Indiana Jones and the Great Circle’s Approach to Dogs is a Game-Changer

Posted by By our-little-miss-is-home December 11, 2024 11 Views 6 Min Read
Indiana Jones and the Great Circle’s Approach to Dogs is a Game-Changer



Animals have been represented in the medium of gaming in one way or another since its very inception. From mounts that players use to traverse large open-worlds, to anthropomorphized companions in fantasy RPGs, to adorable creatures that can be captured and collected, animals are a constant part of the gaming world, and Indiana Jones and the Great Circle has its own menagerie of beasts.




The Indiana Jones franchise has given the spotlight to a few different animals over the years, often being used to transport the movie’s cast from one location to the next, and occasionally being used to deliver a few moments of levity. Indiana Jones and the Great Circle has plenty of memorable moments relating to animals, but some of its most important revolve around the game’s dogs, which could set a new precedent for stealth games in general.

(Left) front cover of Indiana Jones and the Emperor's Tomb (Right) Lego Indiana Jones preparing to grab artefact

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Indiana Jones and the Great Circle Is a Breath of Fresh Air for Animal Lovers

Indiana Jones and the Great Circle Dog

Stealth Games Frequently Ask The Impossible From Animal Lovers

For a few decades now, dogs have been frequently used as an enemy type in video games. This is especially prevalent in the stealth genre, with dogs often being used to increase the challenge of certain sequences, as their heightened senses can detect the player more efficiently and their animalistic method of attack can intimidate players into making mistakes.


In stealth games, there are usually only two ways to deal with a canine threat. One is to completely avoid their AI pathing, which is much easier said than done in some games, especially when on higher difficulties. The other option is to eliminate the threat altogether, which is always pretty devastating for animal lovers. That pain is exacerbated when games use authentic sound effects, such as the dog whimpering noises in the recently released STALKER 2.

Indiana Jones and the Great Circle Doesn’t Let You Kill The Dogs

But Indiana Jones and the Great Circle offers a refreshing compromise. Guard dogs are introduced very early on in Indiana Jones and the Great Circle‘s campaign, and much like in other stealth games, their heightened senses are used to increase the challenge of some sneaking sequences.


Indiana Jones and the Great Circle still gives its players two choices when it comes to dogs, but one is quite different from the norm. If players can’t avoid a dog’s detection in Indy, they need to eliminate the threat. But rather than harm the dog, players simply need to crack Indy’s whip or fire his gun into the air, scaring the dog into fleeing. This is a great compromise that offers an increased challenge while letting animal lovers breathe a bit easier, and it feels like an authentic part of the game’s universe as Indy’s weapons of choice are integrated well.

Indiana Jones and the Great Circle
‘s choice to not let players harm animals is actually grounded in series lore, as Indy is shown to be a fan of dogs in the movies. After all, he named himself after his childhood dog.

Indiana Jones and the Great Circle Has Some Fun Cat Representation

Dogs aren’t the only ones who get love in Indiana Jones and the Great Circle, however. Cats also make a few appearances throughout the game’s runtime, often lounging in absurd hard-to-reach spots like the very top of a building or on top of some scaffolding. When trying to take a picture of Indy‘s cats with the in-game camera, the adorable little guys even strike a few subtle poses.

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