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 melee combat over gunfights, according to the development team. The game will not feature gunplay as a central mechanic.

Indiana Jones and the Great Circle: A Focus on Hand-to-Hand Combat

Stealth and Puzzles as Core Gameplay Elements

In a recent interview with PC Gamer, MachineGames' design director and creative director detailed the game's design philosophy. Inspired by their work on titles like Wolfenstein and Chronicles of Riddick: Escape From Butcher Bay, the developers emphasized hand-to-hand combat, improvised weaponry, and stealth mechanics.

The team highlighted that Indiana Jones is not known for his gun skills, making a shooter-style game incongruous with the character. Instead, the focus is on close-quarters combat utilizing everyday objects as weapons. This approach aims to capture Indy's resourceful and somewhat clumsy nature within the gameplay experience.

Beyond combat, players will navigate diverse environments. The game blends linear and open areas, offering both structured progression and opportunities for exploration. Certain sections will feature immersive sim elements, allowing for multiple approaches to challenges. Stealth will also play a significant role, incorporating traditional infiltration tactics and a unique "social stealth" mechanic using disguises to access restricted areas.

A previous interview with Inverse revealed the deliberate decision to downplay gunplay. The developers emphasized their focus on hand-to-hand combat, navigation, and traversal, acknowledging their expertise in action sequences while prioritizing more challenging gameplay aspects. The game will also include a robust puzzle system, ranging in difficulty to cater to both casual and experienced puzzle solvers. Some particularly difficult puzzles will be optional.