Saddling players with a computerized companion can potentially ruin the experience. Oftentimes, the AI isn't up to snuff. These NPC sidekicks just get in the way as a result, making gamers wish they were dead.
Conversely, some allies distinguish themselves as truly helpful. They come with valuable gameplay functions and AI advanced enough to keep up with players during combat. They may not match the intelligence and intuition of real people, but players are still glad to have them on their side.
7 Ellie - The Last Of Us
Despite being the subject of one big escort mission, Ellie proves herself time and time again in The Last of Us. She stays safely behind cover, only attacking when Joel does. When battles break out, she tosses bricks and other projectiles. These later give way to a gun. All of this provides a moment's reprieve from the relentless zombie hordes, ensuring they don't overrun the players.
That extends to human enemies. Ellie often stabs any villain in her vicinity, especially those who are hurting Joel. In the end, she winds up contributing just as much to their shared survival.
6 Kaoru Sayama - Yakuza 2
Kazuma Kiryu usually roams the streets of Kamurocho on his own. That is until Yakuza 2 (and its Kiwami remake), where policewoman Kaoru Sayama takes him into protective custody to lead her to the Tojo Clan. Thus, she follows him around for most of the game. One would think this would compromise the beat 'em up gameplay, which had been predominantly solo up to that point.
On the contrary, Sayama complements that combat extremely well. She's tough enough to take on multiple thugs at once, thinning the herd when players are surrounded. Also aiding in this area are several tag-team Heat actions to finish foes quickly. You have to respect someone who can fight on equal ground with the Dragon of Dojima.
5 Beast - Kingdom Hearts
The plucky Sora fights alongside countless Disney icons in the Kingdom Hearts series, but players are never more grateful for this than late into the first time. After losing the Keyblade, Sora is stuck with a wooden sword. He can still use magic, but his physical attacks are useless. Even worse, he must cope with an army of high-tier Heartless monsters as he fights to catch up with his friends.
Making this hopeless situation easier is Beast from Beauty & the Beast. He can take a ton of abuse and crush his assailants through sheer power. Hiding behind this massive, furry friend is essential for survival. Even when Donald and Goofy rejoin the party, players will be loath to switch Beast out. And he was worried that nobody loved him...
4 Murray - The Sly Series
The Sly Cooper series may thrive on stealth, but players must sometimes fall back on brute force. This is where Murray shines. As the self-styled "brawn" of the gang, this hefty hippo can take out the toughest guards with a couple of blows. He knows that and jumps at the chance to show it off.
He gets that chance when the whole gang fights together. The AI is admittedly basic: characters mostly wail on whatever foe is in front of them. Thankfully, Murray is made for that approach. Because of that, he punches out twice as many thugs as Sly and Bentley combined.
3 Trip - Enslaved: Odyssey To The West
Doing the enslaving herself, Trip tasks protagonist Monkey with protecting her on their quest. That doesn't mean she just sits back and watches him do the heavy lifting, though. Her backseat tech skills complement his muscle, and that comes across in the gameplay.
Trip uses her dragonfly camera to get a leg up on a hostile world. She warns players of upcoming hazards and conjures holograms to distract robotic foes. When they do zero in on Monkey, she highlights weaknesses in their metal armor, making every fight that much easier. These two may be tethered together, but neither one weighs the other down.
2 Chumbucket - Mad Max
When the Road Warrior is adrift in the wasteland without his V8 Interceptor, a manic hunchback named Chumbucket comes along with a car of his own. Together, they journey through the desert and strike back against the despotic chieftains and rabid mutants of the ruined world. Granted Max does most of the driving and fighting, but Chum helps in other ways.
Despite his crazy demeanor, the grease monkey repeatedly demonstrates his vehicular talents. He cares for his car like his baby, rapidly repairing any damage during downtime and bringing it to Max whenever he whistles. Players can also command him in the use of the harpoon to pull enemy rigs apart. After having such a stalwart mechanic, a small part of Max will probably miss having Chumbucket as a backup.
1 Atreus - God Of War (2018)
Fans might wonder how a scrawny kid could keep up with the God of War. However, Kratos's son makes up for his small size with ample agility and support. He comes equipped with several types of arrows and spells, which he unleashes both on his own and at Kratos's command.
In addition, Atreus sports a plethora of passive abilities. He might use his bow to hinder monsters in a headlock, or he may jump off his dad's back to fire an aerial shot. These not only help players keep up a constant offensive, but lessen the frustration from the game's zoomed-in camera. After all, it's hard to outflank Kratos when his boy has his back.