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. This design choice reflects the iconic character's personality and established history.

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

Puzzles and Exploration are Key Gameplay Pillars

In a recent interview with PC Gamer, design director Jens Andersson and creative director Axel Torvenius detailed the game's gameplay mechanics. Influenced by their work on the Wolfenstein series and Chronicles of Riddick: Escape From Butcher Bay, the developers emphasized the importance of hand-to-hand combat, improvised weaponry, and stealth.

Andersson explained that the game wouldn't feature gunplay as a central element, stating that "Indiana Jones isn't a gunslinger." Instead, the game leverages the team's experience with melee combat, adapting it to Indy's unique fighting style. Players will utilize everyday objects – pots, pans, even banjos – as makeshift weapons. The goal is to capture Indy's resourceful and somewhat clumsy heroism in gameplay.

Beyond combat, players will explore a diverse game world blending linear and open environments, similar to the Wolfenstein games. Some areas offer a greater degree of freedom, approaching immersive sim design, allowing for multiple approaches to challenges and enemy encounters. Stealth mechanics, including both traditional infiltration and a novel "social stealth" system using disguises, will be crucial for navigating these environments.

Andersson highlighted the "social stealth" mechanic, noting that each major location contains various disguises to help players blend in and access restricted areas.

Game director Jerk Gustafsson, in a previous interview with Inverse, reinforced the deliberate de-emphasis on gunplay. He described the design process as starting by "ignoring the shooting part" and focusing on other aspects like hand-to-hand combat, navigation, and traversal. The game also boasts a robust puzzle system, offering both accessible and extremely challenging puzzles for players of varying skill levels.