Indiana Jones Swings into Melee Combat in Latest Installment

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. Guns will play a secondary role.

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

Stealth and Puzzles Enhance Gameplay

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 team emphasizes hand-to-hand combat, improvised weaponry, and stealth.

The developers stressed that Indiana Jones isn't known for gunplay. Instead, the game will feature visceral melee combat, utilizing everyday objects like pots, pans, and even musical instruments as improvised weapons. This approach aims to capture Indy's resourceful and somewhat clumsy charm.

Beyond combat, exploration is key. The game blends linear and open environments, offering structured paths alongside expansive areas ripe for discovery. Some sections will even feature immersive sim elements, allowing players multiple approaches to challenges. Enemy camps, for instance, will provide opportunities for creative infiltration.

Stealth plays a significant role, incorporating both traditional infiltration and a novel "social stealth" mechanic. Players can find and use disguises to blend in with their surroundings and access restricted areas. A wide variety of disguises will be available in each major location.

A previous interview with Inverse revealed the deliberate decision to downplay gunplay. The focus shifted early in development towards hand-to-hand combat, navigation, and traversal. The team, confident in their ability to create engaging gunplay, prioritized the more challenging aspects of the game's design.

The game will also include a robust selection of puzzles, ranging in difficulty to cater to both casual and hardcore players. While some extremely challenging puzzles will be included, they’ll be optional to maintain accessibility.