MachineGames and Bethesda's upcoming Indiana Jones game, The Great Circle, will prioritize close-quarters combat over gunfights, according to the development team. This design choice reflects the character's established persona.

The Great Circle: Hand-to-Hand Combat Takes Center Stage

Stealth and Puzzles: Crucial Gameplay Pillars

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

Andersson stated that Indiana Jones isn't known for gunplay, making a shooter approach unsuitable. Instead, the game leverages melee combat, drawing inspiration from Chronicles of Riddick, but adapting it to Indy's unique fighting style. Players will utilize everyday objects—pots, pans, even banjos—as makeshift weapons. The team aims to capture Indy's resourceful and somewhat clumsy heroism in the gameplay experience.

Beyond combat, exploration is a key component. The game blends linear and open environments, similar to Wolfenstein, offering both structured paths and expansive areas for exploration. Some areas will feature immersive sim elements, allowing players multiple approaches to challenges. Andersson described enemy camps where players must infiltrate a main building, offering freedom in how they achieve their objective.

Stealth plays a significant role, incorporating traditional infiltration and a novel "social stealth" mechanic. Players can find and equip disguises to blend in and access restricted areas. Andersson confirmed that every major location offers various disguises for players to discover.

Game director Jerk Gustafsson previously told Inverse that gunplay is intentionally minimized. The team prioritized hand-to-hand combat, navigation, and traversal during development. The game also features challenging puzzles, with some optional for accessibility. However, seasoned puzzle solvers will find plenty to test their skills.