Open-World Games With Best Pet Systems

Animal companionship in video games is a popular trope that reflects the bond that so many people share with their pets. It’s no surprise that tons of video games incorporate animals as pets in some way so that these bonds can become part of players' in-game lives too.

Pets can be found in a vast range of video game genres, such as simulation and role-playing games. However, there are also plenty of open-world games that incorporate pets in interesting and unique ways. With this in mind, we’re going to be looking at ten particularly noteworthy games and franchises that have established interesting pet systems, so that players looking to forge bonds and build relationships with pets can do so in an open-world setting.

10 Grand Theft Auto 5

Chop the Rottweiler

• Dog Companion
• Attacks any enemies hostile to Franklin.
• Can be pet.
• Can be played with and taught tricks.
• Customizable collars.
• Finds Hidden Packages

Protagonist Franklin takes Chop the Rottweiler in as a pet in Grand Theft Auto 5 and when the player switches to Franklin after completing the mission “Chop”, they can interact with Chop, play fetch with him, or take him for walks. He can be killed by gunfire, drowning, or being hit by cars, but this isn’t permanent as he’ll spawn back at Franklin’s house (though he will be unhappy).

Unfortunately, players can no longer teach Chop tricks or maintain his happiness, as the iFruit App that was used to control this game mechanic shut down in 2022. However, he can still be a helpful and fun companion to have around when playing as Franklin.

9 Baldur’s Gate 3

Scratch the Dog and the Owlbear Cub

• Possible Dog and Owlbear Cub Camp Members
• Scratch: Can be used as a summon in battle to bite and distract enemies without harming the actual Scratch. Can be pet. Can bring items. Can play fetch. Can be spoken with if the Speak with Animals spell is active.
• Owlbear Cub. Can transform into a large, armored Owlbear to help the player at the final battle. Can be pet. Can be spoken with if the Speak with Animals spell is active.

Scratch and the Owlbear Cub from Baldur’s Gate 3 are quite possibly the cutest duo of animal companions, though the player can miss both of them entirely. They make a huge difference to the atmosphere of the camp, with the two becoming fast friends and chasing one another.

Not only are these interactions wholesome, but Scratch and Owlbear Cub can be used practically in the game too. If the player summons Scratch, he can be used as a distraction in battle without the fear of him taking real damage. Owlbear Cub can stand by the player's side in the final fight as a huge, armored Owlbear (thanks to a special potion given to him to make him grow). However, both pets can die if the player isn’t careful, which is more than a little devastating.

8 Dragon Age: Origins

Mabari Hound

• Possible Party Member/Dog Companion
• Attacks enemies
• Can be pet
• Can interact with other party members,
• Can be leveled up
• Equippable armored collars and warpaint

The first game in the Dragon Age series introduced a Mabari Hound as a companion, but he was more than just a cute pup to have by your side. The Mabari is a breed of war dog in the Dragon Age universe, and in Origins, players could use him as they would any other party member.

The Mabari has its own skill tree and gains attribute points when leveled up that the player can assign to him. If utilized well, the Mabari Hound can become an incredibly strong party member and a true force to be reckoned with. Players could also name their pet Mabari as well, adding an extra layer of personalization.

7 Red Dead Redemption 2

Various Horse Breeds

• Horse Companion
• 19 Available Horse Breeds
• Can be bought, stolen, or found in the wild and tamed
• Customizable tack
• Players build bonds with their horses

Horses are a crucial element of Red Dead Redemption 2, as they are the fastest and most effective method of transportation. Players have to build bonds with their horse if they want them to become more reliable and less likely to freak out in a dangerous situation.

Relationships with horses in RDR2 are formed by grooming, petting, feeding, and riding them. This can improve their abilities and make them less likely to buck Arthur off when facing off against predators or stick in the middle of a gunfight. Horses can also die, so players will need to be careful. If a strong bond is built with a horse who dies, they will need to start all over again. The pet system with horses in Red Dead Redemption 2 is simple yet effective and encourages players to form strong bonds with their horses (and weep if they die).

6 Fallout Series

Dogmeat the Dog (and Rex the Cyberdog)

• Possible Party Member/Dog Companion
• Can be pet
• Finds extra loot
• Locates, attacks, incapacitates, and finishes off enemies
• Stealth-based reconnaissance
• Can wear armor and other clothing items.

Dogmeat has been a staple of the Fallout series since the very first game released in 1997, even appearing in the 2024 television show. Dogmeat isn’t just one dog though. Instead, it is a name used for the various dog companions throughout the series. Even the beloved spin-off game- Fallout: New Vegas- featured a dog companion, though this was a half-robot half-dog called Rex rather than a new Dogmeat.

Gameplay-wise, Dogmeat’s core skills include attacking enemies, finding loot, and generally being the best boy/girl. Players can customize Dogmeat in Fallout 4 by equipping them with cute collars, bandannas, body armor, or goggles. You can even give them a teddy bear that they will play with when idle. Dogmeat and Rex might be the only proper pets in the Fallout series (other than the mobile game Fallout Shelter), but the way they are utilized makes for a great pet system in an open-world game series.

5 Metal Gear Solid 5

D-Dog the Wolf and D-Horse the Andalusian Horse

• Possible Buddies/Wolf and Horse Companion
• D-Dog: Attacks and stuns enemies. Extracts enemies and prisoners on command. Detect enemies, prisoners, and medicinal herbs. Can be pet. Customizable coat and eye color when the relationship with D-Dog has been maxed out.
• D-Horse: Used to traverse long distances quickly. Can be ridden into battle.Can sneakily approach enemies while riding D-Horse. Can be used to distract enemies. Customizable armor and tack. Light vehicles can slip on D-Horse's poop.

Two of the buddies that players can have in Metal Gear Solid 5 are D-Dog and D-Horse, both of which can be treated as pets as well as companions to help with gameplay. D-Dog, a wolf pup that becomes a buddy when he is fully grown, can be missed, but D-Horse is unlocked immediately after the prologue.

D-Dog and D-Horse have their own skill sets. D-Horse can be ridden to travel long distances quickly and distract enemies, and D-Dog can attack, sense mines, extract people, and stealthily distract the enemy. D-Dog can also be visited at the Diamond Dogs base, with unique cutscenes when players go see him and plenty of opportunities for pets. D-Horse can also be pet, but he also causes certain vehicles to slip if they drive in his poop, which is probably the most unique pet ability on this list. These two pets are great companions and friends, as well as allies in battle, making them particularly noteworthy open-world game pets.

4 Assassin’s Creed Odyssey

Bears, Wolves, Lynx, Leopards, and Lions

• Possible Animal Companions
• Have to be tamed first.
• Can be pet once tamed.
• Can attack enemies.
• Legendary animals can’t be tamed, but Alpha animals can

Various animals can be tamed by the player in Assassin's Creed Odyssey, all of which can become loyal pets and powerful allies. Players can only do this if they unlock the tier three Beast Master Hunter Ability, available at level ten. Players have to fight the animals until their health is low and then knock them out. When this is done, the animals can be approached and recruited.

The variety of animals that can join you on your journey, and the ways that players can show them affection and treat them as pets, make the pet system in Assassin’s Creed Odyssey one of the best in open-world games. Nothing beats the feeling of having a bear or lion accompany you into a battle, after all.

3 Far Cry Series

A Range Of Different Animals Across Far Cry Primal, Far Cry 5, and Far Cry 6

• Possible Animal Companions
• Have to be found and recruited first
• Some can be pet, but some can’t.
• Each animal has a unique set of skills.

From Far Cry Primal onward, the Far Cry video games included an animal companion mechanic wherein players could recruit animals and use them as allies throughout the game. Far Cry Primal has the most options, as the plot revolves around the protagonist’s abilities as a skilled animal tamer. Far Cry 5 and Far Cry 6 developed the pet system, with pets that had names, backstories, and personalities.

All the animal companions in the series have unique skills, from stealth attacks to distractions, locating weapons, brute force, and more. For players that want a unique animal companion in an open-world game, such as a sabertooth tiger, a crocodile, a bear, or even a wiener dog, the Far Cry series and especially Primal are a must.

2 Palworld

A Range Of Pals To Capture

• Fantasy animal companions
• Have to be caught first
• Each Pal has a unique set of skills
• Can be pet
• Used to battle
• Can be assigned work
• Can attack enemies and other Pals

Palword is something of a Pokemon clone, with a tongue-in-cheek nature that plays on the unanswered questions of the Pokemon series, such as whether humans can be captured. Palworld is undoubtedly a fun game, and it is similar to Pokemon in that players can form bonds with their Pals and use them in a range of ways.

The main difference between Palworld and Pokemon is the building system, which allows Palworld players to build bases with resources collected throughout the game. To collect resources as effectively as possible, players will enlist their captured Pals to help them. Pals can engage in a range of work depending on their abilities. It’s fun to see how the different Pals go about their assigned jobs. The moral implications are a little concerning (and pretty funny), especially when it becomes clear that the player can also capture humans in Pal Spheres and put them to work in their camp.

1 Pokemon

A Range Of Pokemon From Across Numerous Games

• Fantasy animal companions
• Have to be caught first
• Each Pokemon has a unique set of skills
• Used to battle
• Can (usually) be pet
• The pet system differs from game to game

Pokemon is a behemoth of a series that grew from a Game Boy game released in 1996 to become a huge franchise. There are currently more than 100 games including main titles, side games, and spin-offs, with more than 1,000 Pokemon in total.

Across these games, players take on the role of wannabe Pokemon trainers and capture various Pokemon—most of which have designs based on real animals—to battle them. As the games continued, more elements were introduced that established more of a pet and owner dynamic, such as cooking, playing fetch, or dressing them up (depending on the game).

Although battling is usually the main element, there is no denying that the relationship between the Pokemon and the player is an important aspect of the franchise and makes for a great open-world pet system.

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