Of all the moments in Indiana Jones and the Great Circle, the side mission “A Study in Fear” stood out to me more than most of the main story beats. It’s not just a well-written detour—it’s one of the strongest examples of how a side quest can elevate everything around it.
It dives deep into betrayal, ethical decline, and the personal cost of putting power before integrity. Without a doubt, one of the game’s most striking side quests. The quest begins in the ruins of Sukhothai, Thailand, where Indy and local leader Pailin investigate a mysterious artifact buried under Wat Mahathat.
At the site, Indy connects with Annika, an archaeologist who’s more involved than expected. She used to be one of Indy’s students, and their uneasy teamwork soon turns into something more troubling. They work together to overcome deadly traps and tricky puzzles within the temple. Even while working together, red flags begin to appear.
Annika discloses she works for Emmerich Voss, the game’s chief Nazi antagonist. She starts off pretending to be naive, ignoring questions about Voss’ true identity and motives. He reminds her that the Nazis aren’t just treasure hunters with questionable methods; they’re plundering history with no respect for the cultures they exploit.
What makes it memorable isn’t just the temple puzzles or the usual archaeological mystery. It’s the way the game quietly builds toward a reveal that says a lot more than expected. I was really drawn in by how grounded the mission felt. Annika’s reasons for aligning with the Nazis don’t stem from ideology—they come from personal resentment.
She’s bitter that Indy didn’t write her a reference years ago, and in her eyes, that justifies everything. Her choice becomes a commentary on the kind of moral drift that can happen when ambition and bitterness collide. After helping Indy retrieve the artifact, Annika drops her disguise and betrays him, shoving him into a pit and leaving him for dead.
But karma isn’t far behind. Indy escapes and later discovers that Annika wasn’t so lucky: her severed arm lies crushed by one of the temple’s doors. It’s a quiet, cold ending to her arc, one that doesn’t attempt to redeem her or soften the blow. Indy doesn’t offer sympathy; he points out she caused her own trouble.
There’s a lot to appreciate in how MachineGames handled this arc. “A Study in Fear” doesn’t over-explain, doesn’t soften the blow, and doesn’t try to paint its antagonist in a sympathetic light. It delivers a story about how ambition, pride, and misplaced blame can lead someone to make unforgivable choices—and face the consequences without fanfare.
Annika slides into it through excuses, resentment, and a refusal to self-reflect. It’s about what happens when people trade ethics for access—when they’d rather side with power than risk being left out. As expected from Indiana Jones, the game doesn’t let that go unpunished.
In a game filled with whip tricks, clever puzzles, and good old Nazi-punching, “A Study in Fear” proves that some of the most satisfying victories come from narrative closure. The raw, tangled truth of Annika’s story is what makes it linger in the mind.