A video game based on theIndiana JonesIP tends to come with a different set of expectations. Preconceived ideas from fans about how the game should play, look, and feel, and how the characters should be portrayed, can sometimes be at odds with the developer’s ideas. ForIndiana Jones and The Great Circle, however, MachineGames is determined to stay as true to the source material as possible, potentially resulting in the most immersive Indy game to date.
Game Rant recently caught up with executive producer Jerk Gustafsson, design director Jens Andersson, creative director Axel Torvenius, and lead narrative designer Tommy Tordsson Björk to discussIndiana Jones and the Great Circle’sdevelopmentin more detail. They spoke about how the game was conceived, what the development journey has been like, and also shared some information about how skills and upgrades work in the game.This interview has been edited for clarity and brevity.
How Previous Games Influenced Indiana Jones and The Great Circle
Q: There is a long list ofIndiana Jonesgames of some kind, though it has been several years since the last. Did anything from these titles influence the gameplay direction ofIndiana Jones and The Great Circleat all?
Andersson:For me personally, the classic LucasArts point-and-click games are very close to my heart.Indiana Jones and the Fate of Atlantis, in particular, was a fantastic experiencefor me. While it’s a completely different game thanThe Great Circle, those games helped us be confident in our decision to have puzzles where you actually need to think, rather than just click through.
Q: Which of the films in the series inspired you the most? Were there any particular scenes/moments you drew from?
Torvenius: All of the movies produced in the 80s have been of great reference to us, but the one we have dialed in on a tad bit more is Indiana Jones and the Raiders of the Lost Ark. There are several reasons for this; one and the most obvious one is that it was the first time the world got to know of Indiana and met him as a character. It is the first and to us at MachineGames, one of the most original and true representations of him as a character. And since our ambition has been from the very get-go, to create a representation of the old “classic” Indy as we possibly can, it felt very natural to look at this movie for reference. It is also a masterpiece and a really solid schoolbook example when it comes to cinematography, composition, use of color, framing, set designs, you name it. Everything that an exciting adventure set in the 30s filmed in the 80s needs!
There are scenes and moments from all the 3 first movies where we have drawn inspiration, and it is hard to single out one specific scene. We have really been dissecting the movies and trying to capture his charming smile, his resourcefulness, and very human ways of walking and running, jumping over chasms, or just how to throw a good punch in an enemy’s face!
Q: Did anything from the Dial of Destiny factor into The Great Circle, or was it too far into development when the latest movie was released?
Torvenius: We have been developing the game in close collaboration with Lucasfilm Games to make sure we built an authentic Indy experience. We weren’t even aware that the movie was in the making when we started to develop the game at MachineGames. The entire team did go to the cinema and watched it! Great fun and a very cool Indy movie!
Q: The Great Circle has naturally drawn a lot of comparisons to the Tomb Raider and Uncharted franchises, with the Indiana Jones IP inspiring both of them. In turn, has anything from these franchises served as an inspiration or influence for The Great Circle? What do you think sets it apart from them as well?
Gustafsson: These are both fantastic series of games, and it’s hard not to be influenced by the quality and execution of any of the titles coming out of those developers. There are definitely a few things that set us apart though, not only the obvious first-person perspective, but our non-linear structure that is more grounded in player movement and combat, as well as the overall pacing of the game. Those things differ quite a lot. It will be very interesting to see how players will react to them and experience the MachineGames version of an Indiana Jones adventure. Also, a bit scary but we all want to bring something new to the table, and we shouldn’t shy away from doing that, even if there are some unknowns attached to it.
How Skills and Progression Work in Indiana Jones and The Great Circle
Q: What drew you to use Adventure Books for progression in Indiana Jones as opposed to a more traditional progression feature?
Andersson:Two things, really; one is that we wanted to make this game as grounded and immersive as possible, so having amore traditional skill treewould detract from that. Instead, being able to discover and read books to unlock new abilities felt like a better match for our favorite archaeologist and professor. Secondly, we wanted to have really nice rewards for exploration and for solving the mysteries you discover around the world, and what better reward is there than finding a completely new ability that you didn’t know existed?
Q: Can you talk a little bit about creating skills and perks for an adventure game but also keeping these skills and perks authentic to theIndiana Jonesexperience? Did that present any unique challenges?
Andersson:All abilities are designed to build on the existing tools andgameplay suited for Indy, like melee, whip, and guns. There are even a few special ones, like the Lucky Hat ability that gives you a second chance if you are taken down in the iconic Adventurers outfit with your fedora on. The biggest challenge here is that they are all optional and many of them are quite hard to find, so we couldn’t really be sure of what abilities the player has unlocked at any specific point in the game, but that is what makes those Adventure Books exciting as well — you never know what an Adventure Book you find can contain.
Q: What’s your favorite skill/perk inThe Great Circle, and why?
Andersson:While the Lucky Hat one is such a great example of an ability perfectly suited to Indy, my favorite is the hard-to-findWhip ability, which turns your whip into a stealth tool, allowing you to take out unaware soldiers using your whip. It’s a good example of an ability that changes the way you play once you get it.
Indiana Jones and The Great Circle’s Use of Easter Eggs and Music
Q: Could you give us a little hint of your favorite Easter egg(s) inIndiana Jones and The Great Circle?
Torvenius:Without saying what it is and what the specific context is, since that would be spoiling it, one of my favorites has something to do with a rope-shaped reptile.
Q: Indy’s theme song is legendary. How heavily does the game’s soundtrack pull from the movies, and what can you tell us about the overall construction of its soundtrack?
Torvenius:We have been working very closely with Grammy award-winning Gordy Haab for this project. He’s known for his great craftsmanship and music and is phenomenal at emulatingJohn Williams-style music. The core from the beginning has been to have the music fully immerse players in the world of Indiana Jones. We have analyzed and listened to the 80sIndiana Jonesmovies a lot, to ensure we are on par when it comes to style and theme.
MachineGames' Post-Launch Plans
Q: What are your plans for launch day?
Andersson:We actually have our big launch party on the day of the release, which is both exciting and nerve-wracking! But after our super intense final push to make the game the best it can be, we feel pretty confident that we’ll be able to read some nice quotes from what people think about the game while celebrating in our fedoras!
Torvenius:Celebrating together as a team over the accomplishment of making the best adventure in a long time!
Q:Indiana Jones and The Great Circlewill be getting a story DLC called The Order of Giants sometime after launch. Is there anything you can tell us about it?
Björk:The only thing I can say there is that we will explore some of the myths that you learn about in the Vatican and find out hidden history of Rome. It’s going to be an exciting adventure worthy of Indy!
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