Indiana Jones and the Great Circlebrings a brand-new chapter of Indy’s adventures to life. Set between the events ofRaiders of the Lost ArkandThe Last Crusade,Indiana Jones and the Great Circlerevisits the young version of the adventurous archaeologist made famous by Harrison Ford.
Ford has continued to star inIndiana Jonesfilms, with the most recent beingDial of Destiny. Naturally, he has aged since his heyday with the original films, butIndiana Jones and the Great Circleis a compelling case for allowing popular franchises to live on beyond the actors who first portrayed iconic roles. AlthoughTroy Baker is voicing Indy in this story, Harrison Ford’s likeness is being used forThe Great Circle, keeping the game in line with the film series.
Indiana Jones and the Great Circle Could Inspire Other Film Franchises to Live On Through Video Games
Iconic Movie and TV Performances Can Continue in a New Light
Since Ford allowed his likeness to be used inThe Great Circle, the game is able to keep the essence of the film series, at least based on trailers. DespiteThe Great Circle’s divisive first-person perspective, the overall feel of the game seems to really capture the energy of the Lucasfilm franchise. Seeing Ford’s face throughout the trailer and cutscenes will likely bring that extra cinematic quality that is needed for the game to actually feel like a properIndiana Jonesstory. If this proves to be successful among players, it could inspire other franchises to follow suit.
There are plenty of great franchises that could benefit from using the younger likeness of actors who have portrayed beloved characters.The Lord of the Ringsmovie tie-in games, which were basically reenactments of the films, obviously used the likeness of the actors, but a brand-new story with the same likeness could be an intriguing way to showcase characters further. A game based around Aragorn or a prequel about Theoden and the Rohirrim could use the faces of Viggo Mortensen or the late Bernard Hill. The actor or their estate would, of course, have to sign off on this legally, butThe Great Circledefinitely opens the door for such a possibility.
Indiana Jones and the Great Circleis set to be released on June 09, 2025.
Another franchise that would greatly benefit from this treatment would beJames Bond. There have been a variety ofgreat actors to portray James Bond, with Daniel Craig being the most recent. Reusing his appearance with a different voice actor could offer a goldmine of prequel opportunities, since his run as the agent came to an end withNo Time to Die.
Gaming Becoming More Cinematic Should Inspire the Film Industry
Through the years, gaming has become far more cinematic, proving itself as a strong medium for well-crafted stories. FromThe Last of UstoGod of War, gaming is now on par with film in terms of compelling narratives. What makesThe Great Circleso compelling is that it could help reignite the magic of the originalIndiana Jonesfilms. There have been attempts to do this through the recent movie reboots, but they have unfortunately fallen flat. It isn’t easy to recapture the essence of original films that have made such an impact on pop culture, but thoughtful game adaptations could change that.
OnceThe Great Circlemakes its debut, it will be fascinating to see if MachineGames is able to properly bring the energy of the original trilogy back to life. ForThe Great Circleto honor its roots, it has to nail its portrayal of Indy. Thankfully, the combination of Troy Baker’s voice talents mixed with Harrison Ford’s likeness may be the key to a great new Indy adventure.
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?
