Indiana Jones Returns to the Realm of Action

Indiana Jones and the Dial of Destiny: A Focus on Melee Combat and Stealth

MachineGames and Bethesda's upcoming Indiana Jones game, Indiana Jones and the Dial of Destiny, will prioritize hand-to-hand combat and stealth over gunplay, according to the development team. In an interview with PC Gamer, design director Jens Andersson and creative director Axel Torvenius emphasized that the game's design reflects Indiana Jones's character.

"Indiana Jones isn't a gunslinger," Andersson stated. "Hand-to-hand combat makes perfect sense for him." The game will draw inspiration from the melee combat in Chronicles of Riddick: Escape From Butcher Bay, but adapted to Indy's unique fighting style, incorporating improvised weapons like pots, pans, and even a banjo. The developers aim to capture Indy's resourceful and somewhat clumsy heroism in the gameplay.

The game's environments will blend linear sections with more open areas reminiscent of Wolfenstein, offering players agency in how they approach challenges. Some areas will feature immersive sim elements, allowing for multiple solutions to puzzles and objectives. Stealth will play a crucial role, incorporating traditional infiltration techniques and a novel "social stealth" mechanic, enabling players to utilize disguises to access restricted zones. Andersson highlighted the abundance of disguises available within each major location.

Game director Jerk Gustafsson, in a previous interview with Inverse, reiterated the deliberate downplaying of gunplay. The team prioritized other gameplay aspects, including hand-to-hand combat, navigation, and traversal, in order to create a challenging and unique experience. The game will also include a robust selection of puzzles, ranging in difficulty to cater to a wider range of players, with some particularly challenging puzzles offered as optional content.