MachineGames and Bethesda's upcoming Indiana Jones game, Indiana Jones and the Great Circle, will prioritize close-quarters combat over gunplay, according to the development team. Guns are explicitly downplayed as a core gameplay mechanic.
Indiana Jones and the Great Circle: Hand-to-Hand Combat Takes Center Stage
Stealth and Puzzles Enhance Gameplay
In a recent interview with PC Gamer, the developers highlighted the game's emphasis on melee combat, improvised weaponry, and stealth. Drawing inspiration from their work on titles like Wolfenstein and Chronicles of Riddick: Escape From Butcher Bay, they've crafted a system where Indy's resourcefulness shines.
Design director Jens Andersson stated that gunfights are not integral to Indy's character, explaining, "Indiana Jones isn't a gunslinger; he doesn't charge in blazing away." Instead, the game leverages hand-to-hand combat and creative weapon use—think pots, pans, and even banjos! The team aimed to capture Indy's improvisational style and "unlikely hero" persona within the gameplay.
Beyond combat, exploration plays a significant role. The game blends linear and open environments, offering both guided paths and expansive areas for exploration. Some open areas even incorporate elements of immersive sim gameplay, providing players with multiple approaches to challenges. Enemy camps, for instance, allow for creative infiltration and problem-solving.
Stealth mechanics are crucial, incorporating traditional infiltration and a unique "social stealth" system. Players can find and use disguises to blend in and gain access to restricted zones. Andersson confirmed that "every major location has numerous disguises to discover."
Game director Jerk Gustafsson previously emphasized the deliberate de-emphasis of gunplay in an interview with Inverse. The team prioritized other aspects—hand-to-hand combat, navigation, and traversal—first, viewing them as more challenging to implement effectively in a first-person perspective.
The game will also include challenging puzzles, with some designed to test even the most experienced puzzle solvers. However, Gustafsson confirmed that the most difficult puzzles will be optional, maintaining a degree of accessibility.
