Indiana Jones: Melee Master Emerges

MachineGames and Bethesda's upcoming Indiana Jones game, Indiana Jones and the Great Circle, will prioritize close-quarters combat over gunfights, according to the development team. Guns will play a secondary role.

Indiana Jones and the Great Circle: Hand-to-Hand Combat, Stealth, and Puzzles

A Focus on Immersive Gameplay

In a recent interview with PC Gamer, MachineGames' design director and creative director detailed the game's gameplay design. Drawing inspiration from their work on Wolfenstein and Chronicles of Riddick: Escape From Butcher Bay, the team emphasized hand-to-hand combat, improvised weaponry, and stealth.

The developers explained that Indiana Jones isn't known for his gunplay; his resourcefulness and improvisational skills are key to his character. While Chronicles of Riddick served as a foundation for the melee combat system, it's been adapted to better suit Indy's fighting style. Expect creative combat using everyday objects – pots, pans, even banjos – as weapons. The game aims to capture Indy's "unlikely hero" persona through gameplay.

Exploration will be a major component, blending linear and open environments similar to the Wolfenstein series. Some areas will offer immersive sim-style gameplay, allowing players multiple approaches to challenges and problem-solving within enemy camps.

Stealth is another core element, incorporating traditional infiltration and a unique "social stealth" mechanic. Players can find and use disguises to blend in and access restricted zones. Each significant location will offer various disguises to aid exploration.

A previous interview with Inverse revealed the team's conscious decision to downplay gunplay. The focus shifted early in development to hand-to-hand combat, navigation, and traversal. The game will also include challenging puzzles, with some optional for accessibility. Even seasoned puzzle solvers will find ample brain-teasing challenges.