The Indiana Jones franchise has had its fair share of memorable side characters over the last few decades, many for the right reasons, and some for the wrong. Karen Allen's Marion Ravenwood belongs to the former camp, being widely regarded as one of the best supporting acts in franchise history, with her presence in Raiders of the Lost Ark, Kingdom of the Crystal Skull, and even her very brief cameo in Dial of Destiny all being highlights of their respective movies.
While Indiana Jones and the Great Circle tells its own standalone story, it has plenty of ties to the movies that are set around it. This includes some major references to Marion Ravenwood, one of which finally answers a burning question fans have been asking since the 1980s.
Indiana Jones and the Great Circle Is a First-Person Game, But It’s Still a Third-Person Story
Indiana Jones and the Great Circle immerses players in first-person gameplay, and yet unfolds its narrative through third-person storytelling.
Indiana Jones and the Great Circle Was Right to Address Marion and Indy's Relationship
Indiana Jones and the Great Circle Answers a Long-Standing Series Question
At the end of Raiders of the Lost Ark, Indy and Marion walk off into the sunset, their love for one another rekindled and their intense adventure behind them. While Temple of Doom was the next movie to release, it's actually a prequel, meaning Marion's absence made complete sense. But when The Last Crusade hit theaters in 1989, Marion Ravenwood was still nowhere to be seen.
Marion's sudden disappearance was questioned by fans for almost two decades, right up until her return in 2008's Indiana Jones and the Crystal Skull. Here, it was revealed that Indy walked out on Marion just a week before their wedding. But in typical Indy fashion, rather than give a proper reason behind his abandonment, he deflects with humor and vague quips.
It's never been confirmed exactly why Indy left Marion before their wedding, that is until now. In Indiana Jones and the Great Circle, it's finally revealed that Indy left Marion in order to go on a sudden expedition to Siwa, where he found an ancient cat mummy. After a few months, Indy returned home, but Marion wasn't there to greet him.
Based on what Indiana Jones and the Great Circle tells fans, it seems as though Indy simply wasn't ready to settle down and abandon his life of adventuring, and rather than confront that issue head-on, he decided to just run away. While it's great to finally have an official explanation, the more interesting aspect is that it allows Indiana Jones and the Great Circle to begin its story with a more emotionally vulnerable protagonist than fans are used to.
Indiana Jones and the Great Circle Uses Marion's Absence to Deliver a More Complex Indy
With the fate of Marion and Indy's relationship being revealed within the game's opening hour, Indiana Jones and the Great Circle hits the ground running with its exploration of Indy's character. When the Siwa cat mummy is stolen from Marshall College, Indy immediately starts packing for a trip to retrieve it. In his briefcase, he finds a note from Marion written before the two separated.
The note clearly affects Indy's emotional state, and his friend and colleague Marcus attempts to discuss the real reason Indy seems so scatterbrained. Indy deflects, and upon being told he can't just keep running away from his problems, Indy retorts "Watch me," and leaves for the Vatican. Putting Indy in a vulnerable, fallible spot adds quite a bit of depth to his character right out of the gate. That vulnerability continues to crop up throughout the story, often being used as a weapon by antagonist Emmerich Voss.
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OpenCritic Reviews
- Top Critic Avg: 87 /100 Critics Rec: 94%
- Released
- December 9, 2024
- ESRB
- T For Teen // Blood and Gore, Drug Reference, Mild Language, Violence
- Developer(s)
- MachineGames
- Publisher(s)
- Bethesda
- Engine
- id Tech 7
- Franchise
- Indiana Jones
- Number of Players
- 1
WHERE TO PLAY
Uncover one of history’s greatest mysteries in Indiana Jones and the Great Circle, a first-person, single-player adventure set between the events of Raiders of the Lost Ark and The Last Crusade. The year is 1937, sinister forces are scouring the globe for the secret to an ancient power connected to the Great Circle, and only one person can stop them - Indiana Jones™. You’ll become the legendary archaeologist in this cinematic action-adventure game from MachineGames, the award-winning studio behind the recent Wolfenstein series, and executive produced by Hall of Fame game designer Todd Howard.
YOU ARE INDIANA JONES
Live the adventure as Indy in a thrilling story full of exploration, immersive action, and intriguing puzzles. As the brilliant archaeologist – famed for his keen intellect, cunning resourcefulness, and trademark humor – you will travel the world in a race against enemy forces to discover the secrets to one of the greatest mysteries of all time.
A WORLD OF MYSTERY AWAITS
Travel from the halls of Marshall College to the heart of the Vatican, the pyramids of Egypt, the sunken temples of Sukhothai, and beyond. When a break-in in the dead of night ends in a confrontation with a mysterious colossal man, you must set out to discover the world-shattering secret behind the theft of a seemingly unimportant artifact. Forging new alliances and facing familiar enemies, you’ll engage with intriguing characters, use guile and wits to solve ancient riddles, and survive intense set-pieces.
WHIP-CRACKING ACTION
Indiana’s trademark whip remains at the heart of his gear and can be used to distract, disarm, and attack enemies. But the whip isn’t just a weapon, it’s Indy’s most valuable tool for navigating the environment. Swing over unsuspecting patrols and scale walls as you make your way through a striking world. Combine stealth infiltration, melee combat, and gunplay to combat the enemy threat and unravel the mystery.
THE SPIRIT OF DISCOVERY
Venture through a dynamic mix of linear, narrative-driven gameplay and open-area maps. Indulge your inner explorer and unearth a world of fascinating secrets, deadly traps,and fiendish puzzles, where anything could potentially hide the next piece of the mystery – or snakes. Why did it have to be snakes?
- Steam Deck Compatibility
- Unknown
- PC Release Date
- December 9, 2024
- Xbox Series X|S Release Date
- December 9, 2024
- PS5 Release Date
- April 17, 2025
- Platform(s)
- PC, PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X, Xbox Series S
- How Long To Beat
- 14 Hours
- X|S Optimized
- Yes
- File Size Xbox Series
- 134 GB (December 2024)
- OpenCritic Rating
- Mighty
