Indiana Jones and the Great Circle features an original narrative that draws inspiration from the film series. The story is set in 1937, placing it in between the events of the first film Raiders of the Lost Ark (set in 1936), and the third film Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade (set in 1938). Like both films, the game takes place before the events of World War II, with the Axis powers (Nazi Germany, Fascist Italy, and the Empire of Japan) returning as antagonists. Jones will also encounter Blackshirts, members of Italy's National Fascist Party. The game picks up after Jones has left his fiancée, Marion Ravenwood. Following the theft of an artifact from Marshall College, Jones heads to the Vatican to investigate. He discovers that sites of spiritual significance have been built throughout history, realizing that their locations form a perfectly aligned circle around the globe. Besides Rome, other locations include the Sukhothai temples in Thailand, the Egyptian pyramids, Shanghai in China, and the snowy Himalayas. During his journey, he teams up with Gina Lombardi, an investigative reporter who has an interest in the case. They go up against Emmerich Voss, who uses psychological manipulation against his enemies.