It’s easy to forget that, over the course of Indiana Jones and the Great Circle, we’ll spending the runtime of multiple films with the archaeologist adventurer. Not just that but, thanks to the game’s primarily first-person viewpoint, we’ll be quite literally inside Indy’s head.

It gave the game’s developer MachineGames a responsibility – not just representing the world and feel of the Indiana Jones movies faithfully, but also this character, who we already know so well.

As Design Director Jens Andersson puts it: “Of course, no-one is more iconic than Indiana Jones, so getting that right was paramount.” There’s so much to juggle here – from Indy’s tone of voice, to the way he reacts to situations, right down to how he moves, or uses his equipment. And, for the developers, that meant going to the source.

“Lucasfilm Games and Franchise was a great help here, providing a ton of insight on the character,” explains Andersson.

“The collaboration with the Lucasfilm Games team has been incredibly smooth,” adds Lead Narrative Designer, Tommy Tordsson Björk. “We’ve had an open channel with them throughout the project where we’ve sent finished drafts of scripts to them for feedback and getting their lore input on various aspects. This open and transparent working process has been very valuable for us.”

But, truly, this research was just the start.

Meeting Indy

Poring over not only the films, but comic books and even other games became central to defining who Indiana Jones truly is, and led the team to create “rules” around what Indy would and wouldn’t do:

“Early on in the project I started to look at the early movies, starting to dissect the character and the IP,” explains Creative Director Axel Torvenius. “The goal was to flesh out and identify what is core to the franchise. What that gave us was some sort of framework for who Indiana Jones is, but also, and sometimes even more importantly – what he is not.

“Quite quickly you realize that he is not a guns-first type of character that kicks down doors, mowing through enemies with a machine gun. He is also not an aggressor or vengeful person. There are some key beats to Indy as a character: he is very human, he is an academic, he is a complex character with his weaknesses (and strengths), he is passionate, an empath with warmth. He also has a sweet tooth for danger and daring stunts, he is obsessed, he thirsts for knowledge, and he is extremely resourceful.”

That framework didn’t just govern how Indy acts in the core story, or how he speaks – it was applied to everything about the game, down to moments where players make choices in how to act, or take part in optional content that other players may never find.

“All of these things tie into the types of actions he does and it ties into which type of narrative we want to craft,” says Torvenius. “So even when you are off tangent and not on the golden path, all your actions will still feel like they fit within the IP.”

“We worked really hard to make sure it was fun and easy for the player to make similar choices that Indy would do,” adds Andersson. “If the player naturally chooses to play as a lovable and sometimes brawling archaeologist, they’ve already put themselves into the shoes of Indiana Jones and most of the battle is already won.”

Defining the Character

But this isn’t just an image of Indiana Jones as a whole – The Great Circle is set in a very specific period between ‘Indiana Jones and the Raiders of the Lost Ark’ and ‘Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade’, meaning MachineGames needed to further refine the character. Who was he in this moment?

“Speaking in terms of the storyline, the game picks up after ‘Raiders’. Indy has split with [‘Raiders’ companion] Marion Ravenwood and he’s kind of lost, trying to figure out what his next move is,” explains Torvenius. “He is this charming, very human teacher, but also this almost obsessed superhero – but with no superpowers.”

‘Obsession’ is an idea that everyone I speak to brings up around this take on Indy – and interestingly, it was drawn out of the movie that follows this game in the timeline:

“Obsession is what defines him here. Obsession with his work, with exploring the past and uncovering the secrets of history, and it is this that has led him to where he is when the game starts,” explains Björk. “Indy’s personal theme of obsession is something that we’ve drawn from ‘The Last Crusade’ and the relationship Indy has with his dad, who also was obsessed with work. Indy doesn’t realize how much it also defines him – and that’s how it often goes, isn’t it? It’s not easy to see or analyse your own character traits and flaws.”

But perhaps most excitingly for players, much of the rest is up to you. MachineGames has created a version of this character that’s open to your interpretation:

“What defines him in this game is what you as a player want to define him as. We have crafted a game experience where all his character traits and skills are there for you to choose from. But regardless whether you, as a player, choose the fists-first brawler or the inquisitive investigator that hides in the shadows, we have made sure that this will always feel like a solid, genuine Indiana Jones adventure.”

Growth Mindset

Another key element for The Great Circle’s take on the character was in having him change over time – MachineGames isn’t looking to create a static icon of who Indiana Jones is, but offer a meaningful exploration of how he grows after ‘Raiders’ and before ‘The Last Crusade’. That comes down not just to the story, but the game itself – MachineGames has found ways of hinting at Indy’s personal growth through mechanics.

“There are several ways we have worked with this,” begins Torvenius. “Throughout the game we reward the player with Adventure Points. These points can be spent to unlock skills that you find in ability books. These are basically new skills you learn throughout the adventure – and all these skills and moves you unlock have been carefully crafted to fit the character of Indy. Some of these are things like more health or stamina and others are related to handling the whip – all features intimately tied to Indiana Jones. This gives a sense of experience building up.

“We also have a visual progression with his hat and jacket becoming a tad more beaten up throughout the experience, and the same goes for the journal. Indy’s journal becomes more and more built out, and shows stains and scribbles on the pages to emphasize the player’s journey. All of these things combine to work together very nicely – the player will never be left feeling that the character of Indy is not evolving throughout the game.”

And, of course, playing the majority of the game in first-person plays a major part here too. While it may seem a challenge to set the game within a character so defined by his look, it gave MachineGames a chance to use their experience within this area – particularly in the recent Wolfenstein games.

“We knew this was super important challenge from the get-go,” says Andersson. “Luckily, this is not our first rodeo. Big parts of the team have worked together on story-driven first-person games all the way back to The Chronicles of Riddick and The Darkness. Also, I think the Wolfenstein series surprised the world by having a very interesting and relatable character with B.J. Blazkowicz, so we have had a lot of experience with this.”

“One important thing that has been part of our DNA for a very long time – and is definitely something that helps create great characters – is that we put story front and centre,” adds Torvenius. “We always start with a strong narrative, and we always end with a narratively strong ending. And our experience is weaving those stories tightly with solid gameplay.

“Having the perfect mix of strong cutscenes and interesting gameplay, driven by an interesting character that is complex with many nuances, that continues to evolve throughout the game, is crucial. A good story survives everything and that’s why we’re always so very focused on getting the story just right.”

Finding a Voice

But all of this hard work would be for naught without finding the right voice for Indiana Jones – not just someone who could step into the role of Indiana Jones and make it their own, but create a version of the character who felt right for this specific point in his life. The team found it in renowned voice actor, Troy Baker, whose portrayal feels so natural that you never doubt that you’re hearing Indiana Jones.

Even better, Baker’s work as a performance capture artist meant that he literally embodied Indiana Jones for the game: “Troy Baker did a phenomenal job in portraying Indy, both in first-person and third, with his extensive research of the character and stellar acting,” says Andersson.

For the game’s writers, it was a match made in heaven:

“Harrison Ford’s depiction of the character has been our starting point when writing the script, and then letting Troy Baker do his magic in honoring that depiction,” explains Björk. “And that’s what has been so amazing about working with Troy Baker – he truly understands Indy as a character, and he has an incredible wealth of knowledge about him and the franchise, and so much love and passion for the story.”

Creating a single character has been a true team effort, across MachineGames and beyond – and it’s what lends Indiana Jones and the Great Circle its magic. You’re not simply moving Indiana Jones around this world-spanning adventure – you’re truly playing as him, and it makes all the difference.

Indiana Jones and the Great Circle comes to Xbox Series X|S and Windows PC (with Game Pass), or Steam on December 9. Premium and Collector’s Editions will offer up to 3 days of early access from December 6.