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

Indiana Jones and the Dial of Destiny’s gameplay will prioritize melee combat and stealth over gunfights, according to the development team at MachineGames and Bethesda.

Indiana Jones and the Dial of Destiny: More Brawls, Fewer Bullets

Stealth and Puzzles Take Center Stage

In an exclusive interview with PC Gamer, MachineGames design director Jens Andersson and creative director Axel Torvenius revealed key gameplay elements. Drawing on their experience with titles like the Wolfenstein series and Chronicles of Riddick: Escape From Butcher Bay, they emphasized hand-to-hand combat, improvised weapon use, and stealth mechanics.

"Indiana Jones isn't known for blazing guns," Andersson explained. "Hand-to-hand combat feels authentic to the character." The team built upon their Chronicles of Riddick melee combat experience, adapting it to Indy's unique style.

Andersson continued, "He's not a fighter, yet he's constantly in scrapes." Players will creatively utilize everyday objects—pots, pans, even banjos—as makeshift weapons. "He's an unlikely hero, a bit lucky—we wanted to capture that humor and resourcefulness in the gameplay."

Beyond combat, players will explore diverse environments. Inspired by Wolfenstein’s blend of linear and open areas, the game seamlessly transitions between structured paths and expansive explorable spaces. Some larger areas offer immersive sim-style freedom, allowing players multiple approaches to challenges. "There are open areas, almost immersive sim-like, such as enemy camps where you must infiltrate a main building—allowing for exploration and diverse solutions," Andersson described.

Stealth plays a crucial role, incorporating traditional infiltration and a novel "social stealth" mechanic. Players can discover and equip disguises to blend into crowds and access restricted areas. "Each major location offers various disguises," Andersson noted. "These disguises allow access to areas otherwise difficult to reach."

In a previous interview with Inverse, game director Jerk Gustafsson highlighted the deliberate downplaying of gunplay. "We initially focused on everything but shooting," Gustafsson stated. "We knew we could handle gunplay well, so we prioritized more challenging aspects like hand-to-hand combat, navigation, and traversal." The team prioritized these elements to create a unique and challenging experience.

The game will also feature intricate puzzles, some designed to challenge even seasoned puzzle solvers. "Players seeking difficult puzzles will find them," Gustafsson confirmed, adding that some very challenging puzzles will be optional to maintain accessibility.