Indiana Jones will be unforgettable in Bethesda’s new game, and it’s all because of his nemesis. According to the developers, a well-crafted villain makes the hero truly “shine.” MachineGames, the creators of Indiana Jones and the Great Circle, believe that a “properly characterized” antagonist brings out the best in the protagonist.

Bethesda and MachineGames are fully committed to making Indiana Jones and the Great Circle a standout title. The creators of Wolfenstein: The New Order aim to create a game worthy of the franchise George Lucas made famous, complete with an iconic character. To achieve this, they’ve developed an adventure filled with intense action scenes, intricate puzzles, and, most importantly, memorable villains. Aware that they are working with one of the most recognizable figures in entertainment, the developers aim to elevate Indy’s legacy even further through the game’s antagonist.

This strategy isn’t new for MachineGames, which has always focused on compelling villains to highlight their heroes. As Tommy Tordsson-Bjork, the studio’s lead writer, explained in an interview with Edge magazine (via GamesRadar+), “We approach every project with the philosophy that a properly characterized villain is what makes the hero shine. I always try to give the villain traits that make them feel real, whether that’s a unique flaw, a quirk they overcompensate for, or even a hint of humanity or empathy.”

MachineGames followed this approach when creating Emmerich Voss, the villain of Indiana Jones and the Great Circle. While many details about his motives and weaknesses remain unknown, Tordsson-Bjork assures, “His personality has been incredibly fun to write. But also, because I’m not hyper-intelligent, it can be a bit challenging. You have to go into research mode and find angles to use that lean into those characteristics every time he and Indy face off.”

Todd Howard: The Creative Force Behind Indiana Jones’ New Adventure

However, none of this would have been possible without Todd Howard’s involvement. The Bethesda head, a longtime fan of the Indiana Jones saga, pitched the idea of creating a new video game based on the legendary archaeologist to LucasFilm. For the developers, Howard has been “the instigator of our main plot, the Great Circle, which he has been mulling over for many years.”

Source: GamesRadar