"Indiana Jones Game Prioritizes Melee Over Gunplay"

The developers at MachineGames and Bethesda emphasize that Indiana Jones and the Great Circle was never meant to be a shooter. "It couldn't and shouldn't be that kind of game," they stated regarding their upcoming action-adventure title.

Melee Combat Takes Center Stage in Indiana Jones and the Great Circle

Stealth Mechanics and Challenging Puzzles Play Vital Roles

Speaking exclusively with PC Gamer, MachineGames' design director Jens Andersson and creative director Axel Torvenius revealed how they crafted the gameplay experience. Building on their Wolfenstein and Chronicles of Riddick pedigree, they've prioritized improvised fistfights, stealth approaches, and environmental melee combat over gunplay.

"Indy isn't someone who solves problems with firepower," Andersson explained. "A shooter would completely miss the character's essence. Melee combat, however, perfectly fits his improvisational style." The team refined their Riddick combat system to reflect Indy's everyman hero qualities.

"He's constantly thrown into fights despite not being a trained fighter," Andersson noted. Players will wield ordinary objects - from kitchenware to musical instruments - as makeshift weapons. "We want players to feel that same unlikely-hero energy: scrappy, unpredictable, and often hilariously unprepared."

Beyond combat, the game blends linear storytelling with expansive environments inspired by Wolfenstein's level design. Certain sections approach immersive sim complexity, presenting multiple solutions to objectives. "Some areas feature enemy encampments where players must creatively infiltrate strongholds," Andersson described.

The stealth system introduces disguise mechanics allowing access to restricted zones. "Major locations contain hidden outfits that let you blend in," Andersson revealed. "These disguises provide alternative routes past heavily guarded areas."

Game director Jerk Gustafsson told Inverse they intentionally deprioritized gunplay despite their FPS expertise. "We focused first on developing challenging systems like hand-to-hand combat and environmental navigation," Gustafsson explained. Early design documents allocated most resources to these core mechanics.

The adventure will test players with optional brain-teasers alongside mandatory puzzles. "We've included some particularly difficult puzzles for dedicated problem-solvers," Gustafsson noted, "while ensuring the main path remains accessible to all players."