Indiana Jones is more than just a character; he’s a cultural icon whose very presence evokes adventure, mystery, and daring escapades in forgotten corners of the world. Capturing that essence in a video game is no small feat, but MachineGames, the developer of the highly anticipatedIndiana Jones and the Great Circle, has risen to the challenge with meticulous dedication to craft anauthenticIndiana Jonesexperience.
From the smallest smirk to the iconic crack of a whip, MachineGames has spared no effort in bringing Indiana Jones to life inIndiana Jones and the Great Circle. It has drawn on rare archival materials, cutting-edge technology, and the talents of an actor uniquely suited to channel the spirit of a young Harrison Ford. But this isn’t just about appearances — it’s about capturing the heart and humanity of a hero who has stumbled, quipped, and triumphed his way into the hearts of so many over the last four decades. In a recent interview with Game Rant, MachineGames hinted at the extraordinary lengths it went to in recreating the beloved archaeologist, with creative director Axel Torvenius disclosing some explicit details about the developer’s process.
Indy Needed to Look and Sound Like Indy in The Great Circle
When tackling the monumental task ofbringing Indiana Jones to life inIndiana Jones and theGreat Circle, MachineGames faced a critical question early on: how do you recreate a character so deeply etched into the memories of fans who have been with him for over four decades? The answer, it turns out, was simple — stay true to the source. From the beginning, the team’s mission was clear: Indiana Jones needed to look and feel like the iconic adventurer audiences fell in love with decades ago. When asked about the process of recreating Indiana Jones inIndiana Jones and the Great Circleand whether recreating Harrison Ford’s face was always the plan, Torvenius replied,
Yes, the plan was always to go with as close and accurate likeness as we possibly could! We were never interested in doing a “new” look for Indiana. Thanks to the close collaboration with LucasFilm Games, we had access to their archive where we could see great turn around images from the old movie sets and those photographs paired up with many, many more photos of Harrison Ford from that time, helped and informed the character artist building out the 3D mesh, the sculpt of the head.
Firstly, this confirms what almost anyone thinks when they think of Indiana Jones' appearance, and that is the character and Harrison Ford are inseparable. Harrison Ford is Indiana Jones and Indiana Jones is Harrison Ford. However, when it comes to translating this into a video game, it might be difficult to do without Harrison Ford himself. If the character looks or sounds too different from Harrison Ford, it could ultimately be one of the biggest immersion breakers in the game. This is whereTroy Bakercomes in, who is one of the most prolific talents in the video game industry.
In the interview, Torvenius confirmed that every detail of Baker’s face was recorded in order to capture Ford’s likeness and not just his memorable voice. In the trailers forIndiana Jones and the Great Circle, Baker’s Harrison Ford voice stands out and is immediately noticeable, which tracks right along with his history as one of the more prominent voices in the industry. The verylikeness of Harrison Ford, however, is an entirely different story, which was captured using a head-mounted camera attached to Baker. The camera then captured Baker’s expressions via small dots on his face, which were then applied to the in-game mesh of Harrison Ford/Indiana Jones. On that topic, Torvenius continued,
Troy Baker is not only doing the great likeness with his voice, but he is also moving his eyes, his head, and all other types of facial expression to make it look and sound like a Harrison Ford. And also important to remember, while Troy Baker is doing all of that with just his voice and head, he is also, at the same time, in a tight motion capture suit with markers on it, acting out full scenes and most of the time interacting with a counter actor or actress.
This wasn’t the first time Baker has donemotion capture for a video game, as he provided both the voice and motion capture for Joel inThe Last of Us, as well as facial capture to animate Delsin inInfamous: Second Son. However, it is the first time Baker has had to perfectly mimic a real person, and not just any person at that — Harrison Ford, who has been one of the biggest names in Hollywood for many decades now. In light of that, it can’t have been easy work for the actor, despite his own years of experience. Based on what has been revealed so far forIndiana Jones and the Great Circlethough, Baker seems to have pulled it off.
Indy Needed to Be Indy in The Great Circle
Despite essentially being Harrison Ford,the character of Indiana Jonesgoes much deeper than his voice and facial expressions. This is something else Baker needed to be aware of as he played the part, allowing those key characteristics of Indy’s personality to surface in his voice, his eyes, and his smile. It wasn’t all up to Baker, however, as MachineGames also needed to ensure these things were written into the game to capture not just the image of Indiana Jones, but the very essence of the iconic character. When asked about how MachineGames approached Indy’s personality inIndiana Jones and the Great Circle, Torvenius replied,
We ensured that by looking at and dissecting how he is portrayed in the 80s movies, and then trying to sort out and categorize his characteristics – what is it that makes Indiana Jones Indiana? Quite quickly, you find a couple of key traits that stand out as important. He is charming, resourceful, a bit clumsy, and he is very human. We usually refer to him as a superhero but with no superpowers. He also can become quite passionate, almost obsessed and then, of course, there is humor in there. A very important part of his character is also the hat and the whip.
MachineGames has clearly done its due diligence to ensure it not only knew who Indiana Jones was as the studio developedIndiana Jones and the Great Circle, but also that players won’t for a second believe they are playing anything other than anIndiana Jonesgame. Even down to explaining the hat and the whip as part of Indy’s character is enough to show how far the developer went with it. It’s certainly all a recipe for crafting the definitiveIndiana Jonesgaming adventure, and it shows MachineGames' commitment topreserving what makes Indiana Jones Indiana JonesinThe Great Circle.
AsIndiana Jones and the Great Circleinches closer to its release, the passion and dedication of MachineGames are undeniably clear. Its painstaking efforts torecreate Indiana Joneswith an unparalleled level of authenticity — down to the smallest smirk or the way the whip moves — underscores its reverence for the character and the legacy of the films. By combining cutting-edge technology, meticulous research, and a deep understanding of what makes Indy a timeless hero, the developer has set the stage for an adventure that should feel like a natural extension of the movies. For fans,Indiana Jones and the Great Circlemay be more than a game; it very well might be an opportunity to step into the boots of a legend.
Indiana Jones and the Great Circle
WHERE TO PLAY
Uncover one of history’s greatest mysteries in Indiana Jones and the Great Circle, a first-person, single-player adventure set between the events of Raiders of the Lost Ark and The Last Crusade. The year is 1937, sinister forces are scouring the globe for the secret to an ancient power connected to the Great Circle, and only one person can stop them - Indiana Jones™. You’ll become the legendary archaeologist in this cinematic action-adventure game from MachineGames, the award-winning studio behind the recent Wolfenstein series, and executive produced by Hall of Fame game designer Todd Howard.YOU ARE INDIANA JONESLive the adventure as Indy in a thrilling story full of exploration, immersive action, and intriguing puzzles. As the brilliant archaeologist – famed for his keen intellect, cunning resourcefulness, and trademark humor – you will travel the world in a race against enemy forces to discover the secrets to one of the greatest mysteries of all time.A WORLD OF MYSTERY AWAITSTravel from the halls of Marshall College to the heart of the Vatican, the pyramids of Egypt, the sunken temples of Sukhothai, and beyond. When a break-in in the dead of night ends in a confrontation with a mysterious colossal man, you must set out to discover the world-shattering secret behind the theft of a seemingly unimportant artifact. Forging new alliances and facing familiar enemies, you’ll engage with intriguing characters, use guile and wits to solve ancient riddles, and survive intense set-pieces.WHIP-CRACKING ACTIONIndiana’s trademark whip remains at the heart of his gear and can be used to distract, disarm, and attack enemies. But the whip isn’t just a weapon, it’s Indy’s most valuable tool for navigating the environment. Swing over unsuspecting patrols and scale walls as you make your way through a striking world. Combine stealth infiltration, melee combat, and gunplay to combat the enemy threat and unravel the mystery.THE SPIRIT OF DISCOVERYVenture through a dynamic mix of linear, narrative-driven gameplay and open-area maps. Indulge your inner explorer and unearth a world of fascinating secrets, deadly traps ,and fiendish puzzles, where anything could potentially hide the next piece of the mystery – or snakes. Why did it have to be snakes?
