Bethesda announces an all-new Indiana Jones game

Bethesda and LucasFilm Games have announced a new Indiana Jones game, and fans should rejoice. There’s not much else to go on, for now, so the internet is predictably rife with speculation.

In a tweet, Bethesda said: “It’ll be some time before we have more to reveal, but we’re very excited to share today’s news!”

Will it feature an old and grizzled Indy, or will it show the adventurer in his prime? The possibilities are almost endless. One clue we do have is on Jones’s desk there is a plane ticket to Rome dated 21 October 1937.

The only other clue we have is a book entitled entitled ‘Ancient Circle’, which could be almost anything. As long as it’s nothing to do with aliens, I’m okay with it.

So, we know that it will be an original story with at least one new location. What’s more, it will showcase a relatively young Indy at the height of his powers, swinging off ledges with grace and probably punching a lot of Nazis.

It’s been a long time since we’ve had an Indiana Jones film or game, and they were pretty mediocre at best. Since then, Tomb Raider and Uncharted have gone on to dominate the action-adventure gaming genre. These games also feature charming and capable protagonists with a penchant for high octane gunplay and light graverobbing.

Some might think this new game could become a pale imitation of the games it inspired in the first place. After all, no one wants to end up playing an Uncharted game with a different coat of paint, in which you essentially play as Nathan Drake in a fedora.

But the original three films are unique and have a kind of charm that’s all their own. To make this a great game, the developers need to recapture that magic and make you feel like you’re playing as Indiana Jones. The character of Indy worked because he felt relatable and human. For the game to work, we need to feel that we’re going on an old-fashioned adventure with him, winning fights and escaping temples by the skin of our teeth.

With modern graphics being what they are, games are starting to feel more cinematic than ever before. The game can take advantage of this with everything from beautiful landscapes and ancient tombs where you can see every speck of dust on the brim of Indy’s brim.

Much as I would love to see the Nazis play the villains, it would be nice to see our intrepid hero battle some new foes. I’d also love to see a mix of new and familiar faces, maybe even a return of Short Round or Jones Sr.

There’s also a fifth and final Indiana Jones film in the works, with Harrison Ford and several other cast members hopefully reprising their roles. At this point, Ford probably knows the time has come to hang up his bullwhip, but if they can churn out one more worthy chapter to the story of Dr. Jones alongside a half-decent game, I’ll be happy.

If the upcoming film and game are to be the final installments in the Indiana Jones franchise, let’s hope they send the rugged adventurer off on a high note.