Indiana Jones and the Great Circle
Indiana Jones and the Great Circle
Game
Game2025
Grid Ranger
Developer Pixeljam
Level up your mouse dexterity and see what lies beyond the grid in this heart-pounding arcade style shmuplike. From the Steam store page
48 reactions from 3 sources (Steam reviews, Bluesky, Mastodon) · newest Jun 27, 2026 · last updated Oct 8, 2026 · How this works
Audience score
83
LovedLoved
35 positive · 7 negative
95% range 69–92%
| Source | + | − | = |
|---|---|---|---|
| Steam reviews | 35 | 7 | 0 |
| Bluesky * | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Mastodon * | 0 | 0 | 0 |
* shown, not counted in the score (label accuracy below our 85% bar or not yet audited).
6 newer reactions are still waiting for a label.
Steam's own rating
Very Positive
42 of 50 reviews positive (all languages, per Valve)
What people are saying
Summary pending — the reactions are listed below.
Reactions
48 of 48 · most liked firstGrid Ranger is a nice short shoot'em up with vector graphics in the style of 80s arcade games. You control your ship with a mouse or (Wacom) pen. Dodge obstacles and destroy stuff. Each level ends with a boss fight with three levels in total. Once you reach the next level you can start from it. The bosses of the first two levels are above ground but the final one goes underground making it hard to see where to aim at first. There's a spray coming off the boss you can track. Hitting the boss…
positive · reviewer's own thumbsView post →It's great! The visuals are really nice and the projectiles react to everything, not just the breakable objects so it feels really "responsive" if you get me. It's also hard! You control your ship with your mouse so you may think it will make things easier but it doesn't, it just lets the game be harder! It kinda feels like what I would imagine laser arcade games were back in the day. Cheap, simple, and cool. Recommended! PS. It would be really great for it to be a harder mode that punishes…
positive · reviewer's own thumbsView post →TL;DR: 5/10, might be worth giving a try if you are into such games. The game isn't very good, but it's not that bad either. For quite a long time I wasn't sure if I want to give this game a positive review and I wish I could give a mixed one. Let's start from the good: ● Fast paced ● Smooth movement ● Autofire to save you from carpal tunnel syndrome ● Nice graphics ● Simple, challenging gameplay Now, there are few things that are rather questionable game design decision, mostly regarding…
positive · reviewer's own thumbsView post →Simple yet addicting gameplay with minimalist 3D vector graphics in the style of classic 80's arcade games
positive · reviewer's own thumbsView post →I like the vector look of this, but the gameplay doesn't do it for me. I find it too hard to dodge enemy projectiles. I tried a trackpad and an Xbox One controller. Both worked. For something similar but better, see Race the Sun. https://youtu.be/hLd6OxWITi8
negative · reviewer's own thumbsView post →This is so ridiculously fantastic. It's like a film was made in 1986 which featured fantastical and impossible gameplay and music, and someone then just made that game for real. It's hard and nostalgic and amazing.
positive · reviewer's own thumbsView post →The constantly shifting play field means that I never felt like I was actually in control of where I was located or where I was going, which made dodging feel frustratingly random. Pass.
negative · reviewer's own thumbsView post →No controller support but more importantly no way to lessen the mouse sensitivity below 100% in game. No level select or check-pointing so it's 1 cc all the time. Never came across life regains.
negative · reviewer's own thumbsView post →This game shouldn't come with an epilepsy warning. It should come with an epilepsy threat.
positive · reviewer's own thumbsView post →This game is very retro pretty, and I do like the engine style. Vector graphics are nostalgic, that classic arcade feel. What I don't like is... the game. It is not fun. At all. What so ever. The controls are stupid. I feel like I have to fight the wonky movement more than the enemies in the game. This really needed more time in the oven before releasing to early access. Maybe I'll check it out again after it goes full release, but for now it gets uninstalled.
negative · reviewer's own thumbsView post →So this is more of a request and I wanted to see what people think. This is made by the same people who made "Utopia Must Fall". Another "retro themed/stle shooter game". In there, there is a visual option to simulate various styles of monitors from around the world and in history. I particularly like the Orange CRT monitor version and the "Sharpie" version, where it looks like you are playing on a white-board and it's sooooo cool. Can you guys do that same thing with this game? I would…
positive · reviewer's own thumbsView post →LIVE, got a new game from keymailer, checking out Grid Ranger today! twitch.tv/inhumanbaron #vtuber #twitch does the #keymailer tag work here? idk
unlabelledView post →initial review: yikes that was a very difficult experience and i doubt i'll be able to improve much with a game as punishing as this one. (followed by a lot of ♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥ regarding the difficulty of the game) UPDATE: i wanted accessibility options. i got accessibility options. other mechanics were improved as well. now i can enjoy the game. its friggin awesome. hopefully we can get some similar changes for UTOPIA MUST FALL? perhaps we already have. i'll have to check. to the dev: thanks for…
positive · reviewer's own thumbsView post →Neat mouse-controlled shmup that is short but quite hard. There are 3 levels that once unlocked, let you restart from them, so no worries about beating the entire thing in one sitting — though, you can for the 1cc achievement if you want. Also has a hardcore difficulty in the settings that offers a nice difficulty bump and second set of achievements *without* resorting to a 1hp limit. Easy recommend at full price, even more so on any sale.
positive · reviewer's own thumbsView post →We're live tonight @5:30 Eastern with GRID RANGER: the latest vector-style retro-themed game from @pixeljamgames.bsky.social, the makers of Utopia Must Fall!
unlabelledView post →Grid Ranger is a fun and challenging shoot em up! I really enjoyed it! 9/10
positive · reviewer's own thumbsView post →Short, fun, but just challenging enough arcade game as you move through the grid. Oh, and you fight... A GRID ITSELF! Can we get more V99 games, please?
positive · reviewer's own thumbsView post →Very fun short game, I do recommend people pick it up and play it a bit. :3
positive · reviewer's own thumbsView post →Short version, it's just SO good! Super smooth gameplay, retro vector graphics, and a surprisingly chill soundtrack come together to make a cozy arcade shooter! Plus the checkpoints are just often enough that it's not punishing if you're just playing to chill out <3 Plus I love references to obscure old consoles. Like the Vectrex! ----- You can see some gameplay down below, if you want! https://youtu.be/ik5z_VuKH5w
positive · reviewer's own thumbsView post →Small review. Recommended!
positive · reviewer's own thumbsView post →Some gorgeous vector graphics on display here that fill you up with 80s nostalgia with challenging but rewarding game progression, you always feel you've moved that little bit further ahead on each attempt and nobody's mentioned that soundtrack yet, thumping banger if I've ever heard one! All for less than the price of a cappuccino, highly recommended.
positive · reviewer's own thumbsView post →For Your Consideration's 2024 season ends tonight with a three-game blowout! 😆 The three games are: - Grid Ranger (@pixeljamgames.bsky.social) - Wilmot Works It Out (@finjico.bsky.social) - Yugo: the non-game (In Two Minds Studio) — — — — — — — — — [FYC: 2024 FINAL THREE] TONIGHT @ 8PM ET
unlabelledView post →Grid Ranger is a shmup arcade game featuring some fantastic vector graphics pixeljam.itch.io/grid-ranger
unlabelledView post →Very nice small arcade game. Really challenging, the art looks fantastic in motions, and it's got some nice music too
positive · reviewer's own thumbsView post →This is a nice little retro linear shmup. Once you beat the first boss, it has an Infinite mode, which I found to be quite satisfying. The game works on my Steam Deck after choosing a workable controller scheme in the Deck UI and on the PC, though it is easier to play with a mouse on the PC, which is its intended user interface anyway. I got it at quite a discount on Fanatical in a bundle, so I'm happy with the value for the money spent.
positive · reviewer's own thumbsView post →Cripes, I love this.
positive · reviewer's own thumbsView post →Played this back in pre-release and after the formal 1.0 drop. You can see my first play on Youtube here -- https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0JRDPhIraUg This is a fairly straight-forward arcade shooter. In the 80's style grid format, it is fast and furious shooter. You control your Ranger through various levels, dodging obstacles, enemies and bullets to find out the secret of the Grid. Very much a one-handed game, schlep around with your mouse and shoot everything in your path and chase the…
positive · reviewer's own thumbsView post →The last major update for @pixeljamgames.bsky.social's Grid Ranger dropped today bringing the game out of Early Access. Scroll forward into the screen while dodging and shooting everything may not be the deepest gameplay experience but it's definitely a lot of fun. hardcoregamer.com/grid-ranger-...
unlabelledView post →Old school style game. Great music and straight forward game play. Takes me back to the laundromat
positive · reviewer's own thumbsView post →Play here: https://youtu.be/1iAV5_j1mF0 Definitely a fun replayable game I'm glad that they actually let you start from the next level if you make it. A super fast arcade game where it feels like you're improving as you play I'm not sure if it's already been patched, but when I played a lot of the enemies would float off screen which wasn't a huge deal, but sometimes made it a bit difficult to know where the projectiles were coming from.
positive · reviewer's own thumbsView post →From the visuals to the sound, everything about this game mesh perfectly together. It's easy to pick up and very quick. I found myself going through a few rounds in a matter of minutes. It's not intended to slowly progress through, just quick and easy. Even the "boss" follows suite with its voice and attack patterns. There is currently no leader board so the only thing you have to compete with is your own high score. Worth picking up as its a small price for a small package with endless fun
positive · reviewer's own thumbsView post →Intense, love the vector graphics and fast gameplay
positive · reviewer's own thumbsView post →The neon grid aesthetic screams arcade tron but the gameplay is just repetitive shooting and movement that never evolves past the first five minutes.
negative · reviewer's own thumbsView post →https://youtu.be/f2n_kINgJsg Arcade runner with limited depth and complexity.
negative · reviewer's own thumbsView post →Grid Ranger is a tightly focused arcade-style shoot ’em up developed and published by Pixeljam that embraces minimalism, intensity, and precision over breadth or narrative ambition. From its opening moments, the game makes its intentions clear: this is a distilled, high-adrenaline experience built around reflexes, spatial awareness, and mastery of movement. Rather than overwhelming players with systems or progression layers, Grid Ranger strips the genre back to its essentials and challenges you…
positive · reviewer's own thumbsView post →Controls are horrible for the Deck and just bad on the PC. Not worth the time to download.
negative · reviewer's own thumbsView post →Get it on sale for 2 bucks and its a fun and very visualy unique game.
positive · reviewer's own thumbsView post →game runs well on new operating system and no longer is unplayable! Nice!
positive · reviewer's own thumbsView post →Simple yet difficult arcard game.
positive · reviewer's own thumbsView post →An excellent arcade style shooter that has the player travelling into the screen at a fast pace and shooting enemies / avoiding obstacles. The design evokes the feeling of 1980's nostalgia with wire-frame style graphics and bright neon colours throughout. Of course, 1980's games never actually looked this good, but it captures the feeling of that time and style. The music is excellent - again, evoking the memory of the 1980's with the synth soundtrack, but it has a more modern production…
positive · reviewer's own thumbsView post →simple and nice :) very very difficult though.
positive · reviewer's own thumbsView post →This is very fun retro arcade-style game that's perfect for unwinding when you've just got a short time to sit and play something. The graphics style is a really nice callback to vector-based graphics of olden days, but the gameplay is timeless. I think my grandkids will be playing games based on the same shmup framework. When you complete a level, you get a shortcut to the next level on your main menu, which is awesome. That, plus the relatively short levels, keep this from being a huge…
positive · reviewer's own thumbsView post →Grid Ranger is a tough-as-nails, high-speed, obstacle-dodging racing/shooting game with some sweet vector graphics and fitting retro music. You'll die, a lot, but beating a level is really satisfying. If you're a masochistic games, odds are good you'll enjoy Grid Ranger. There's a boss fight at the end of each level. It's bloody hard - I've beaten the 2nd level (a feat only ~3.6% have achieved, apparently!), and I'm still trying to beat the game. For more niche curation, follow me at:…
positive · reviewer's own thumbsView post →i picked this game up on a whim, partly because of the price tag, partly because i like their previous game (utopia must fall). i don't think it's bad, but i do think it is a bit unremarkable. it doesn't really do anything to stand out other than go for a retro aesthetic - by that i mean, no particular interesting mechanic other than trying to score. the simplicity is both good (expectations are set, and it lets you grind it) and bad (no particular display of skill require other than the will…
positive · reviewer's own thumbsView post →atari gaming 🕹
positive · reviewer's own thumbsView post →If you liked 'Utopia Must Fall' you will defiantly like this game. Still presents a little bare bones but the game play and satisfyingness is already there in bucket loads. Great music, graphics and sound effects. Cool, fast and addictive.
positive · reviewer's own thumbsView post →Looks and sounds amazing! Short but replayable and priced accordingly. I look forward to any additions made to it in the future but I already thinks it's fun to play.
positive · reviewer's own thumbsView post →LIVE NOW! Checking out #gridranger and #SteamWorldHeistII! I may play a bit of Halls of Torment and end the night with some World of Warcraft as per usual! Sunday stream! 1/2
unlabelledView post →
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