1981’sRaiders of the Lost Arkwas a standalone story from George Lucas and Steven Spielberg, designed to be a modern version of the classic 1930s action movies they grew up watching. ButRaiders of the Lost Arkcame out just four years afterStar Warschanged the game for blockbuster cinema, and just one year afterEmpire Strikes Back. It was the dawn ofthe blockbuster franchise, andIndiana Jonesquickly seized its opportunity.
Raiderssoon received a second installment, and even got a few video game adaptations. It wasn’t long beforeIndiana Joneshad become a fully-fledged entertainment franchise, with multiple movies, TV shows, novels, comics, and video games under its belt. But it’s been a long time since the series' golden era, and newcomers might not know exactly howIndiana Jones and the Great Circlefits into the wider franchise timeline, or what key events in Indy’s life play a role in the new adventure game.
Where Indiana Jones and the Great Circle Fits in The Series Timeline
1912 - Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade’s Flashback Sequence
The third movie released chronologically,1989’sIndiana Jones and the Last Crusadefeatures an opening prologue that takes fans all the way back to 1912. This flashback sees a 13-year-old Indiana Jones (played by River Phoenix) getting into his first confrontation with a gang of grave robbers. This flashback shows the origin of the hero’s penchant for whips, his fear of snakes, and even offers an in-universe explanation for Harrison Ford’s real-life chin scar.
The Young Indiana Jones ChroniclesTV show from the early 1990s then details the young hero’s adventures from 1912-1920, but it’s unclear if this show is still considered canon.
1935 - Indiana Jones and the Temple of Doom
Released second in real-world chronology, 1984’sIndiana Jones and the Temple of Doomis actually a prequel toRaiders of the Lost Ark, taking place roughly a year before it.Temple of Doomsees a 36-year-old Indy head to India with reluctant companion Willie Scott andtrusty sidekick Short Round. The trio stumble upon a nefarious scheme to use the mysterious Sankara Stones for evil, and they put a stop to it.
1936 - Indiana Jones and the Raiders of the Lost Ark
The movie that started it all,Indiana Jones and the Raiders of the Lost Arkreleased in 1981, and it sees a 37-year-old Indy on the hunt for the eponymous artifact. Along the way, Indy teams up with Marion Ravenwood, the daughter of Abner Ravenwood, Indy’s old mentor. When Marion was around 16 and Indy was about 27, the two had a brief romance. Indy left the Ravenwoods suddenly and dropped all contact with them.
After a heated reunion where Marion finally gets to express her anger towards Indy for leaving, the two head off in search of the Ark of the Covenant, and eventually end up rekindling their relationship. Atthe end ofRaiders of the Lost Ark, Indy and Marion walk off into the sunset, presumably to continue their life together.
1937 - Indiana Jones and the Great Circle
Set around a year after the end ofRaiders of the Lost Ark,Indiana Jones and the Great Circlebegins with an immersive recap of that first movie, letting players take control of Indy during the iconicTemple of the Golden Idol opening sequence. As players run away from the infamous boulder, they hear voices ripped right out ofRaiders of the Lost Ark, including Marion’s.
Indy then wakes up in hisoffice at Marshall College. It’s quickly revealed that Indy is no longer with Marion, having abandoned her just a week before their wedding to seek out an ancient cat mummy in Siwa. When Indy returned from Siwa, Marion was gone.
Indiana Jones and the Great Circlealso takes place just one year before the bulk ofThe Last Crusade’s story, where Indy and his estranged father reconnect on their way to find the Holy Grail. This meansThe Great Circle’s story takes place 20 years beforeKingdom of the Crystal Skull, and 32 years beforeDial of Destiny.
Indiana Jones and the Great Circle
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 JONESLive 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 AWAITSTravel 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 ACTIONIndiana’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 DISCOVERYVenture 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?
