Indiana Jones Returns with Melee Combat Focus

MachineGames and Bethesda's upcoming action-adventure game, 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: Fists First, Guns Second

Stealth and Puzzles Take Center Stage

Indiana Jones and the Great Circle Prioritizes Melee Combat In a recent interview with PC Gamer, MachineGames design director Jens Andersson and creative director Axel Torvenius detailed the game's gameplay focus. Inspired by their work on titles like the Wolfenstein series and Chronicles of Riddick: Escape From Butcher Bay, the developers emphasized hand-to-hand combat, improvised weapon use, and stealth.

Andersson explained that the game's design reflects Indiana Jones's character: "Indiana Jones isn't a gunslinger. He doesn't charge in guns blazing." The team leveraged their experience with Chronicles of Riddick's melee system as a foundation, adapting it to suit Indy's unique fighting style. Expect inventive combat using everyday objects—pots, pans, even banjos—as makeshift weapons. Andersson further commented on capturing Indy's resourceful and somewhat clumsy heroism in the gameplay.

Indiana Jones and the Great Circle Prioritizes Melee Combat Beyond combat, players will explore diverse environments. The game blends linear sections with more open areas, drawing inspiration from Wolfenstein's level design. These open spaces offer multiple approaches to challenges, approaching the freedom of an immersive sim. Andersson described enemy camps as examples, where players can freely explore to find the best way into a building.

Stealth will be crucial, incorporating both traditional infiltration and a unique "social stealth" mechanic. Andersson revealed that players can discover and use disguises to blend into crowds and access restricted areas within each major location.

Indiana Jones and the Great Circle Prioritizes Melee Combat Game director Jerk Gustafsson previously told Inverse that the team intentionally minimized gunplay. Gustafsson stated that they prioritized other gameplay aspects like hand-to-hand combat, navigation, and traversal, focusing on elements that posed greater design challenges. The game will also include challenging puzzles, with some optional for players seeking a less difficult experience.