By Nicolas Ayala

Indiana Jones isn’t just a character. He’s an institution — a fedora-wearing, whip-cracking symbol of adventure, curiosity, and the eternal struggle against evil. While Harrison Ford’s iconic portrayal in the films laid the foundation, it’s through the creative alchemy of studios like LucasArts and, more recently, MachineGames, that Indy’s legacy has not only endured but evolved. With Indiana Jones and the Great Circle delivering a modern masterpiece of gameplay and storytelling, and a hint of a sequel lingering in the air, now is the perfect time to dig into the past, present, and future of the archeologist’s most explosive exploits.

The legendary game that turned myth into masterpiece: Fate of Atlantis

Few Indiana Jones games resonate with fans as deeply as Indiana Jones and the Fate of Atlantis. More than just a spin-off, this 1992 LucasArts graphic adventure became the gold standard for what an Indy story should be — original, immersive, and dripping with mythological mojo. What makes Fate of Atlantis truly special isn't just its clever incorporation of the lost city myth, but the story behind its creation.

Hal Barwood, the game's project lead and a seasoned Hollywood scriptwriter, savored the freedom of crafting a new Indy tale when LucasArts stepped away from film tie-ins. Originally, the game was to be based on an unproduced Indiana Jones script — one that would have sent Indy to Africa in pursuit of vanished Chinese artifacts. But Barwood wasn't convinced. "I decided it was unproduced for a reason," he says. Instead, he and co-designer Noah Falstein dove into George Lucas's research library, where a random coffee-table book on unsolved mysteries sparked a new idea: Atlantis.

What followed was two years of passionate research, scripting, and design. The team scoured Plato's dialogues, sifted through theories, and pulled the strings of legend to create a lost dialogue — a fictional Plato manuscript that became the heart of the game's mystery. The result was a story that felt genuinely Indiana Jones: a thrilling race against Nazis, a seductive and sharp-tongued ally in Sophia Hapgood, and an ancient evil lurking beneath the surface.

Barwood's creative gamble paid off. With three distinct gameplay paths (Team, Fists, or Wits), rotoscoped animation that brought Indy and Sophia to life in fluid detail, and over 120 hand-drawn locations, Fate of Atlantis wasn’t just a game. It was an adventure in its own right. A million-seller. A legacy.

Great Circle’s next-gen glory and the promise of new sequels

Fast forward to 2023, and Indiana Jones and the Great Circle stakes its claim as the latest pinnacle in Indy gaming. Developed by MachineGames and published by Microsoft, Great Circle thrusts players into a first-person, cinematic action-adventure set squarely between Raiders of the Lost Ark and The Last Crusade. It's a game that doesn’t just borrow from the films — it speaks the language of Indy with fluency.

From the sunken temples of Sukhothai to the labyrinthine corridors of the Vatican, Great Circle offers a world of exploration, danger, and discovery. The whip cracks with purpose, serving as both weapon and tool. Puzzles challenge the mind. Combat tests reflexes. And the story — original yet familiar — pulls Indy into a conspiracy revolving around an ancient power and a mysterious artifact theft.

The reception has been nothing short of ecstatic. Critics and fans alike praise the game's visual fidelity, narrative depth, and faithfulness to Indy's character. It's a triumph that doesn't just recycle old tropes but reinvents them. And with the upcoming DLC The Order of Giants set to add new chapters to the tale, the momentum is undeniable.

Is a new Indiana Jones sequel on the horizon?

Behind the excitement, there’s a tantalizing whisper from Microsoft's Gaming CEO Phil Spencer. In recent interviews, Spencer has teased that there's "life left in that franchise," referring to Great Circle and the potential for more Indy games. While he’s clear that Microsoft hopes to focus on its own IPs, his words — carefully measured but meaningful — suggest that the legendary archaeologist may yet dig his way into new adventures.

Whether it's a direct sequel to Great Circle or another original story in the vein of Fate of Atlantis, the ingredients are there. The technology. The talent. The audience. And most importantly, the character. Spencer’s admiration for MachineGames' work on Great Circle underscores the trust the industry now has in developers to handle iconic IPs with both care and creativity.

Indiana Jones is more than a relic — he’s a living legend in games and storytelling

What ties Barwood’s Atlantis to MachineGames’ Great Circle is more than just a shared protagonist. It's a commitment to authenticity, innovation, and storytelling. Indy isn’t stuck in the past — he’s evolving. From pixel art and point-and-click puzzles to photorealistic environments and dynamic combat, Jones has journeyed through mediums and eras, always retaining the core of what makes him compelling: intellect, courage, humor, and a touch of swagger.

And that’s the real treasure. In a world obsessed with reboots and remakes, Indiana Jones continues to offer original tales that feel like discoveries rather than rehashes. Whether he's chasing Atlantis, unearthing a lost dialogue, or racing against time to stop a world-shattering secret, Indy remains the king of adventure — not because he’s old, but because he keeps digging deeper.

So, do we have a sequel coming? Nothing official yet. But as any fan of the franchise knows, sometimes the best adventures are the ones you have to wait to uncover. And when they arrive, they make it worth the wait.