers hidden behind the wine bottles on the shelves nearby. The code 5742 is a lifesaver for one of the safes in Father Ricci’s quarters.
The DLC also introduces the Tomb of Gibborim and the Headless Gladiator puzzles. These involve the lore of the "Cretan Bull," a giant gladiator from Nero's time who the Cult of Mithras basically worships as a god. It’s dark, it’s cramped, and it feels much more like a classic dungeon crawler than the wide-open spaces of Giza or the Himalayas.
Fighting the Cult and the Blackshirts
Combat in Rome is a mess, mostly because you're constantly in tight corridors. You’ll be facing off against Mussolini’s Blackshirts and the new Mithraic cultists. The cultists love to strike from the shadows, making the Zippo lighter your best friend.
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One thing that’s kinda cool: the difficulty scales. If you jump into the DLC late in your playthrough, the enemies will be significantly tougher than if you started it right away. It keeps the "Brawler" mechanics fresh, even if you’ve already mastered the whip-and-punch combo.
Is it Worth the Detour?
Look, some people think it’s "tacked-on" because it doesn’t change the ending of the Great Circle. But if you care about the history of the Nephilim—the descendants of fallen angels who protect the world's secrets—this is essential. You get to see the tomb of Junia, a female giant, and piece together how these massive figures served the Popes for centuries.
It’s about four to six hours of content depending on how much you care about finding every single Mithraic artifact or "The Nasty Croissant" (yes, that is a real collectible).
Actionable Next Steps:
- Get the Lighter First: Even though the DLC starts in the Vatican, play through the first bit of Giza to get the lighter. It makes the sewer sections 100% less frustrating.
- Check the Books: In the secret passage to Ricci’s hideout, the pull order for the books is 2-1-3. Don't waste time guessing.
- Equip Stealth Perks: Much of the Rome map allows for "blending in," but the DLC areas (like the Mithraeum) are restricted. Stealth is your best friend here.
- Explore the Colosseum: Don't just rush the markers. The ruins of the Colosseum in this game are some of the most detailed environments MachineGames has ever built.
Don't ignore the notes scattered around. The letter from Father Borgnino about the "Gold Dagger of Mithras" adds a layer of historical conspiracy that makes the eventual showdown in the sewers feel earned.