Indiana Jones and the Great Circle won’t let players kill dogs and there’s a lore reason for this. Indiana Jones is one of cinema’s greatest characters and has a lot of lovable, recognizable traits. For starters, he’s extremely intelligent and resourceful, charming, and someone who loses himself in the adventure. Indiana Jones and the Great Circle digs a bit deeper into Indiana Jones and fills in some gaps in his story, such as explaining why Indiana Jones and Marion split up after Raiders of the Lost Arc. It’s one of many ways the game expands on the world and characters created by Steven Spielberg and George Lucas.
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Despite what some may expect, Indiana Jones and the Great Circle isn’t really an action game. There is combat, there are set pieces, and you can even kill people, but it’s more of an adventure game with an emphasis on stealth when you are around enemies. Indiana Jones has racked up quite a kill count across his movies, both on purpose and incidentally. He’s someone who isn’t afraid to get his hands dirty if his life absolutely depends on it, however there is a line that even he wouldn’t dare to cross.
Why Indiana Jones Can’t Kill Dogs in The Great Circle
In Indiana Jones and the Great Circle, some enemies will patrol areas with a dog. These appear to be one of the only enemies in the game that Indy can’t do harm to. You can’t shoot or do damage to them, instead you have to either sneak around them or crack your whip/shoot your gun near them to scare them off. If you try to aim your gun at a dog, Indy won’t even pull the trigger and the dog will cower. There’s a good reason for this.
On top of the fact that it would be tonally jarring for Indiana Jones to start slaying dogs like he’s Ellie in The Last of Us Part 2, there’s a lore reason. Indiana Jones has a love for dogs. It’s revealed in The Last Crusade that Indiana Jones’ real name is Henry Jones Jr., named after his father. Indy nicknamed himself Indiana after his beloved childhood dog. In the book Indiana Jones and the Dinosaur Eggs, Indy notes that the dog was his best friend and never got over his death. He also quips during the game itself that he’s “more of a dog person” after encountering a snake.
With all of that said, it makes sense why Indiana Jones wouldn’t harm a dog. He holds a great love for his own dog and therefore would likely feel terrible hurting another dog. It’s a respectful touch added by MachineGames, a studio that previously made a story moment out of having to shoot a dog in Wolfenstein II: The New Colossus. It also wouldn’t be totally out of the question to assume Disney and Lucasfilm told MachineGames that Indiana Jones can’t kill dogs since it would be upsetting and hurt the reputation of the character.
If you aren’t playing Indiana Jones and the Great Circle yet, it’s well worth picking up. ComicBook gave the game a 4 out 5 in its review, noting that it is a rewarding Indiana Jones experience and the kind of game fans have waited for.
