It hasn't been a week since Indiana Jones and the Great Circle was announced, and we already have more information than we can easily wrap our heads around. The chance to play as Indiana Jones has fans thrilled, however, the bits of gameplay we've been shown so far have many wondering: is the game third-person?
The announcement trailer, paired with a few interviews with the developer team, gives us tons of insight into the nature of the game. Fortunately, they also answer this very important question. Let's discuss whether or not Indiana Jones and the Great Circle will be played from a third-person perspective.
But first, check out where the game takes place in the franchise's story. Also, read about Harrison Ford's involvement in the project.
Is Indiana Jones and the Great Circle third-person?
The answer is no, the upcoming Indiana Jones and the Great Circle is primarily a first-person game with only a handful of cutscenes and traversal sequences that pull the camera back to give you a third-person perspective. This decision to make the game a first-person experience is definitely surprising, and may even be a dealbreaker for fans that want to see Indy as he's running around on their screens.
However, to MachineGames it was the most natural decision. In an interview, game director Jerk Gustafsson explained the studio's decision, stating: "First-person gameplay is part of MachineGames’ DNA". Looking at MachineGames' library of games, with long-standing franchises like Wolfenstein and Quake under their belt, it's evident that creating great first-person experiences is the studio's bread and butter.
Moreover, he explains: “It also separates our game from many other action-adventure titles, making it a unique experience that you cannot find anywhere else", likely referring to games such as Uncharted and Tomb Raider, both of which heavily feature elements inspired from the Indiana Jones franchise, but with gameplay from a third-person perspective.
Gustafsson also confirms their commitment to making this an Indiana Jones experience, stating: "...we still want to show Indy as much as possible, so we have a seamless flow between first-person gameplay and third-person actions, events, and cinematics.”
Finally, through a separate interview with design director Jens Andersson, we're told how keeping the game in first-person adds to player immersion. "Our game is about putting you in the shoes of an iconic hero. Since we are doing this mostly in first-person, you have the chance to truly become Indy. First-person makes you part of this world – allowing you to explore and experience things more intimately."
And from what we've seen from the gameplay so far, this explanation makes a ton of sense. It can't be denied that watching Indy uncover puzzles and get into firefights from his point of view makes each individual moment feel more immersive and kinetic.
Sure, it's a shame that we won't get to see the handsome devil's face as often as we'd like, but with MachineGames' pedigree in making amazing first-person experiences, it's unlikely they'll fail to do the fans justice.
That's all you need to know about why the upcoming Indiana Jones game is not in the third-person. For more, check out our full breakdown and review of everything we learned about Indiana Jones and the Great Circle.