Summary
- Dragon's Dogma 2 AI companions learn from the world and adapt to player style.
- Sons of the Forest features Kelvin, a silent but crucial companion for survival.
- Far Cry Primal's wild companions act based on instinct, not player commands.
Having a whole world is nice on its own, but being able to share one with others is a fundamental human need. Video games recognize this by providing companions in their open worlds that not only make combat or quests easier but also put an interesting twist on the typical hyper-individualist power fantasy.
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Getting AI companions right isn't easy, as most human beings have in-built hardware in their brains that throws out warning messages when they encounter something that appears to be human but doesn't quite make it. These games come close to simulating true companionship out in the wide virtual world.
6 Dragon's Dogma 2
Pawns That Think, Learn, and Occasionally Go Rogue
Dragon's Dogma 2
- Released
- March 22, 2024
WHERE TO PLAY
- ESRB
- Mature 17+ // Blood and Gore, Language, Sexual Themes, Violence
- Genre(s)
- Action RPG
Dragon’s Dogma 2 brings back the Pawn system, AI-controlled companions that don't just follow orders but actively learn from the world around them. These aren't blank-slate followers with a sword but trained, built, and refined over time to match the player’s style, preferences, and even bad habits.
Pawns will call out enemy weaknesses, take initiative in combat, and navigate terrain with varying degrees of confidence depending on their experience. They even mimic the player’s quest decisions if hired by others online, allowing the AI to build a sort of second-hand memory. Sometimes this leads to strange and delightful outcomes, like a Pawn insisting on heading toward a cave the player didn't mark, simply because they've "done this before." That unpredictability is part of what makes them feel real, if not smart, at least alive.
5 Sons of the Forest
A Quiet Companion That More Than Pulls His Weight
Sons of the Forest
- Released
- February 22, 2024
WHERE TO PLAY
- Genre(s)
- Survival, Open-World, Survival Horror
While the player may find them trapped in a spooky forest filled with deadly cannibals, they don't have to suffer it alone. While Kelvin begins Sons of the Forest as a highly proficient and seasoned soldier at the start of Sons of the Forest, his abilities are drastically diminished after an accident that leaves him deaf and mute.
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Despite his injuries, Kelvin is still instrumental. Players can communicate with him in writing, asking him to perform certain actions such as clearing an area, scavenging for supplies, or crafting objects while they head out of camp. Although he has lost his combat prowess and simply hides from the forest's horrific cannibal inhabitants, Kelvin is proficient in survival, both in finding his own sustenance and hiding from danger.
4 Far Cry Primal
Wild Companions With Instincts That Can’t Always Be Controlled
Far Cry Primal
- Released
- February 23, 2016
WHERE TO PLAY
- ESRB
- M For Mature 17+ Due To Blood and Gore, Intense Violence, Nudity, Sexual Content
- Genre(s)
- Open-World, Action
In Far Cry Primal, companions come with claws and teeth instead of catchphrases. Tameable animals serve as allies, but they will never be found waiting for detailed instructions. They react to danger, engage threats without being prompted, and retreat when wounded. There’s a constant sense that they’re following a set of rules nobody but them is fully in charge of.
Watching a beast rip through an enemy patrol is satisfying, but it’s the misfires, like ambushing a deer while sneaking, that make the animal AI in Primal stand out. It's a strong reminder that these aren’t obedient pets but survival partners ruled by instinct first and the player's desires second, just as real wild animals would be in the real world.
3 Red Dead Redemption 2
Being Remembered By A Tight-Knit Community Of Outlaws
Red Dead Redemption 2
- Released
- October 26, 2018
WHERE TO PLAY
Given that Red Dead Redemption 2 has one of the most highly detailed and realistic worlds in video game history, it should come as no surprise that Arthur's companions in the gang are also incredibly realistic. Each member of the gang feels like someone with a full emotional calendar. They hold grudges, share meals, sing, sulk, and shift their behavior depending on what’s happening in the story, or how Arthur has treated them.
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Even small actions, like following them around or aiming a weapon too close to them, come with detailed reactions. The more time Arthur spends with them, the more they open up, or in other words, bonding happens naturally and organically, and without the need for dialogue trees or visible relationship stats.
2 Fallout: New Vegas
A Reactive And Well-Written Cast
Fallout: New Vegas
- Released
- October 19, 2010
WHERE TO PLAY
- ESRB
- M for Mature: Blood and Gore, Intense Violence, Sexual Content, Strong Language, Use of Drugs
- Genre(s)
- RPG
Most companions in video games will follow the player to the ends of the Earth and down into Hell, never questioning their morality or actions. However, thanks to the superb reactivity of Fallout: New Vegas' companions, players are tested for their loyalty to companions, and not just the other way around.
If the player does something a companion doesn't like, for example, if they wipe out their adopted family or join the faction they swore to destroy, they'll leave. At least they'll give a warning, but it will happen. In addition, each companion is brought to life by Obsidian's classic writing and a cast of talented (and occasionally famous) voice actors.
1 The Sims 3
A Whole World Of Autonomous Individuals And Groups
The Sims 3
- Released
- June 2, 2009
WHERE TO PLAY
- ESRB
- T For Teen due to Crude Humor, Sexual Themes, Violence
- Genre(s)
- Simulation
While it isn't a typical open-world game about climbing towers and massacring groups of people (although there are plenty of collectables to find), The Sims 3 arguably has the most realistic companion AI to date. Sims can venture out into the world, be it their own neighborhood or abroad, in groups.
Just like real people, they will autonomously interact with the world in ways consistent with their personalities, schedules, and ambitions, and will find ways to satiate their needs. As a tradeoff to this rich complexity, their social interactions tend to be abstracted, which means any dialogue they would have is represented by the made-up video game language of "Simlish" and floating dialogue bubbles.
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