Indiana Jones and the Great Circle sheds some new light on how the breakup between Indy and Marion Ravenwood played out. In doing so, the upcoming game answers a decades-old lore question that Indiana Jones fans have been pondering since the '80s.
Marion Ravenwood-related spoilers for the entire Indiana Jones movie franchise ahead. Likewise, spoilers for the first hour of Indiana Jones and the Great Circle ahead.
Marion Ravenwood is one of the most iconic characters from the Indiana Jones franchise, largely because she's the original and most recognizable love interest of the titular protagonist. But despite playing a prominent role in Raiders of the Lost Ark (1981), she is nowhere to be seen in The Temple of Doom (1984), and it's not until The Kingdom of the Crystal Skull (2008) that she's finally reunited with Indy. The movies themselves never explain exactly how the two broke up.
Indiana Jones and the Great Circle Review
Indiana Jones and the Great Circle offers some of the best puzzling and tomb-raiding in a video game, matching Spielberg's films in many respects.
40 years after The Temple of Doom made Indy and Marion's breakup canon, Indiana Jones and the Great Circle offers some long-awaited clarity on how this came to be. As noted by ComicBook, the game's introductory sequence shows Indy finding a present from Marion in the form of a new journal, which prompts his mentor, Marcus Brody, to question him about the gift's origin. While Indy is initially evasive, it's subsequently revealed that he suddenly abandoned Marion to go to Siwa, Egypt, all in a bid to run away from some of the problems that have developed in their relationship. All of this unfolds between the events of the first two Indiana Jones films, which is when the new game takes place.
Indy Has Been Evading Marion For Months Before 'Great Circle' Events
The opening sequence of the game also reveals that Marion has been trying to get in touch with Indy for several months after he abandoned her. While he was in Egypt, Brody was the one answering calls from Marion, which eventually stopped. All of that is to say that their breakup was initiated by Indy, who essentially ghosted her until she gave up.
As for his reasons for doing so, the fourth Indiana Jones film offers some clues on this front. During Kingdom of the Crystal Skull, Indy tells Marion he never won an argument with her, implying that they fought a lot and that he was feeling insecure in her presence.
Indiana Jones and the Great Circle releases on December 9. Anyone who purchased its $34.99 Digital Premium upgrade has been able to play it since December 6. While the day-one version of the game will be exclusive to the Xbox Series X/S and PC, Microsoft has already confirmed that Indiana Jones and the Great Circle is also on its way to the PS5. The game is currently planned to reach Sony's current-generation console sometime in spring 2025.
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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
- X|S Optimized
- Yes
