Usually when it comes to Ask PSLS questions, we loosely base them on current events. For this one though, we just felt like asking: Who is your favorite companion in a video game?
Anthony Severino – Elena FTW! (@Sev_Anthony)
I choose Sully from Uncharted. The guy’s always got a cigar and a joke, yet he still has my back. Doesn’t get much better than that. Although I wouldn’t mind Chloe from Uncharted 2 simply for the eye candy. An adventurer has got needs too!
Chandler Wood – Jak Would be Proud (@FinchStrife)
It’s a toss up between Daxter and Clank for me. Daxter grabbed my attention as the identity of Jak and Daxter, because Jak did not yet have a voice, and he was the entire personality of the duo in the first game. The little ottsel has been a favorite of mine ever since. Clank is an innocent robot with good intentions, and the dynamic of his and Ratchet’s relationship is a lot of what helps make the stories in those games really great. If I have to pick only one though (because Jason gets mad at me when I don’t), I would have to say Daxter’s irreverent personality shines just a tiny bit higher than Ratchet’s robot companion, but Daxter only just barely edges Clank out.
D’yani Wood – Just Weird
Well my first choice is Claptrap. There’s not many other characters like him, and his humor really gets to me. One time we had a “moment” when we both said “I need to pee” at the exact same time on accident, before diving into Pandora for more adventures.
But I can’t stop thinking about a second choice. Tripitaka, or Trip, from Enslaved: Odyssey to the West. That game was amazing. The two main characters start out hating each other, but are forced to rely on each other, and then accidentally bond. The best part is, when you start the game, you don’t expect such a great companion character. She sticks in my mind as one of the best.
Dan Oravasaari – Vivi! (@FoolsJoker)
I am torn between Garrus from Mass Effect and Vivi from Final Fantasy IX. Garrus is a great example of a great character design and voice work all mixed in with ‘badassery’, as he was the one character I always wanted to join me on my travels through space. I really can’t put my finger on why he is one of my favorites, but I think his deadpan style and sense of justice are traits that have always spoken to me personally. As for Vivi, I think he had one of the best character arcs and stories in any Final Fantasy game to date. Besides having one of the most touching conclusions to a story, I think it is the way his story is about growing up and learning life lessons – which was something that caught me at just the right age when I first played FFIX.
Jason Dunning – Ellie FTW! (@Jasonad21)
My first thought was Ashley from Resident Evil 4, but then I remembered how much better Ellie from The Last of Us is, so I’m going to go with Ellie. She helped add an extra layer to the gameplay with her presence, and instead of being someone you had to worry about, she would help you!
It also doesn’t hurt that she tells some great jokes.
Louis Edwards – Ratchet Would be Proud
There is no better sidekick to me than Clank. Here’s a guy so useful that they gave him a tuxedo and his own game and gave him the ability to stop time, back it up, and even digitally clone himself.
Russell Ritchey – You’re Doomed!
Tempted to say Doombeak, my Chocobro from FFXIV:ARR. However, there’s no real interaction there, so I’m going to say Swaine from Ni no Kuni. He has an interesting back story, I found his current persona juxtaposed well against who he was, and he fits in with the game’s overall feeling.
John VanderSchuit – The Cake is a Lie (@j_vanderschuit)
The Companion Cube from Valve’s Portal. It goes where you send it and it doesn’t say a damned word. The ultimate in obedience and operating efficiency.
Who is your favorite companion in video games? Let us know in the comments below.
