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 steer clear of becoming a shooter, focusing instead on a more authentic portrayal of the iconic adventurer.

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

Stealth and Puzzles: Integral Gameplay Elements

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

The team highlighted that Indiana Jones isn't known for his gun skills; his charm lies in his resourcefulness and improvisational abilities. Melee combat, therefore, forms the core of the combat system, drawing inspiration from Chronicles of Riddick's melee mechanics, but adapted to fit Indy's unique fighting style. Players will utilize everyday objects – pots, pans, even banjos – as makeshift weapons. The game aims to capture Indy's unlikely hero status and incorporate that element of humor into the gameplay experience.

Beyond combat, exploration plays a significant role. The game world blends linear and open areas, reminiscent of the Wolfenstein series. These larger, open areas offer immersive sim-style gameplay, allowing players multiple approaches to challenges and problem-solving within enemy encampments.

Stealth mechanics are also crucial, incorporating both traditional infiltration and a novel "social stealth" system. Players can discover and utilize disguises to blend in and access restricted areas, adding a layer of strategic depth to exploration.

A previous interview with Inverse revealed the deliberate decision to minimize gunplay. The development team prioritized other gameplay aspects, such as hand-to-hand combat, navigation, and traversal, acknowledging their expertise in gunplay but focusing on more challenging elements. The game will also feature a range of puzzles, with varying difficulty levels to ensure accessibility while also offering a significant challenge for experienced puzzle solvers. The most challenging puzzles will be optional.