Steven Spielberg and George Lucas' adventure movie passion project has gone much farther than any of the original team might have guessed. Witha fifthIndiana Jonesmovieon its way, a healthy supply of spin-offs in its past, and a brand new game coming out,Indiana Jonesis still well and truly part of the public conscious. It takes only a few bars of John Williams' iconic “Raiders March” score, and a silhouette of a hat and whip to make the average movie-goer recognize who they’re looking at, even 40 years later.
When it comes to video games,Indiana Joneshas had his fair share of outings over the years, with some pretty mixed results. Bethesda recently announced that one of its developers, MachineGames, is currently working ona newIndiana Jonesgame, and expectations are high. However, fans are wondering if this title stick with the first-person perspective that MachineGames is used to or shift to a third-person perspective like its predecessors.
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A Third-Person Indiana Jones Game is the Standard
A third-person perspective is the norm forIndiana Jonesgames. Starting with the very firstIndytitle in 1982, the Atari 2600’sRaiders of the Lost Ark, a third-person camera has been used for allIndiana Jonesgames. Over time, this has shifted from the 2D perspective present in point-and-click classics likeThe Fate of Atlantisto a 3D third-person perspective in later titles likeThe Emperor’s TombandThe Staff of Kings.
When it comes to creating an action-adventure title, the third-person perspective is pretty much the standard. By using this particular camera angle, set pieces are able to kept in frame for much longer, as the player’s perspective can be directed towards the action without it being too jarring for the player.
Similarly, hand-to-hand combat is also much easier to implement in a third-person game. Full-body animations immediately connect the player’s button input to a recognizable attack. For instance, intheArkhamseries, pressing the triangle button will clearly show Batman grabbing a henchman and countering. Seeing the full scope of the animation is not only visually impressive, but more easily links that button to its in-game function.
In first-person titles, this is often a little harder to achieve, as only the arms can be seen, leaving the rest of the body’s movements to be unclear. For simple brawlers, this is usually fine, but fora modernIndiana Jonestitle, fluid and impressive animations would be a must. It’s much easier to show Indy wrestle his way out of a grab in third-person than in first.
A First-Person Indiana Jones Game Could Work
While the action-adventure genre is closely tied with the third-person perspective, there have been a few titles in the past that have broken the mold.Mirror’s Edge, and its sequelCatalyst, both show that a first-person hand-to-hand game can definitely work.
Although it suffers from the disconnection between animations and inputs mentioned in the last section,theMirror’s Edgeseriesdoes lay the groundwork for a potential first-personIndiana Jonesgame. Punches, kicks, counters, and gunplay is all present inMirror’s Edge, and though it can feel a little unresponsive or weightless at times, it’s more than serviceable.
Mirror’s Edge Catalysteven introduces a grappling hook mechanic, leading to swinging gameplay sections. Of course, for anIndiana Jonesgame, having good swinging mechanics is an absolute must, andCatalystdoes prove that this can work well in first-person.
With MachineGames' history creating first-person titles such as the recentWolfensteinreboots and someQuaketitles, it may seem more likely that its upcomingIndiana Jonestitle will use a first-person perspective. While a third-person perspective has always gone hand-in-hand with the franchise, fans shouldn’t be too worried if MachineGames' title switches things up a little.
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