“It’s about thinking, discovering, tracking down clues, and sometimes just a bit of luck to get through the various traps, tombs, and threats encountered,” says Lucasfilm Games executive producer Craig Derrick.

On more than a few occasions, the developers of the upcoming Indiana Jones and the Great Circle have made it very clear that the upcoming first-person title is very much not a shooter, that the focus is much more on gameplay that makes you think than on out-and-out action. In an interview published on the official Lucasfilm website, Lucasfilm Games executive producer Craig Derrick has doubled down on that, going as far as calling the upcoming Xbox title a successor to classic point-and-click adventure games.

Discussing how Indiana Jones and the Great Circle encourages players to “use their brains before their brawn”, Derrick revealed that the game was “envisioned as a spiritual successor” to beloved 1992 point-and-click adventure game Indiana Jones and the Fate of Atlantis. Of course, that doesn’t necessarily mean the moment-to-moment gameplay loop is going to be similar, but as per Derrick, the Great Circle puts a similar level of emphasis on “thinking, discovering, tracking down clues” and what have you.

“From uncovering and investigating the central mystery of the story to tackling unique situations along the way and outsmarting traps designed to keep the world’s secrets hidden,” he said. “We wanted the player’s primary focus to be on using their brains before their brawn, although punching bad guys is also a lot of fun. In many ways, we envisioned this game as a spiritual successor to Indiana Jones and the Fate of Atlantis and other classic adventure games. It’s about thinking, discovering, tracking down clues, and sometimes just a bit of luck to get through the various traps, tombs, and threats encountered—all while capturing that over-the-top Saturday matinee feel that defines an Indiana Jones adventure.”

Indiana Jones and the Great Circle is also confirmed to feature several open-ended immersive sim-style areas, so players who like to be rewarded for conjuring up creative solutions to challenges will have plenty to dive into.

Meanwhile, in the same interview, Derrick also spoke about how Troy Baker manages to successfully inhabit the titular role of Indiana Jones in the upcoming game.

Indiana Jones and the Great Circle releases on December 9 for Xbox Series X/S and PC. It will launch for PS5 in Spring 2025.