Indiana Jones is still a decent ways away, having been implied to have recently entered production. We don’t know a ton about the game other than the fact it has Indiana Jones in it, MachineGames is making the game, It’s set before Raiders, Todd Howard is producing and it’ll probably come day one to Game Pass and be Xbox exclusive. Other than that, there’s a lot of unknown factors at play with the game. However, the one I’d argue is the biggest is what camera perspective the game will take. The game is developed by MachineGames, the team behind the recent Wolfenstein reboots and a Quake map pack. Needless to say, their expertise is primarily in the first-person perspective. However, most action-adventure games tend to take a third-person POV. This leads to the question: what perspective would you like to see the game in? Personally, I think there are arguments to be made for both.
The Case for Third-Person:
Uncharted and Tomb Raider have been institutions of the genre, and have set up a winning formula for third-person action-adventure titles that fit Indy’s character.
Prior Indiana Jones games were made using this perspective.
If the game involves a lot of mocap, it’s always nice to be able to see this reflected on the character model.
It has a more cinematic look and feel befitting of Indiana Jones’ roots.
Setpieces are easier to pull off in the third person IMO as you really get to see the scale of everything. Indiana Jones running from the boulder is more impactful when we see it behind him.
Xbox is going for a strong diversity of genres and game types, but admittedly the first-person perspective seems to be an internal preference, at least based on what has been announced thus far.
The Case for First-Person:
MachineGames has a tremendous amount of experience with the first-person perspective and has done fantastic work within it.
MachineGames is most experienced with IdTech, an engine that, while capable of supporting third-person games (look at Evil Within 1 and 2) is designed as a first-person shooter engine first and foremost.
MachineGames will be able to get additional support from many of the teams that work within Xbox on first-person games.
Making a pivot to a new perspective isn’t always easy. While teams like Guerilla and Respawn pulled it off marvellously with their titles, it is not always the case.
First-Person can be arguably more immersive than third, which can really make players feel like they are donning Indy’s fedora and whip, not just controlling him.
Uncharted and Tomb Raider already exist. To make a game that on the surface looks similar means its bound for comparisons. Very few titles of that same vein exist in the first-person space outside of VR, meaning it may make for a different experience within a similar storytelling genre.
Ultimately, I think there is a case to be made for either. There is also a case for both if you prefer, or even a totally different perspective like 2D or Isometric. Ultimately, I believe a first-person view is more unique for the genre and one that on the surface MachineGames is better suited to use, but a big AAA third-person title can be far more cinematic and does help satiate a desire that Xbox’s first-party does not currently fill on the same level as first-person.
Third Person 1000%. If it’s in first person, it’s a fail because no need to pay for the Indiana Jones license when you’re not going to be seeing the character. Makes no sense. I’m expecting this to be an Uncharted/Tomb Raider type game but with more of an emphasis on exploration and puzzles than combat but regardless of all that, it should be in third person.
Machine Games did four first person games and if they want to elevate themselves to the next level, they need to pull a Guerrilla Games and go from first person to third person. Show that you’re not just a one trick pony. Third person, exploration, puzzles with a few action sequences and combat encounters would be the complete opposite of Wolfenstein which was a somewhat fast paced first person shooter.
Also, Wolfenstein: The New Order from 2014 is still the best game in the series so they need to get back to a high level and a great third person Indiana Jones game with all I mentioned above along with a great story and characters would elevate them to the next level in my opinion especially when their game/world design is for the most part excellent.
I have no preference between 1st and 3rd person camera perspective generally speaking, but if this game will be an action adventure, I think 3rd person is more likely and also easier to sell. My only real concern is exclusivity, outside Hellblade 2 there is no other action adventure in the works for Xbox and I think XGS should focus more on the genre, if only for market reasons, people clearly like this type of game.
i have no preference for a camera perspective in other games, but Indy was always third person. Also i can’t remember a game with really good melee combat (Indys signature tools are his whip and his fists) in first person. These animations just work better in third person.
I’d like it to be a first person team based competitive shooter. Indy, his dad and girlfriend on one team, the Nazis on the other. Supernatural allows for powers like Overwatch. Make it super sweaty and only have a ranked playlist.
I’m not that big on these kind of games. But if it’s a tight 10 hour third person experience I might try it. I don’t think it makes any sense to have these games in first person, from a games diversity point of view. The one thing Microsoft doesn’t have a strong presence in regarding western genres is action games. (and platformers)
Yeah and while I can understand why they are not making a ton of platformers (the genre is not so hot outside Nintendo games, the numbers of the new Crash prove it, after the nostalgia of the remaster faded away, the hype was gone; for this reason they should make stricly a remake of the first Banjo to test the market), 3rd person action adventure games are the bulk of Sony’s success of the last 10 years and Xbox have 2 in the pipeline, 1 of them also not confirmed as exclusive and it’s not good imo.
I think Compulsion’s new game is going to be a third person action game too, right? So there is some improvement coming in that regard. Hopefully the Project Dragon game by IOI comes to fruition.
Hellblade
Indiana Jones
Project Dragon
Compulsion next game
That’s a decent line-up for action games. Especially if you add narrative shooters such as Perfect Dark and Redfall in the mix.
Yeah, the only disappointing thing imo is that the last one was Quantum Break in 2016 and we’ll have Hellblade 2 in 2023 at best…it’s mainly for this reason that a big bulk of Sony guys, even the non fanboys, is still skeptical of Xbox offer, they are not making really many games in their favourite genre, imo it’s imperative that Indiana Jones is exclusive, because that and Hellblade 2 are must have for Sony guys, Compulsion project won’t have the same hype (because of the small nature of the studio and its past projects) and IOI’s game is so far away that I won’t account for it until it will be announced.
Sony’s success is the brand. If Sony made predominantly side scrolling shooters then the online noise would be all about these games because people have to justify their console choice.
The most played games and popular are sports and FPS games. That’s just a fact.
Console popularity drives the games not the other way around.
I know that shooters and sports games are more popular, but Tomb Raider and its successors are also big games since the 90s, Sony was smart to double down in a niche while big publishers were retreating because of high costs and small profit (relatively speaking) vs online games and other genres. MS also stopped making those games after 3 high profile disappointing releases (Ryse, Sunset and Quantum, which were dragged down by Xbox One reputation, not by their quality unfortunately), but it doesn’t mean that the genre is not loved. If even EA had a change of heart after seeing Fallen Order success, also MS can see the “light”.
You’ve sort of made my point. Xbox had three of these games - more than Sony at launch but it didn’t matter because Xbox. So I’m not doubting that there isn’t love for third person action games but seriously how many do we need?
For me a variety of games is critical for any first party - any good first party lineup will have games across a variety of genres and fill in niches that the 3rd party won’t. So for me stuff like RTS is important as I can’t see many making these games. Its pretty obvious IJ will be a 3rd person game so you know…bingo. But I really have no interest in loads of these games - I loved TR and whatever but we’ve all been there and done that.
