In the last three decades, video games have improved significantly from a technical and graphical perspective. And a big area of improvement has been artificial intelligence. Thanks to AI, modern-day gaming offers incredibly realistic characters, be it enemies or sidekicks.
In the past, games have featured great memorable companions who always talk to or assist the main character during the adventure. A few such examples are Sully from Uncharted, Yorda from Ico, Quiet from Metal Gear Solid 5, and much more. Let's look at some of these companions who have proven to have the best AI based on the game's design.
10 Ellie - The Last Of Us
The Last of Us is a Naughty Dog classic that came out at the end of PlayStation 3's lifespan. While it has been almost a decade since this game has been out, it still holds up well, and that is all thanks to the top-notch animation and AI work. In-game characters such as human enemies and infected portray an extremely realistic threat to the players, making them just that fun to take down.
However, the best example of great artificial intelligence is none other than Ellie, who feels incredibly true to life because of her dialogues and assistance. She is easily one of the best follower characters in any game ever.
9 Clank - Ratchet And Clank
Ratchet And Clank is a long-running series of 3d platformer games, and its first release goes back to 2002. The series started as a PS2 exclusive, and it still maintains that to this day, with the latest entry being only on PlayStation 5. As suggested by the name Ratchet And Clank is a game about Ratchet, who is a Lombax mechanic, and his follower Clank who is a robot.
The game allows players to go on intergalactic adventures and take on unique missions. When it comes to tech, the latest entry of Ratchet And Clank offers great animation work, beautiful graphics, and AI that truly brings cartoonish characters like Clank to life.
8 Atreus - God Of War
The fifth major God Of War game was a genre-defining title, as it ditched the old-school formula to give the series a new life. As players know, Kratos' latest journey takes him to the realm of Norse mythology, where he also has a boy named Atreus.
Like The Last of Us, players will go on an epic journey alongside a young follower in God of War as they discover the world around them. During this journey, Kratos will receive help from Atreus, be it shooting arrows or revealing certain things, which all work perfectly well due to his amazing AI.
7 Tails - Sonic The Hedgehog
Tails may be one of the oldest followers in the game, but that doesn't mean he has bad AI. Since Sonic The Hedgehog 2 isn't a realistic game, it is not right to expect a life-like AI from Tails. But, within the domain of how the game works and plays, Tails proves to be a perfect follower of Sonic, which is what makes his in-game appearance great.
While players can play as Tails in the game or a 2nd player can join as well, his appearance in solo mode works the best.
6 Elizabeth - BioShock Infinite
After playing the first two BioShock games as solo adventures, it was a surprise for players to see Elizabeth in the game. BioShock Infinite takes place in a city in the sky, where the main character Booker is on a mission to save a girl.
Little does he know, this girl is Elizabeth, who has some crazy reality-bending powers and will assist him throughout the adventure. Elizabeth feels extremely life-like in the game because of her dialogues and behavior. Moreover, the fact that the whole game is centered on her makes the entire adventure extremely emotional.
5 D-Dog - Metal Gear Solid 5: The Phantom Pain
Metal Gear Solid games have always been about stealth-action, which means that Kojima has worked extra hard on making the in-game characters feel real. Metal Gear Solid 5: The Phantom Pain takes this fun AI to the next level, as it gives players a chance to go on a journey with unique side characters such as Quite, D-Horse, and D-Walker.
But the one character that utterly blows everyone away with its intelligence is D-Dog. Its in-game presence is extremely realistic, making it a true asset to Big Boss through his adventure.
4 Hugo - A Plague Tale: Innocence
A Plague Tale: Innocence is a 2019 game about a young girl named Amicia and her brother Hugo. The game is a stealth-action title, meaning that the in-game AI is full of little details that players must understand to complete the game.
As the game starts, players take control of Amicia from a third-person perspective and escort Hugo with safety. However, the whole journey isn't easy as the players must avoid hostile encounters and keep low. Amicia's brother Hugo proves to be a great follower throughout the adventure due to his intriguing dialogues and support, which is a must in a game like this.
3 Elika – Prince of Persia
Prince of Persia 2008 was a game that most players didn't connect to, and it was all due to its change of gameplay. However, in 2022 we can see that it was a result of experimentation, which is certainly missing from modern-day Ubisoft games.
This little trivia has caused many players to gain respect for the 2008 classic over the years, something that it certainly deserves. Prince of Persia offers gameplay where players move around on a nicely crafted map alongside a friend named Elika. She doesn't just follow the main character in the game but saves him in battles and even helps him out if he falls, making her an amazing supporter.
2 Ashley - Resident Evil 4
When Resident Evil 4 first came out, it was a genre-defining game and gave rise to third-person shooters as a whole. It is also the sole reason why RE4 is still respected and has a massive global community.
What makes Resident Evil 4 so good isn't just the gameplay but the game's overall vibe and design. Another thing that makes it great is the characters, including Ashley, who gives Leon a reason to be more aggressive as the game moves on. Even in 2022, Resident Evil 4 is perfectly playable, has great visuals, and even has a VR port that offers the most satisfactory gameplay yet.
1 Trico – The Last Guardian
Trico is by far the best gameplay buddy ever, as he isn't just a follower but a well-crafted part of the adventure. In The Last Guardian, players play as a little boy who seeks help from a giant half-bird half-mammal creature and solves the environmental puzzles to progress.
The in-game interaction between Trico and the boy is majestically real and extremely nerve-wracking. All of which proves that Trico's AI is top-notch. Players must play the game to experience this amazing game design that took a whopping nine years to create.