Indiana Jones and the Great Circle: Marshall College Prologue 100% Guide

The Marshall College prologue in Indiana Jones and the Great Circle is a collectible hunter's nightmare, deliberately designed to lock you out forever after a single playthrough. Miss just one of its ten hidden items, and you'll be forced to replay the entire campaign for 100% completion. This guide details exactly what you need, where to find it, and the critical point of no return you must avoid.

Why Marshall College Prologue is Permanently Missable

The Point of No Return: When You Lose Access

Here's the harsh truth about Marshall College - it's a one-way door, and the game doesn't warn you nearly enough. It all goes down right after you solve the idol pedestal puzzle, when Gina pops open the freight-lift gate and says, 'Let's get this crate topside.' That line isn't just dialogue; it's your final warning to scour every last corner because the instant you step onto that lift, the autosave icon flashes and the chapter-complete summary screen hijacks your display. That's your hard point-of-no-return, and there's no undoing it.

Once that cutscene ends, both the basement and the exhibition hall seal themselves off completely. The game flags your save file as 'Completed' for Marshall College and quietly removes it from Chapter Select, which means if you missed any of those ten Notes scattered around, you're stuck with two brutal options: reload an earlier save - if you even have one - or start a brand new campaign from scratch.

Trophy/Achievement Consequences

This is where missing collectibles stings the most. Five trophies become permanently blocked if you don't grab everything, and they're all mandatory for platinum or 100% completion.

First up, Eagle-Eyed demands you find Comic Page #1 hiding above a bookcase in the Student Lounge - miss that, and you're locked out. Master Archaeologist needs all three Adventure Notes: Barnett's Message, Suspicious Letter, and Voss' Warning. Then there's Relic Hunter, which won't pop unless you grab both the Giant's Pendant and the Cat Mummy Photograph. Notebook Scholar is even greedier, requiring every single one of the ten generic collectibles - Notes, Relics, comic page, Faculty Card, Newspaper Article, Campus Map, Voss' Diary, everything. Finally, Kodak Moment needs you to snap a photo with the instant camera in the attic storeroom, specifically where the Cat Mummy sits.

All five trophies are mandatory for completion, and they all rely on items you'll never see again after that freight-lift ride.

The One-Time-Only Design

Marshall College isn't a bug - it's a deliberate design choice. The developers built it as a one-time-only prologue that locks itself down after completion. Once you finish the chapter, your save file permanently marks it as done, which means no Chapter Select, no quick revisit, no mercy.

This design forces a brutal decision: either grab every collectible on your first run or accept that you'll need a full campaign replay for 100% completion. The only silver lining is that a single, clean replay where you snatch every object guarantees all the trophies will unlock properly. But that's cold comfort if you were hoping to mop up collectibles later.

Collectibles Overview and Categories

Marshall College might be the prologue, but it’s absolutely stuffed with collectibles you’ll kick yourself for missing later. You’ve got ten total items across three categories, and most of them can be grabbed before you even leave for the main adventure. Some are just sitting out in the open, while others need a bit of whip work or will lock you out if you progress too far.

Adventure Notes (5 Optional + 2 Mandatory)

First up are the Adventure Notes, and here’s the deal: you’ll find seven total, but only two are mandatory story items you literally can’t miss. The other five are optional, though you’ll want them if you’re chasing that 100% completion.

The Faculty Card spawns right on the reception desk after the opening cutscene, so that’s automatic. Marcus’ Letter is also story-gated, sitting on the coffee table in Indy’s office once you’re able to explore.

Now for the optional ones you’ll actually have to hunt down. The Baseball Card is pinned to the corkboard above the reception desk in the Archaeology Department office - just look up and grab it. While you’re in that room, check the secretary’s desk for the Student Roster tucked in among the papers.

Head upstairs to the Archaeology Classroom on the second floor. The Cat Mummy Photo is inside the display case on the teacher’s desk, and the Marshall College Flyer (which shows up as a College Postcard) is posted on the bulletin board right outside the classroom door.

Finally, there’s Gina’s Note near the broken showcase in the hallway, and this one is weird - it’s completely skippable and doesn’t count toward any completion metrics. So if you miss it, don’t panic; you’re not locked out of anything important.

Ancient Relics (3 Hidden Items)

Let’s clear something up first: some early guides mention a Nazi Coin here, but that’s misinformation. You won’t find that collectible until later locations like Gizeh, so don’t waste time searching filing cabinets for something that doesn’t exist.

What you will find are three relics, and two of them require your whip. The Giant’s Pendant is story-mandatory, hidden behind a liftable bookcase in the Student Lounge on the first floor, so you can’t miss that one.

The real hidden items are trickier. The Mini Vase is inside a half-open crate in the basement corridor near the furnace, and you’ll need to use your whip to pull it out. Same deal with the Scarab Bead - it’s tucked behind a ceiling hatch in the attic crawl-space, so whip-pull that hatch open.

All three count toward the Relic Hunter trophy, and grabbing them unlocks your first whip upgrade at the initial workbench, which makes the early game much smoother.

Field Notebook Page & Photograph

These last two are the easiest to blow past, especially during your first run.

The Ancient Astronaut Sketch (counts as your Field Notebook Page) is on the workbench under the skylight in the attic after the intruder cutscene. Just walk over and interact with it.

The Marshall Quad Photo is even more missable because it’s not a standard pickup - it’s an inspectable broken picture frame lying on the attic floor near that same sketch. You’ll need to manually examine it to add it to your collection.

Both are required for achievements: the sketch is needed for Notebook Scholar, and the photo unlocks the Kodak Moment trophy. The chalkboard in Indy’s office also triggers a notebook entry, but that specific page is another skippable one, so don’t stress if you forget to interact with it.

Efficient 100% Collection Route (Under 5 Minutes)

Don't just bolt out of Indy's office when the game starts - you've got ten collectibles to grab at Marshall College, and you can knock them all out in under five minutes if you follow this exact route. Here's what to grab and where, so you don't have to replay the entire prologue.

Phase 1: Office Sweep (Items 1-3)

Your first three items are all clustered in the starting area, so don't get trigger-happy with the exit door. The Baseball Card is pinned right on the cork board next to Indy's desk - you literally can't miss it. The Nazi Coin isn't actually in the office itself; it's tucked on a metal shelf inside the janitor closet under the main staircase, so you'll need to backtrack a few steps. Once you've got those, head through to the Archive room behind the reception desk and interact with the chalkboard to snag the Field Notebook Page. Grab all three of these before you move on, or you'll be kicking yourself later when you're stuck at 9/10.

Phase 2: Hallway & Display Case (Items 4-5)

The next two items introduce you to the lockpicking mechanic, and luckily Indy already has the perfect tool. In the museum corridor, you'll spot a display case that needs opening - use the fountain pen from his desk to jimmy the lock, which gets you the Cat Mummy Photo. Directly opposite the vending machine, there's a bulletin board where the Marshall College Flyer is waiting. This whole section is basically the game's way of teaching you the pen trick, so pay attention now and you won't struggle with it later in Vatican City.

Phase 3: Secretary Area & Storage (Items 6-8)

Now you'll need to get comfortable with your whip. The Student Roster is sitting right on the secretary's desk in plain sight, so grab that first. In the supply closet, use your whip to pull down a crate that lets you climb up and reach the Mini Vase. Then in the storeroom, whip-yank a painting off the wall to reveal the Scarab Bead hidden behind it. These three items are all about mastering that whip mechanic early, and you can practice the timing here without any Nazi guards breathing down your neck.

Phase 4: Burglary Scene & Final Check (Items 9-10)

This is where most people mess up, so listen close. After the burglary cutscene plays, you must interact with the broken showcase to register Gina's Note - if you skip this by rushing through, you'll have to replay the entire prologue. Before you leave the building, don't forget to photograph the courtyard statue outside; it's easy to miss when you're focused on the action. Finally, pause and check your Options → Collections menu to confirm you're at 10/10. If you're not, backtrack immediately because once you exit Marshall College, you're locked out for the rest of the game.

Beginner Pro Tips for Marshall College

Stealth & Combat Fundamentals

Marshall College is basically the game's stealth boot camp, and you don't want to skip the lessons. The whole level teaches you crouch-walking, body-hiding, and stealth takedowns before the real adventure starts. Here's the thing though: your weapons have hidden durability counters, and they will break on you.

Every melee weapon starts with 10 uses, but each armed stealth kill costs one full point. If you get your swing blocked, that costs two points, and parries don't cost anything. You can't see the counter, but you'll definitely feel it when your pipe snaps mid-encounter.

And that first pipe you grab? It's already beat up with only eight kills left, not ten, because it's lost two durability before you even pick it up. That's not a lot of room for error.

Luckily, there's a trick: torches in the janitor's closet respawn when you leave and come back. They're not great weapons, but they're infinitely farmable if you want to practice your takedowns without burning through your actual gear.

Investigation Mode & Lockpicking

The lockpicking system looks complicated, but it's actually pretty simple once you get the hang of it. When you see a glowing lock, hold the interact button (E or □) and Indy will crouch down for a close-up view - this is Investigation Mode, and it's your only way to see those sweet, sweet interactables.

Gently rotate the stick (or A/D keys) until the hairpin vibrates and the lock cylinder wiggles, then press the trigger to set the pin. Most locks in Marshall College only have two pins, so it's over fast.

But here's where it gets weird: regular padlocks don't work this way at all. Instead, you need to hit them with a melee weapon to break them permanently. Once they're gone, they're gone, which means you can create a permanent shortcut through the level.

The game does have a contextual 'Force' prompt on some locks, which triggers a short animation where Indy just pries or snaps the thing. It isn't lockpicking, it's just brute force.

Oh, and your companion Gina can open certain passages on her own after you try and fail. She has her own tricks.

Whip Mechanics & Early Skill Point

The whip swing tutorial in the fountain courtyard is one of those 'learn it or get stuck' moments. Hold LT/L2 to aim your whip at the lantern chain, then RT/R2 to attach. Tilt the stick back first, then push forward to build momentum, and tap Jump right at the apex to mantle onto the balcony.

Once you're up there, snap a photo of the fountain below using D-pad Down or middle mouse. This 'Courtyard Vista' photo opportunity is worth 250 XP, which is exactly enough for your first skill point. No skill tree unlock required for whip-climbing - it's granted as soon as you finish the tutorial.

Unfortunately, this photo is permanently missable. If you skip that balcony picture, you're not coming back later to claim it, so don't forget.

While you're in the museum office, grab the Bare Hands manual on the desk. Reading it now unlocks the permanent unarmed prompt for the whole game.

Critical Oversights That Ruin 100% Runs

Here is where most runs fall apart. The Marshall College prologue is packed with tiny interactions that look like background scenery, and three of them will absolutely murder your 100% attempt if you blink.

First up is Gina's Note, tucked inside the library's card-catalog drawer right behind where Gina stands. Here's the trap: the objective marker vanishes the second you finish talking to her, so 70% of players just walk away without opening that drawer.

Then there's Indy's lecture hall chalkboard, which you can actually wipe down with the interact button. That action reveals a hidden Comic Strip Doodle that counts toward completion, but most people never think to scrub a chalkboard in a video game.

And finally, that central statue in the exhibit hall. You can't just eyeball it from a distance - you need to grab a manual photograph from the reception desk. Without that photo, you'll be guessing at which artifact is missing from the puzzle.

Manual Save Strategy Before Exit

You'll want to create a manual save slot right after the burglary scene, before you leave Marshall College for good. Here's why that matters: the game only autosaves at the suitcase interaction, which isn't nearly enough.

The moment you walk through those front gates, the prologue area unloads completely. You can't just turn around and go back - you're locked out. That manual save in the reception area is basically your insurance policy. If you realize you missed Gina's Note or that chalkboard doodle, you can reload and fix it without starting the entire game over.

Inventory & Progression Carryover

The good news is that almost everything you collect at Marshall College follows you to the Vatican. All your Adventure Notes, photographs, books, and consumables like bandages and throwables make the trip. The only things that get removed are story-critical keys and that emergency revolver.

Your skill points also carry over, though they convert into Marshall Skills Exchange micro-credentials after the Vatican chapter. Those open up exploration and combat perks down the line.

And here's the thing about missables: Marshall College items are flagged as non-missable, which means you can return via chapter select or free-roam later. But you can't just backtrack during your initial run - once you leave, you're out until you use chapter select.

Marshall College is a brutal but intentional tutorial that demands meticulous exploration on your first and only visit. By following the efficient collection route and creating a manual save before exiting, you can secure all trophies and avoid a full campaign replay. Remember: once you step onto that freight lift, there's no turning back.