We’re going to be honest here, when a game forces us to pair up with an NPC on a mission, we usually do a little groan on the inside. We couldn’t count the number of times an AI character has given us away on a stealth mission, failed to save us as hunter claws our face off in Left 4 Dead, or just generally got in the way at every opportunity possible.
Let's not even start on AI partners who need our protection to avoid dying. Many games simply cheat by making your pal invisible to the enemy (we’re looking at you, Bioshock Infinite) rather than risk them dying at an inopportune moment. There are some games out there who’ve done better, however. In these rare cases we get partnered up with an NPC buddy who’s actually more help than hindrance. Read on to discover seven AI companions that weren’t total idiots:
Lydia - The Elder Scrolls 5: Skyrim
“I am sworn to carry your burdens.” If ever an NPC understood their job well, it was Skyrim’s Lydia. A decent enough melee combatant and ally for your travels, Lydia’s true role was in playing the ultimate packhorse of The Elder Scrolls series. Elevated to the role of housecarl early in the game, Lydia is put under the command of the Dragonborn, bound to follow their orders, protect their life, and mostly to carry all of their junk.
Lydia was most memorable for the single line she’d roll out every time you traded with her. Delivered with the perfect level of sardonic resignation, it’s almost as if the devs knew we’d be dumping hundreds of pounds worth of dragon bones into her inventory over the course of the game. All those years spent training in the Jarl’s service to find yourself hauling some idiot’s crafting gear from Solitude to Riften. We’re sorry, Lydia.
D-Dog - Metal Gear Solid 5
Metal Gear Solid 5’s companions are actually pretty decent, assisting you in taking down enemies while you handle the bulk of the mission. Quiet and D-Dog are both good contenders when it comes to top allies, but we’re going to have to side with the canine by virtue of A: He wears an eyepatch instead of a bikini in the middle of a scorching desert, and B: He’s a doggo.
Initially found as a wee pupper, D-Dog soon becomes a stalwart companion of Boss’, able to join you on missions and, most importantly, to have his fur and eyepatch customized. D-Dog is capable of tagging enemies for you in a huge radius, scouting out so you can plan ahead. D-Dog can spot enemies, mines, vehicles and more, but is also fully combat ready, able to stab enemies to death with a knife he carries in his mouth (yes, really) or taze them with an electric rod. This wolf is even capable of setting an enemy up for Fulton extraction. What we’re trying to say is this dog is more dexterous than we feel as fully functioning humans. Truly a good boy.
(Good NPC allies? Pah! Here are eight maddeningly stupid AI companions. Twenty years on and we're still raging at #4...)
Alyx Vance - Half-Life 2
Not just the heartthrob of many a teenage gamer, Half-Life 2’s Alyx Vance is one of the best AI companions we’ve been lucky enough to have watching our back. A key character in the game’s story — arguably more so than Freeman himself — Alyx is capable in both the plot and combat, helping you dispatch Combine goons during your stints with her in City 17 and Nova Prospekt.
As a partner, Alyx only gets better during the Episode expansions, in which she’s a near constant companion. With added fighting abilities and some rather cool finishing moves, Alex goes beyond the level of most NPC companions by not only avoiding being a nuisance, but actually being joy to have around. Valve’s work with Alyx in Half-Life 2 and its expansions set the bar at a level modern games still struggle to compete with many years on. Plus she’s friends with a giant robot dog, and that’s always a winner in our books.
Ashley - Resident Evil 4
The opening of Resident Evil 4 sees Leon Kennedy sent on a mission to rescue the president of the USA’s daughter. As it happens, Ashley Graham is a whiny, self-entitled late-teen who Leon needs to escort through a good portion of the game. We know what you’re thinking, oh no, not an escort mission, the most dreaded of gaming set pieces.
Fortunately, while Ashley might start off as insufferable, guarding her as you traverse villages, castles and secret compounds isn’t all that bad. Ashley keeps close to Leon’s back, ducks when he needs to take a shot and, by far the best of all, can be told to wait in a dumpster until you need her. Yes, that’s right, Leon Kennedy can order the daughter of the president to sit in a dumpster until he’s cleared the area of enemies.
While Ashley does grow on you (and as a character) over the course of the game, our favorite feature besides dumpster hiding is one of the game’s unlockable costumes. Complete the Separate Ways bonus mission included in every version after the Gamecube release and you’ll unlock the option for Ashley to don a full suit of medieval armor. This isn’t just a visual change, however, as the suit will make her entirely invincible to attacks from enemies and friends, too. She’ll also be far too heavy to be carried off by the Ganados, and the game even updates the animation for when Leon catches her from a fall, making him wince from the extra weight.
Navi - The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time
Hahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahaha. But seriously, just imagine trying to play the game without Z-targeting.
Knight Solaire - Dark Souls
Where would be be without Knight Solaire, founder of the Sunbros and inspiration for a million Praise the Sun memes? Probably still stuck on those damned Gargoyles. In a world as bleak and harsh as Dark Souls’, Solaire is a beacon of light and geniality.
Solaire of Astora is a member of the Warriors of Sunlight, a covenant for followers of the firstborn of Great Lord Gwyn. Nevermind the possibility that Solaire may well be this firstborn, the covenant is one of the few in Dark Souls’ harrowed world to focus solely on helping others. Warriors of Sunlight are able to join the many players attempting to tackle FromSoftware’s challenging RPG, assisting their fight against the game’s tough bosses.
Solaire is the perfect AI epitome of this, showing up as a summon at numerous occasions, usually just before a particularly nasty boss battle. In a world filled with scoundrels, Solaire is easily your best NPC buddy. That is, until he attaches a Sunlight Maggot to his head, goes insane and tries to kill you. But hey, you’ve gotta take the good with the bad in this kind of world. On the positive side of things, if you do manage to save him from madness, he’ll even help you out with the game’s final battle against Gwyn.
The Companion Cube - Portal
Yup, that’s right, gaming’s finest NPC companion is without doubt Portal’s Companion Cube. Just as the deadly reality of your situation begins to dawn in Aperture Science’s lab, the Companion Cube arrives to reassure you that everything will be okay. The Companion Cube doesn’t judge or complain, instead your loyal ally is always there to listen when you need it most. Not just a caring friend, it also helps block bullets and reflect energy balls of death too. Even when the time comes to part ways, the Companion Cube remains strong, diving gallantly into the flames without a second thought, allowing the player to progress where it could not. What do you mean the Companion Cube doesn’t have AI? It’s talking to us right now. Yes Cubey my love, we will show them the light. In time, they’ll all see.