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 and stealth 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 and Stealth

Puzzles and Environmental Interaction are Key

In a recent interview with PC Gamer, MachineGames' design director and creative director detailed the game's gameplay design. 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.

"Indiana Jones isn't known for gunfights," explained the design director. "Hand-to-hand combat feels authentic to the character." The team drew inspiration from Chronicles of Riddick's melee system, adapting it to better suit Indy's fighting style. Players will utilize everyday objects – pots, pans, even banjos – as improvised weapons. The developers aim to capture Indy's resourceful and somewhat clumsy heroism within the gameplay experience.

Beyond combat, players will navigate environments through exploration and problem-solving. The game blends linear and open areas, drawing inspiration from the Wolfenstein series. Larger, more open environments will offer multiple approaches to challenges, approaching the style of an immersive sim. Enemy camps, for example, will allow for diverse infiltration strategies.

Stealth will be a crucial element, incorporating traditional infiltration alongside a "social stealth" mechanic. Players can find and utilize disguises to blend in and access restricted areas. Each major location will offer various disguises to aid exploration.

A previous interview with Inverse revealed the deliberate decision to minimize gunplay. The game director stated that the team prioritized other gameplay aspects, such as hand-to-hand combat, navigation, and environmental interaction. Challenging, yet optional, puzzles will cater to players seeking complex problem-solving.