Indiana Jones and the Great Circle Sticks to Melee Combat Over Gun Fights

MachineGames and Bethesda's upcoming Indiana Jones title, Indiana Jones and the Great Circle, will prioritize close-quarters combat over gunfights, according to the development team. This design choice reflects the iconic adventurer's character.

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 highlighted the game's core mechanics. Inspired by their work on Wolfenstein and Chronicles of Riddick: Escape From Butcher Bay, the team emphasizes hand-to-hand combat, improvised weaponry, and stealth.

The developers clarified that Indiana Jones isn't known for his gunplay, making a shooter-style game incompatible with the character. Instead, the game leverages melee combat, drawing inspiration from Chronicles of Riddick, but adapted to Indy's unique fighting style. Players will utilize everyday objects as weapons, creating humorous and unpredictable combat scenarios.

Beyond combat, exploration is a key component. The game blends linear and open environments, similar to Wolfenstein, offering both guided paths and expansive areas for exploration. Some open areas will feature immersive sim elements, allowing players multiple approaches to challenges. Stealth plays a significant role, utilizing traditional infiltration and a novel "social stealth" mechanic, where disguises allow access to restricted zones.

In a previous interview with Inverse, the game director emphasized the deliberate downplaying of gunplay, focusing instead on hand-to-hand combat, navigation, and traversal. The game also includes challenging puzzles, some optional to maintain accessibility. Even seasoned puzzle solvers will find substantial brain-teasing challenges.