Indiana Jones and Big Circle developers detail clever systems that add DLC difficulties based on the basic games you’ve played
Blog Andrew Joseph 30 Aug , 2025 0
Almost a year since the brilliant launch of the machine Indiana Jones and the Big Circlethe studio also has additional chapters, The order of giantswill arrive on September 4th.
For those who like the basic game that blends puzzle solving and fisteruffs, this fresh DLC adds what you love – and takes a novel approach to tweaking its difficulty based on your experience of Great Circle so far.
Speaking to IGN on Gamescom, Creative Director Axel Torvenius and leading game designer Zeke Virant explained how the Giants’ order cleverly adapts to their battles to new and experienced players, as DLC adds Rome’s position to the narrative of the base game. While the couple is still nervous about the words of the Indiana Jones sequel, it is still discussing the intention of the machine to the overall narrative of the game, and sometimes it is best to keep players keen on more.
Tovenis began, “The traditional way of doing DLC is to add something later, or add mini games on the side, but we didn’t really feel that it was the best thing we had to do.” He paused and smiled. “Although this is the easiest.
“I can tell you that we have a lot of struggles or challenges in terms of technology to ensure that people have existing rescue status (work). The systems we have don’t fully support us just splicing a lot of new content in the middle of the game. So the hard work of engineers and programmers is a lot of hard work from engineers and programmers, and it’s not an easy task in terms of design.
For those who haven't played Indiana Jones and the big circle, the idea is that the order of the giants is just added to the already generous Roman part of the game, with other areas outside and below the Vatican for exploration. For players who have already completed the game, who may be familiar with immersing in previous fields to hunt down the remaining dungeons and collectibles through their diaries, DLC is just as a huge new side issue that can be pursued.
Tovenis continued: “Integration makes the experience the most seamless and makes it feel like it is really expanding existing content. There is a balance. Obviously DLC is its own completely independent adventure. So the hook and the red thread between the main storyline and the DLC will not affect the DLC's story, and even the DLC's story, it will not make the DLC's story completely relevant, and therefore, your story won't be. (The way to do DLC) is perhaps not the smartest, but the best.”
Apparently, however, the players still find their feet in the Vatican’s sunny courtyard, which is different from the experience of another 40 hours of people seeing Indy’s ending journey and covering up their archaeologists with various upgrades and bonuses. It is precisely for this reason that the robots are forced to become smarter under the hood of the game, Virant said.
“Players at the end of the game don't have to worry about the difficulty (too easy) because we actually have a new system that can dynamically scale players based on their own progress,” Virant explained. “We know a lot of players are coming back from the final game and want to continue the difficulty, especially when they have healthy upgrades and a lot of abilities.
“We tried something different, but the simplest thing, actually feels right, if you've progressed to the Vatican and you haven't reached Giza yet, we keep it in the difficulty of the first floor. If you've already reached Giza, we adjust it to the second floor and then adjust it to the second floor. Healthy amount, and how many people will catch you.”
It's a clever system, though it doesn't have to work at all in the first hour of DLC, as Indy begins his new adventure with some impressive new adventures and puzzle segments just outside the scope of the existing realm of the basic game. Here Indy meets Father Ricci, a legend obsessed with a secret room with giant helmets – which immediately caught the interest of our heroes. (Excellently, Father Ritchie also has a pet parrot Pio, who would rather steal the show. Tovenis confirmed that while the parrot speaks, it is not the talented Troy Baker, but another voice actress who provides the parrot's voice and many ridiculous voices.)
DLC's focus on the Giant game, also known as the Nephilim Order, may lead to a conspiracy among fans who like to piece together their stories during the Great Circle campaign. Sadly, the late Tony Todd played the locus and he couldn't contribute to the DLC – although Torvenius said his presence would “will be great.”
“In a way, it's not really telling the backstory of the locus as a character,” he said. Even for me personally, I love playing a game, which is the game you spend 15 hours in all his grand adventures. It would be fun. But it's more about the tribes that deepened the Giants and the Nephelim Order. Obviously, it's part of him because he's part of the race, but it's about the streets and streets, which is part of the boundaries.
When asked if the player would learn all about the giants before the DLC ends, or if MachineGames purposefully keeps certain elements of their story secrets, Torvenius is still coy. “Yes, no,” he replied. “I would say, I think it will definitely help people who have played through the main game, and when they play DLC, they will also have a deeper understanding of the mysteries around Nephilim Order. But, to some extent, there may be some things that aren't answered, although I think most of them start drawing a good picture.”
I wonder if this confidentiality is hopeful that some story elements are put in future use in the future, or just a decision not to explain too much about something that might still be a cool mystery? Tovenis replied: “In my opinion, both as a consumer and as a creator, I like sometimes everything is not explored.” “Sometimes, there is still a war on the map, preferably not explored.
He went on to discuss the knowledge of the giants. “He continued. “I could write a summary that explains how everything connects, but would it be interesting? ” YesI said, Torvenius smiled. “We've been trying to make it clear to players how it feels, and it should make sense when everything is connected. But it's always important for me to make sure you slowly get bigger pictures without saying too much.”
For Torvenius and Virant, the Giants Order is a challenging but pleasant victory circle for one of the widest games of 2024. Indiana Jones and the big circles began to develop, and at a height of joint lockdown, the studio was forced to work through the Microsoft team. But for DLC, its developers are always together and able to build development on things that were before, knowing they have been raised on things that have been loved.
“The overall quality of the DLC is definitely par, and in some cases higher than the main game,” Torvenius concluded. “It's more for those who like the big circles built by machines and the Indiana Jones world. It's really theirs for them. If you haven't played the base game yet, we really hope it's a great opportunity for someone who wants to play. It's a great adventure. It's a lot of hard work in doing it, but sometimes you can work hard. Production is really ready for the DLC and people are still full of energy.”
Tom Phillips is the news editor for IGN. You can reach Tom at [email protected] or find him on the Blues @tomphillipseg.bsky.social