When it comes to video games, Indiana Jones has 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 on a new Indiana Jones game, 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 for Indiana Jones games. Starting with the very first Indy title in 1982, the Atari 2600’s Raiders of the Lost Ark, a third-person camera has been used for all Indiana Jones games. Over time, this has shifted from the 2D perspective present in point-and-click classics like The Fate of Atlantis to a 3D third-person perspective in later titles like The Emperor’s Tomb and The 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, in the Arkham series, 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 for a modern Indiana Jones title, 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 sequel Catalyst, 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, the Mirror’s Edge series does lay the groundwork for a potential first-person Indiana Jones game. Punches, kicks, counters, and gunplay is all present in Mirror’s Edge, and though it can feel a little unresponsive or weightless at times, it’s more than serviceable.
Mirror’s Edge Catalyst even introduces a grappling hook mechanic, leading to swinging gameplay sections. Of course, for an Indiana Jones game, having good swinging mechanics is an absolute must, and Catalyst does prove that this can work well in first-person.
With MachineGames’ history creating first-person titles such as the recent Wolfenstein reboots and some Quake titles, it may seem more likely that its upcoming Indiana Jones title 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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