Summary
- Best RPGs excel with well-developed companions whose growth enriches the narrative & bonds with players.
- Deeply written companions in games like Divinity: Original Sin 2 & Dragon Age: Origins elevate overall quality.
- RPGs like Pillars of Eternity 2 & Baldur's Gate 3 stand out for strong narrative depth & well-crafted character interactions.
Companions often form the heart of the stories in the best RPGs ever made, guiding players through engaging plots and memorable interactions with the game world. Through their dialogues, quests, and well-built personal arcs, many of these characters not only lift the main narrative but also become more interesting than it.
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Thus, role-playing titles with the best-written companions usually stand out for the significant growth these characters show along the journey. Games that dive deeply into each companion's emotional changes and moral dilemmas create a unique bond with the player, making this detailed evolution critical to their overall quality.
10 Divinity: Original Sin 2
Companions Shape The Experience In Unique Ways
Divinity: Original Sin 2
- Released
- September 14, 2017
WHERE TO PLAY
- ESRB
- M for Mature: Blood and Gore, Language, Sexual Themes, Violence
- Genre(s)
- RPG
A unique mechanic introduced by Larian Studios in Divinity: Original Sin 2 and also used in Baldur’s Gate 3 is the option to play the story from a companion’s perspective instead of creating a custom character. While this doesn’t change the core plot much, it adds fun layers through extra interactions and dialogue branches that unlock throughout the game.
Also, the fact that the Divinity: Original Sin 2 companions are well written boosts the game’s quality, since each character is connected to the main storyline in a meaningful way. Fane, Lohse, Sebille, and the Red Prince are standout names, each with their own arc that adds depth to the journey and keeps the story compelling.
9 Pillars Of Eternity 2: Deadfire
The Game Delivers Excellent Characters
Pillars of Eternity II: Deadfire
- Released
- May 8, 2018
WHERE TO PLAY
- ESRB
- Mature 17+ // Blood and Gore, Nudity, Sexual Themes, Strong Language, Violence
- Genre(s)
- RPG
Obsidian’s sequel expands on the narrative systems of the first game, bringing companions with deep storylines and strong reactions to the player’s decisions. Every crew member on the ship has a unique motivation, personal belief, and regular commentary that helps the world feel reactive and alive.
While returning characters like Edér, Aloth, and Pallegina continue their arcs from Pillars of Eternity, the newly introduced companions are just as well crafted. For fans of classic CRPGs that focus heavily on party interactions, Pillars of Eternity 2: Deadfire stands out as one of the best options available.
8 Dragon Age: Origins
The RPG Features Some Of The Genre’s Most Iconic Companions
Dragon Age: Origins
- Released
- November 3, 2009
WHERE TO PLAY
- ESRB
- M for Mature: Blood, Intense Violence, Language, Partial Nudity, Sexual Content
- Genre(s)
- RPG
One of the best aspects of Dragon Age: Origins that makes the RPG such a strong game is the way it handles the companions who join the player throughout the journey. Most of them are well-written, with solid backstories and meaningful involvement in the plot, making it engaging to see how each one reacts to the world as the game unfolds.
Another interesting point is how some choices involving these characters can carry over to the next two games in the series. For those who go through all three titles, it's nice to see how these decisions can influence certain story moments, even if just in a subtle way. On top of that, the banter between companions in Dragon Age: Origins is entertaining, especially the interactions between Alistair and Morrigan.
7 Pathfinder: Wrath Of The Righteous
The Companions In This RPG Are Diverse And Well Developed
Pathfinder: Wrath of the Righteous
- Released
- September 2, 2021
WHERE TO PLAY
- ESRB
- M For Mature 17+ due to Blood and Gore, Sexual Themes, Strong Language, Violence
- Genre(s)
- RPG
One distinctive feature that Pathfinder: Wrath of the Righteous introduces is turning party members into well-written companions through the sheer variety among them. Almost everyone who joins the group brings something unique, whether their exotic origins, such as Arueshalae, a succubus, or their extreme ideals, both of which add complex layers to the narrative and spark internal conflicts that keep the campaign engaging.
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These companions are strongly defined because they embody conflicting philosophies, creating a rich dynamic as their arcs unfold and reveal new pieces of their histories. Regill, for example, challenges conventional morality by framing ruthless acts as strategic necessities, while Daeran serves as comic relief whose quips always carry tragic subtext, resulting in a balanced roster whose contrasting worldviews and memorable personalities make them stand out long after the credits roll.
6 Clair Obscur: Expedition 33
The Companions’ Writing Delivers A Well-Developed Story
Clair Obscur: Expedition 33
- Released
- April 24, 2025
WHERE TO PLAY
- ESRB
- Mature 17+ / Blood and Gore, Strong Language, Suggestive Themes, Violence
- Genre(s)
- Turn-Based RPG, JRPG, Fantasy
While the interactive turn-based combat in Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 is a core highlight, the writing q uality behind the companions of the Expedition 33 turns the RPG into something even greater. Despite being from different backgrounds, these characters quickly become relatable through story events and the conversations that unfold at camp.
They fit naturally into the darker tone of the game’s main narrative, addressing themes like grief, hope, and human mortality with honest dialogue that makes them feel truly human. The voice acting also plays a major role, adding depth to each scene and helping forge believable bonds, placing Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 among the RPGs with the best-written companions.
5 Planescape: Torment
RPG Features Excellent Interactions With The Companions
Planescape: Torment
- Released
- December 12, 1999
WHERE TO PLAY
- ESRB
- t
- Genre(s)
- RPG
Unlike many other titles based on Dungeons & Dragons, Planescape: Torment downplays combat and instead offers a deeper story that is mirrored in the superb writing of its companions. As the Nameless One, an immortal figure stripped of memory, the player must uncover that forgotten past while engaging in weighty dialogues with a host of vivid NPCs who illuminate every philosophical corner of the multiverse.
Conversations shine thanks to creative characters at every level, from minor residents of Sigil to full party members such as Morte, Dak’kon, and Fall-from-Grace, each carrying moral dilemmas that unfold as the narrative progresses. By focusing on existential themes rather than traditional dungeon crawls, the game delivers one of the finest experiences in isometric RPG history, proving that rich dialogue and personal revelation can eclipse even the most elaborate tactical system.
4 Baldur’s Gate 2: Shadows Of Amn
Best Companions In Classic RPGs
Baldur's Gate II: Shadows of Amn
- Released
- September 21, 2000
WHERE TO PLAY
- ESRB
- T For Teen due to Animated Blood, Use of Alcohol and Tobacco, Violence
- Genre(s)
- RPG
The Baldur’s Gate franchise stands as one of the greatest references in delivering quality across nearly every aspect of its games. While the third entry is a landmark in modern RPGs, the second remains a true classic from the early 2000s. Much of its impact comes from how well-written the companions are, introducing characters even more compelling than those in the first game.
Following the story established in the original, the game brings back several familiar faces like Minsc & Boo, Jaheira, Viconia, and others, now with deeper personalities and more refined development. In fact, the dialogues between companions in this RPG are remarkable, with characters reacting not only to the player's choices but also to the events unfolding around them.
3 Star Wars: Knights Of The Old Republic 2
The RPG’s Companions Explore The Narrative’s Central Themes
Star Wars Knights of the Old Republic 2: The Sith Lords
- Released
- December 6, 2004
WHERE TO PLAY
- ESRB
- T For Teen due to Mild Blood, Mild Suggestive Themes, Violence
- Genre(s)
- RPG
The Star Wars galaxy is filled with well-drawn characters, and Star Wars: Knights of the Old Republic 2 raises the bar even further by offering some of the most skillfully written personalities in the genre. Allies who join the Exile often serve as philosophical instruments that mirror central themes of morality and free will, turning every conversation into a pointed debate that deepens the player’s understanding of the Force and its burdens.
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Kreia stands out as a prime example, her twisting narrative delivering constant plot turns that challenge both protagonist and audience to question entrenched beliefs. Yet the game remains fully companion-driven, granting equal narrative weight to every recruit, and developing them ensures that each backstory, loyalty test, and philosophical exchange forms an integral thread within a broader tapestry that still earns praise as one of role-playing’s finest ensemble efforts.
2 Baldur’s Gate 3
These Companions From Larian Studios' RPG Are Incredible
Baldur's Gate 3
- Released
- August 3, 2023
WHERE TO PLAY
- ESRB
- M for Mature: Blood and Gore, Partial Nudity, Sexual Content, Strong Language, Violence
- Genre(s)
- RPG
Baldur’s Gate 3 may offer deep mechanics and customization, yet nothing matches the writing quality of its companions, which ranks among the best in any modern role-playing release. Each recruit arrives with complex motives, shadowed secrets, and evolving moral dilemmas that surface gradually across the epic three-act structure, rewarding attentive players with revelations that reshape relationships, influence branching quests, and spotlight the careful narrative pacing overseen by Larian’s writers.
Almost every protagonist undergoes significant development, and player decisions can trigger radical personality changes that ripple through future encounters. The cast’s excellence is further elevated by voice actors who pour remarkable nuance into each line, capturing vulnerability, resolve, and dark humor with equal skill, ensuring that the emotional resonance of moments large and small cements these companions as standout figures within the broader canon of fantasy gaming.
1 Mass Effect
An RPG Trilogy That Developed Its Characters Exceptionally Well
Mass Effect: Legendary Edition
- Released
- May 14, 2021
WHERE TO PLAY
A cinematic narrative remains one of the defining hallmarks of Mass Effect, carrying players through one of the strongest science-fiction sagas produced for interactive media. Much of that storytelling power flows from companions whose bonds with Commander Shepard evolve across the trilogy, their interwoven loyalties, romances, and ideological clashes shaping key missions and adding personal stakes that raise the tension beyond the series’ grand galactic conflict.
Writing quality peaks in the second installment, where loyalty missions delve into each squadmate’s past and expose internal conflicts that demand difficult choices. Their reactions to a constantly shifting univers, whether the fallout of political upheaval or the threat of extinction, reinforce a sense of authenticity and ensure that every farewell, sacrifice, or celebration resonates, sealing Mass Effect’s reputation for assembling one of gaming’s most cherished ensembles.
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