MachineGames, the studio behind Indiana Jones and the Great Circle, has confirmed a heartwarming detail: players will be unable to harm dogs within the game. This decision marks a significant departure from the studio's previous titles, known for their intense combat, including animal antagonists.
A Dog-Friendly Adventure
Creative Director Jens Andersson, in an interview with IGN, explained the reasoning behind this choice: "Indiana Jones is a dog person." While the game retains the series' signature action and brawling, encounters with canine characters will avoid any harm. This approach aligns with the more family-friendly image of the Indiana Jones franchise. Andersson stated, "It’s a family-friendly IP in many ways...We have dogs as enemies, but you don’t really hurt the dogs. You scare them away."
Gameplay and Setting
Launching December 9th on Xbox Series X|S and PC (with a tentative PS5 release in Spring 2025), Indiana Jones and the Great Circle is set in 1937, bridging Raiders of the Lost Ark and The Last Crusade. The narrative follows Indy's pursuit of stolen artifacts, taking him on a globe-trotting adventure from the Vatican to Egyptian pyramids and even the submerged temples of Sukhothai. Players will utilize Indy's whip for traversal and combat, disarming and subduing human foes within open-world-inspired environments. Rest assured, canine companions remain safe from Indy's whip.
For a deeper dive into the game's mechanics, be sure to check out our related article.