Some of the best games you can play will often have a companion with you along for the adventure, so things don’t feel too monotonous and lonely. If designed well, these partners become compelling enough to make you forget they’re a programmed AI and feel more like developed characters in the story.
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Sometimes you admire them for their unique abilities in combat, helpful skills, and interesting character lore, while other times their personalities create memorable and entertaining moments. And some are very adorable non-human ones,like pet animalsand droids. These companions are some of the most terrific in games.
Though he may be the lone road warrior in the films, the video game version of Mad Max gives him a crafty mechanic companion named Chumbucket riding in the back of the car. And it’s actually Chumbucket who gives you the new Magnum Opus after your original car gets stolen by Scabrous Scrotus and his war boys.
Chumbucket is a charming hunchback devoted to cars and the “Angel of Combustion,” who provides comedic relief that adds liveliness to the dreary storyline and some fun moments while on the road. He’ll help you out by repairing your vehicle when it’s low on health, launching harpoons to pull down towers and doors to strongholds, as well as firing other weapons at enemy cars while you drive.
11Quiet - Metal Gear Solid 5: The Phantom Pain
Quiet being recruited toMetal Gear Solid 5’s Buddy System rests on you sparing her life and bringing her back to Mother Base after her boss fight. You’ll soon find out that her expert marksman skills are valuable in the stealth-oriented combat ofMetal Gear Solid.
Given enough bonding, she will highlight and snipe foes around Venom Snake upon command. Equipped with a set of signature Butterfly rifles for lethal andnon-lethal purposes in the fieldand having supernatural abilities, Quiet is a powerful sniper character that makes life easier when clearing enemies in your way.
Unfortunately, her character design takes away from her compelling quality as an ally. Even with the narrative explanation for her skimpy attire of a parasite requiring her skin to need air and water to breathe, the look is still severely problematic anddoesn’t make sense to have for her.
10Bullet - Blair Witch
Animal companions in games are always great to have by your side, whether tactically like in theFar CryorAssassin’s Creedgames or because sometimes they’re just done really well. Dogmeat fromFallout 4and D-Dog from MGS5 may be the most memorable doggos in gaming, but an underrated German Shepherd companion is Bullet from the survival horror gameBlair Witch.
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The Blair Witch Project films never saw pets thankfully be subject to the horrors the humans went through in the Black Hills Forest, but this story from Bloober Team features a former cop and his dog setting off on a search and rescue operation. While youinvestigate things with a camera, Bullet will bark in warning to let you know when enemies are near and will search for key items around the environment.
You can also reward Bullet by giving him treats and playful belly rubs.
9Merrin - Star Wars Jedi: Survivor
WhileJedi: Fallen Ordersaw Cal with only BD-1 by his side in battles against the Empire’s forces,Jedi: Survivortakes things a step further and enlists a few pals to help the duo out in combat. One of those is Bode Akuna, a former Jedi who’s good with a jetpack and later betrays Cal, and the other is Merrin, who joins Cal during the Jedha portion.
Jedi: Survivor’s companion system may be flawed, but seeing Merrin in action is thrilling. In the first game, she was a minor Dathomir Nightsister character who became an ally toward the end, but here she can help you out with enemies by teleporting and fighting them with her staff.
Her time with you may be short, but you can see excellent chemistry between her and Cal.
8Jackie Welles - Cyberpunk 2077
Jackie Welles is another one of those companions you wish you could’ve had more time with. He’s your mercenary best friendwith a neat character designthere with you from the beginning, but his fate is ultimately sealed once you complete the relic heistin one of Cyberpunk 2077’s biggest twists.
The relic makes musician and revolutionary fighter Johnny Silverhand your companion from then on, but Jackie’s personality is much more genuine, charismatic, and likable. The established friendship between him and V is one of the game’s best aspects, especially for how little time you have with him, which makes his death incredibly sad.
7Prompto, Ignis, And Gladiolus - Final Fantasy 15
Final Fantasy 15’s story takes the tone of a buddy road trip adventure centered around Noctis and his three friends: Prompto, Ignis, and Gladiolus. It might not be the best entryin the Final Fantasy series, but these characters make an iconic team and ride in a cool Regalia car on their way to recover the Crystal from the Niflheim Empire.
There will be many pit stops along the way, with side quests and creatures to fight, and each friend has their own set of abilities to help you out in combat.
Aside from taking selfies, Prompto is good with ranged firearms. When not cooking, Ignis prefers his spear and dagger weapons. Gladiolus, the biggest guy in the party, will use a greatsword.
6Sam - Uncharted 4: A Thief’s End And The Lost Legacy
Sully and Nate may have formeda bit of a bromancethrough their treasure-hunting adventures across theUnchartedgames, but A Thief’s End introduced Nathan’s older brother Sam and delved into their relationship. And he returned as a companion to Chloe and Nadine in the latter part of the spin-off sequel, The Lost Legacy.
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Sammay not be the most trustworthy person, lying to his brother about his motives, but he takes a bullet for Nate and tries to be there to make up for all the years they lost. His tone and personality serve as a nice contrast to Nate’s, making their conversations very engaging in exploration and combat scenarios.
5L0U13 - New Tales From The Borderlands
If you enjoy Barry on HBO, you’ll definitely be a fan of this assassination robot companion of Octavio’s inNew Tales from the Borderlands. L0U13 is a charming and funny new Borderlands robot, speaking with a polite and eloquent tone and filled with names he’ll need you to disclose before he can carry out the kill.
He also loves practicing the phrase: “You just got L-0-U-1-3’d.”
His design consists of a leather coat with a holster for his pistol and a robot head with a digital power button displayed for a face, and you’ll see L0U13 plug himself into random sockets to get a full charge. This sequel to the original Telltale spin-off may not be held in the same regard, but the dynamic between L0U13 and the rest of the characters is a solid component.
4Elizabeth - BioShock: Infinite
BioShockgames weren’t known for their companions, as the first two were more about the engrossing story and the supernatural abilities coming with it. However, that all changed with the third game in the series, BioShock: Infinite. As PI Booker DeWitt, you’re launched into the dystopian cloud city of Columbia to rescue an enigmatic girl named Elizabeth from imprisonment.
Elizabeth proves an incredible companion stuck working with Booker, who she knows little about, but still doesn’t hesitate to pick a lock for a room he needs to enter or throw him occasional health, bath salts, and some money when in need. Her unique ability is that she can open tears to alternate timelines, which helps in various combat situations and to grapple across blocked areas.
3Mimir - God Of War And Ragnarok
Kratos and his son Atreus are ultimately the stars ofGod of WarandGod of War Ragnarok, but the sequel sees Atreus being less of a companion to Kratos and venturing off on individual quests. One companion always there for the ride with Kratos is the headless talkative Norse God Mimir hanging from his belt, whose witty delivery and storytelling are among the best parts of the game.
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Mimir is a bookworm with enough knowledge of all the important players in Norse mythology and their backgrounds that he can write many volumes of his own books, as Atreus even quips himself. And his glowing yellow eyes containing the magical Bifrost allow the Mystic Gateway to be available, albeit hilariously against his will.
