Indiana Jones and the Great Circle
Indiana Jones and the Great Circle
Game
Game2023
Heavy Burden
Developer Whale Rock Games
How does Sisyphus feel as he climbs to the top of the mountain? Tired from the weight of the stone, the scorching sun, and the steep climbs, he nevertheless continues on his way up. What awaits him there? From the Steam store page
182 reactions from 1 source (Steam reviews) · newest Oct 8, 2026 · last updated Oct 8, 2026 · How this works
Audience score
74
Fresh
135 positive · 47 negative
95% range 67–80%
| Source | + | − | = |
|---|---|---|---|
| Steam reviews | 135 | 47 | 0 |
Steam's own rating
Mostly Positive
327 of 422 reviews positive (all languages, per Valve)
What people are saying
Summary pending — the reactions are listed below.
Reactions
60 of 182 · most liked firstI want to like this game, but can't help feeling that it's quite redundant. You play as a weird amalgamation of the biblical Adam and Camus' version of Sisyphus, and are condemned to do floaty, uncomfortable first-person-platforming carrying not a boulder, but a sandstone brick. This, incidentally, removes all challenge or opportunities for fun mechanics from the game, because the whole idea behind the story of Sisyphus was that his boulder keeps rolling downhill, which I think could have had…
negative · reviewer's own thumbsView post →Where's the game? Load into a level, read some weird preachy text, carry your brick to the end, go to the next level. Boring aesthetic, boring gameplay, you'll spend almost the entirety of your time bored. At least it's cheap.
negative · reviewer's own thumbsView post →"Heavy Burden" makes you think about life issues, inspired by the philosophy of Albert Camus. The gameplay offers challenging challenges and challenges that require making decisions and rethinking life. The graphics and soundtrack create an atmosphere of tension. The essence of the game is to challenge the player for intellectual and emotional growth.
positive · reviewer's own thumbsView post →It's a game that tries to be deep and philosophical, but for me it was mostly sleep and headache inducing. Everything is way too white and bright, the chromatic aberration and motion blur are absolutely horrid and the character moves quite slowly. They tried to implement a good stamina gauge when you try to carry the rock you get tired after awhile, but that really makes the game much more annoying, as it happens way too often and doesn't really make sense when the rock doesn't even seem…
negative · reviewer's own thumbsView post →It's hard to say anything about the game. It's a walking sim, where you carry a stone with yourself, as an analogue to Sisyphus, and in the game it also symbolizes your guilt I think? Through the game you can push for two endings - religious (a much easier route, and you listen to Bible/religious excerpts as you light the fire at the end of a level to burn your rock - or the philosophical, where you use your stone (is it a guilt here too, or just a tool?) to smash entries to caves, read short…
negative · reviewer's own thumbsView post →This game is worth its price, but it is advisable to wait for a sale before purchasing it. The soundtracks are excellent
positive · reviewer's own thumbsView post →Okay, so you definitely want to know what you're getting into going into this in advance. At it's core, it is a 3D platformer with (optional) semi-permadeath. You can resume where you died if you fall off, but if your block falls...then restart the whole thing. Optionally though, you can turn this off and just restart the level if your block falls, rather than the whole game. There was only one time where I felt my death was "cheap", but it WAS on the last level. Basically, it was a new…
positive · reviewer's own thumbsView post →Youre just carrying a rock and reading texts from the bible, what a waste of time
negative · reviewer's own thumbsView post →My poor retinas (retinae?)
negative · reviewer's own thumbsView post →The game is addictive. I liked it. An interesting game that explores the myth of Sisyphus. Abstract and at times confusing, it's definitely something to think about!
positive · reviewer's own thumbsView post →This is a generic, unreal engine resource-hogging, student-made project. Completely unoptimized. You will carry a brick with you (till the end) that blocks the vision of the main walking path. On top of that the game wants you to do janky platforming with it. It is a walking simulator; the strategy, adventure, and logic store tags are misleading. Environmental design is ordinary. Made up of typical unreal engine assets:- shiny objects, plastic looking rock formations and vegetation.…
negative · reviewer's own thumbsView post →My eyeballs hurt. Everything is far too bright, the chromatic aberration and motion blur are disgusting. Boring aesthetic, there was nothing new or innovative or interesting. The movement of the character is slowly and the jumping is just weird for a platformer game, I don't even want to address the stamina gauge. I went in expect either philosophy or some mythology since they compare this to Sisyphus's journey. Instead I just get a lot of nearly (if not) biblical quotes and some random…
negative · reviewer's own thumbsView post →https://youtu.be/6jmwgteCmNQ Carry a brick around for long periods of time to make god happy.
negative · reviewer's own thumbsView post →A scam filled with incoherent religion-themed "philosophy". Has basically no actual gameplay, and you see the graphics - it's an asset flip. Good thing i got it as a part of a bundle with, you know, actual games in it. Do not even consider buying.
negative · reviewer's own thumbsView post →Ok. Hear me out on this one. The very short of it is that I would recommend this game. However, there are caveats to this. The game objective is to carry a brick to the end of the game. Sounds easy. However, if the brick was to fall or be crushed out of the map on default settings then you will restart close to the beginning of the game. This is similar to games such as 'Getting Over It' and 'Only Up' although there is no option to hit a safety net. The game itself will keep you going a…
positive · reviewer's own thumbsView post →2/10 hardly a game, mostly empty walking sim into the hidden game abyss with you
negative · reviewer's own thumbsView post →Heavy Burden is an indie adventure game with a unique premise: you carry a heavy burden that gives you special powers, but also makes it difficult to move around. The game is set in a beautiful and atmospheric world, and the puzzles are challenging and rewarding. The combat is also well-done, and the game offers a variety of different ways to approach each encounter. However, I would have liked to see: A more fleshed-out story. The game's premise is interesting, but I felt like the story…
positive · reviewer's own thumbsView post →Heavy Burden promised philosophical depth but delivers endless frustration – carrying that damn rock up crumbling platforms is pure torture, one slip and you're back to the start like a bad escort mission. Physics feel broken, controls unresponsive, camera janky. Camus vibes? More like rage-quit simulator. Short, repetitive, unpolished mess – wasted my time.
negative · reviewer's own thumbsView post →this game is not only strange and unusual but straight up hurts your eyes
negative · reviewer's own thumbsView post →I got this for free and want my money back
negative · reviewer's own thumbsView post →Damn, such a controversial game. I would like to say that this is a lazy project without anything new, that jsut uses Camu's thought without adding anything to it, but for some reason it just works. The whole idea is that you start over everytime you fail. That's what my gameplay looked like *oh, i'm on scene 4, what if i go there* - ♥♥♥♥ , start over *oh, i'm on scene 5* what if i use hard path and then jump down on easy one* - ♥♥♥♥, tilted at this point, but can not stop, cause i should…
positive · reviewer's own thumbsView post →Heavy Burden is a beautiful game with interesting gameplay. Climbing in Ancient world with a Rock to bring it to the top. Everything is so bright and clean. Definitely worth to play.
positive · reviewer's own thumbsView post →Surprised this is rated very positive. It's boring af. Unless you happen to like carrying bricks around.
negative · reviewer's own thumbsView post →bunnyhope which we deserve, cs go players will immediately understand what to do
positive · reviewer's own thumbsView post →A logical game with a philosophical bias twist that will not only make us think about life, but also allow us to bring the stone to the top, symbolizing the summit of our knowledge of existence. But we must be careful to choose the path, because our decisions will depend on the end of the game, and the surrounding world will allow us to relax and meditate.
positive · reviewer's own thumbsView post →Too much God for my liking.
negative · reviewer's own thumbsView post →Couldn't play for long as there doesn't appear to be a way to turn off camera sway off & no option to toggle sprint. Not a fan of everything being white everywhere you look at the start, especially on top of tons of fade to white screens for text. It says to use headphones, but doesn't appear to be that important at the start at least, as it's not even voiced. It looks good & feels smooth to run.
negative · reviewer's own thumbsView post →As Sisyphus climbs towards the mountaintop, he feels a mix of exhaustion, determination, and perhaps even a sense of despair. The weight of the rock he tirelessly carries uphill weighs heavily on him physically and mentally. The scorching sun adds to his discomfort, draining his energy and making his task even more arduous. Despite all this, Sisyphus continues on, pushing himself to endure the grueling ascent. What awaits him at the top is uncertain. Sisyphus may hold a glimmer of hope that…
positive · reviewer's own thumbsView post →This game is ENTIRELY about absurdist philosophy and "The Myth of Sisyphus," by Albert Camus (as far as I can tell.) If that doesn't interest you and/or you aren't already familiar I would not recommend trying this game. Outside of the philosophical text this game is a platformer where you carry a heavy rock. You can go off the beaten path for some extras, but it's mostly straight forward mechanically and honestly not that engaging. The game also has a heavy reset penalty for failure, which…
negative · reviewer's own thumbsView post →I hit the box but I'm not totally sure if I got this game for free or not. It literally just appeared in my library one day and I had no recollection of buying or claiming it in any way, truly bizarre, just like game itself. It wound up being a semi-decent platformer that just left me more confused than satisfied. If you're an exploration head like me it's not hard to accidentally get the "secret" ending your first go. Is it good? Eh. is it fun? Well, I 100%'ed it if that means anything.
positive · reviewer's own thumbsView post →Overall, "Heavy Burden" is an intriguing indie adventure simulation game that offers a unique and challenging experience. If you're looking for a game that combines resource management, decision-making, and exploration in a dystopian setting, "Heavy Burden" might be a great choice for you.
positive · reviewer's own thumbsView post →Short platformer about carrying a rock to different altars. Underwhelming ending.
positive · reviewer's own thumbsView post →You're going to need it: + fast reaction time + dexterity + stress resistance and a little luck ^^
positive · reviewer's own thumbsView post →extremely relaxing atmosphere throughout the game, wonderful soundtrack
positive · reviewer's own thumbsView post →this game obviously didn't get me at all. It's all too boring, you're just carrying a rock and trying not to drop it, it's boring
negative · reviewer's own thumbsView post →r/im14andthisisdeep
negative · reviewer's own thumbsView post →The game offers players the opportunity to immerse themselves in Albert Camus's philosophy, expressed through the metaphor of ancient Greek myth. The central idea is to understand and overcome difficulties by lifting a stone to the top of a mountain. Each step becomes not only a physical challenge but also a profound inner search. The gameplay incorporates elements of choice, allowing players to understand the consequences of their decisions—both in the game and in life. This creates a unique…
positive · reviewer's own thumbsView post →A truly remarkable game! Heavy Burden delivers a unique philosophical experience, drawing inspiration from Albert Camus' "The Myth of Sisyphus." The gameplay prompts deep reflection on life, while the atmospheric visuals and music create an immersive, contemplative mood. It's satisfying to see that choices impact the ending. A highly unusual and profound project.
positive · reviewer's own thumbsView post →Quite and Interesting game especially after understanding all the prayers that you can find in the caves.
positive · reviewer's own thumbsView post →Heavy Burden Positives: + Nice idea + Very philosophic + Atmospheric + Relaxing and "exhausting" at the same time + Good sounds and music + Some of the graphics look good + Two different endings + The "only the story" difficulty Negatives: - The classic difficulty - Some of the graphics are too simple and not great looking - Overly use of effects that make the game look worse - Some places are too bright, some are too dark - Cant disable head-bob - No FOV-adjuster This was an atmospheric…
positive · reviewer's own thumbsView post →good idea, nice concept, meh story. It gave a really bad headache after 15 minutes of playing, got to the second level before my head hurt to the point where i couldn't play. if you like stories don't play this game its very difficult to figure it out just from the game.
negative · reviewer's own thumbsView post →A profound little game that muses the nature of life, death, and mental transcendence. I'm struggling to put into words how razor-sharp this game is in its intent. From its gameplay, to its presentation, its message. Everything has an acute sense of what's trying to convey. Even the gameplay, which feels tacked on, has a very specific goal that goes along with the overall theme. It is excellent in this regard. The unfortunate truth, however, is that due to its presentation and gameplay, the…
positive · reviewer's own thumbsView post →The game is very pleasing to the eye, the picture is high quality. The game's soundtrack is simply amazing and pleasant to the ears. I'm happy with the game, I give it 10 out of 10!
positive · reviewer's own thumbsView post →The graphics are well drawn. A good game for relaxation and a little fun. There is no need to think in the game! We need to rest!
positive · reviewer's own thumbsView post →Игра была бы прикольно если бы ее была долгая заставка
negative · reviewer's own thumbsView post →Unique philosophical game inspired by Camus. Great atmosphere and music. Short but makes you think
positive · reviewer's own thumbsView post →I think this is my best exciting game in a while. the game looks simple, but the meaning is much deeper than it might seem at first glance. In addition to all this, the game has a very pleasant atmosphere and soundtrack, no need to strain yourself.
positive · reviewer's own thumbsView post →An atmospheric and meditative game, though not entirely straightforward. I don't think the meaning of the game will be clear to everyone. There is a bit of a challenge in climbing to the very top of the mountain. I played through it in one sitting and thoroughly enjoyed it.
positive · reviewer's own thumbsView post →Sisyphean labor is now in the game! If Sisyphus could avoid pushing a rock uphill, he'd play a game about pushing a rock uphill!
positive · reviewer's own thumbsView post →A calm and soothing game where you can spend time without unnecessary stress. Interesting puzzles and relaxed gameplay will help you unwind.
positive · reviewer's own thumbsView post →interesting game in Egyptian style. I liked it) I recommend it!
positive · reviewer's own thumbsView post →Heavy Burden lives up to its name. It is a deep and atmospheric game where the physical burden on the protagonist's shoulders metaphorically reflects his emotional state. The unique gameplay and dark graphics create a unique sense of depression and determination at the same time.
positive · reviewer's own thumbsView post →a lot of religious nonsense and the controls do not respond quickly. not worth the low price on sale.
negative · reviewer's own thumbsView post →The game is currently 95% off, and that is the only price at which I could say it's ok enough. It is a 1.5 hr simplistic "student project" kind of game, where you carry a rock by holding it with LMB, dropping it after jumping a few platforms, as otherwise it drops by itself after some stamina is used. There are no other controls really, you run around, jump on very minimalistic platforms, dodge a hydraulic press here and there, and activate a moving platform by clicking on it, once you drop…
negative · reviewer's own thumbsView post →the price for this game is a joke, i lasted 10min and had to quit.
negative · reviewer's own thumbsView post →The passive resistance, as Camus said: One must Imagine Sisyphus happy", would eventually become the active action that breaks the walls around, and you will climb up to the top, you will witness the beauty of this ridiculous world from its reflection under infinite galaxy. And you will think: I'm happy, satisfied, as well as Sisyphus feels at every moment of his life.
positive · reviewer's own thumbsView post →This game is a Heavy Burden to play alright. Very slow clunky game with visuals that gave me headache oof.
negative · reviewer's own thumbsView post →Last levels really get the GPU going. Was fun for the couple bucks I spent. Not overly difficult with permadeath setting on.
positive · reviewer's own thumbsView post →This really is the perfect Sisyphus simulator game I've been so desperate to find. I wouldn't recommend this game if you're looking for an in depth story, but if you want a game where you can walk around exactly how you want, and like literally exactly how you want, down to the strides you do at the pace you choose, then this game is as close to perfect as its gets.
positive · reviewer's own thumbsView post →Very bad motion blur and ligthing, playing makes me sick to my stomach. Game tries to be philisophical while talking about God's will, but it falls short to be anything memorable. Other reviews make it sound like the further into the game you go, the worse it gets. The idea is nice, but it wasn't for me.
negative · reviewer's own thumbsView post →
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