Indiana Jones and the Great Circle Sticks to Melee Combat Over Gun Fights

MachineGames and Bethesda's upcoming action-adventure game, Indiana Jones and the Great Circle, will prioritize melee combat 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

Stealth and Puzzles as Core Gameplay Elements

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 the Wolfenstein series and Chronicles of Riddick: Escape From Butcher Bay, the developers emphasized hand-to-hand combat, improvised weapon use, and stealth as core gameplay pillars.

The team explained that Indiana Jones' character doesn't align with a gunslinger archetype. While acknowledging the character's frequent involvement in fights, they stressed that he's not a trained fighter. Combat will incorporate the use of everyday objects as weapons, reflecting Indy's resourceful nature. The developers aim to capture Indy's "unlikely hero" persona through gameplay mechanics.

Beyond combat, the game will offer diverse approaches to exploration. The game world will blend linear sections with more open areas, drawing inspiration from Wolfenstein's level design. These open areas will provide players with significant agency in solving challenges, approaching the style of an immersive sim. Stealth mechanics will also play a significant role, incorporating traditional infiltration and a unique "social stealth" system utilizing disguises to access restricted areas.

A previous interview with Inverse revealed the deliberate decision to minimize gunplay. The development team prioritized other aspects of gameplay, including hand-to-hand combat, navigation, and traversal. The game will also include challenging puzzles, with some particularly difficult ones offered as optional content to maintain accessibility.