Over many decades, adventurer and archaeologist Indiana Jones has tracked down legendary artifacts ranging from the Ark of the Covenant to the Holy Grail and many more. Now, in the upcoming adventure game Indiana Jones and the Great Circle, Indy is once again tasked with keeping a mystical power out of the hands of the Nazis who desire it. But just what is a Great Circle, exactly? In Indiana Jones and the Great Circle, players step into the shoes and iconic fedora of Indy to discover the answer to this bizarre mystery.
Game Rant spoke with the team behind Indiana Jones and the Great Circle, including lead narrative designer Tommy Tordsson Björk, who explained the titular mystical phenomenon. Like many of Indiana Jones’ other treasure hunts, the Great Circle is based on a real-life belief – in this case, that certain sites around the world connect to form a perfect circle, and that the shape can be used to harness power.
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A Great Circle is a Real Navigational Term
A “great circle” is a navigational term “used for plotting the shortest distances between two points on a globe,” said Björk, who also cited Encyclopedia Britannica’s definition of the term: “a great circle route is the ‘shortest course between two points on the surface of a sphere.'” A prime example of this is both the equator and meridians of the North and South Poles being Great Circles.
Throughout history, many have theorized that a great circle could be created by drawing lines between various significant locations, such as the seven wonders of the world. In his upcoming game adventure, Indiana Jones explores a great circle that includes sites such as the Pyramids of Egypt, an undisclosed location in the Himalayan Mountains, and Thailand’s ruined city of Sukhothai, among others. The choice to have Indy explore this great circle allowed MachineGames to set the game in multiple visually stunning locations as the archaeologist and his journalist ally Gina Lombardi travel around the globe.
Great Circles Could Possibly Be A Source Of Immense Power
Indiana Jones once again finds himself facing down the Axis Powers as he tries to prevent them from obtaining a potential new power source. His foes, led by antagonist Emmerich Voss, believe that the great circle formed by these significant sites will aid them in their goal of world domination. SS agent Voss is a mirror of Raiders of the Lost Ark’s Toht, fully believing the artifacts and secrets he seeks will grant him mystical abilities that will increase the power of the Third Reich. Describing the mystery that drives both Voss and Jones, Björk said:
“The Great Circle in our story is made when drawing a line between the greatest wonders of the world. The thing that tickles the imagination is that they all line up to at least within one tenth of one degree…why do these sites align with each other, what deeper connections exist between them, and for what reason?”
Whether or not the game’s Great Circle truly does hide supernatural secrets remains to be seen – players will have to find out when the game launches in a few days’ time.
- Released
- December 9, 2024
- Steam Deck Compatibility
- Unknown
- X|S Optimized
- Yes
- Number of Players
- 1
- PC Release Date
- December 9, 2024
- PS5 Release Date
- Spring 2025
- Xbox Series X|S Release Date
- December 9, 2024