Summary

• Companions in RPGs can add depth, assisting players with gameplay and enhancing storylines.
• Some companions, like Micah from RDR2, are designed to be unlikable to drive the plot.
• The most memorable companions, like Karlach from Baldur's Gate 3, grow alongside the player, adding to the journey.

Roleplaying games often include NPCs that accompany the player character on their journey. These companions help players to navigate obstacles, assist in combat, and generally make a game's story feel less lonely. The best companions have their own stories, goals, and personalities to make them three-dimensional and relatable, more than just a plot device to make the game easier.

Some RPG companions have gained so much love and appreciation from audiences that they have sured even the main character in popularity. Others are so insufferable, annoying, and generally bad to have around that players will go out of their way to avoid adding them to their party. While the power level of a companion is important in determining how much they will be brought along, more often, the factor that divides the most loved and hated characters is their writing, and how the character functions within the scope of the plot.

10 Micah Bell From Red Dead Redemption 2 Is Truly Unbearable

This Traitorous Cowboy Is First Of The Worst

Micah is both a party member and a primary antagonist for Red Dead Redemption 2's player character, Arthur Morgan. Micah is nasty, mean-spirited, violent, and overall a destructive force whose presence quickens the deterioration of the Van Der Linde gang. During the multiple jobs which Micah is present for, his reckless and selfish behavior borders on sabotage of the group's goals. This doesn't even get into his treatment of Arthur, of whom he is clearly jealous and constantly seeks to tear down.

I believe there's winners and losers and nothing else besides.

Micah is definitely one of the least liked companions in gaming, but there is a reason he is not the worst of the worst. Micah is a character who is never meant to be liked; from his introduction, RDR2's storytellers want the audience to hate him and to see him as a foil to Arthur. He functions as an object of derision for the players. Even while people hate him, Micah is a character that is fun to hate.

9 Alistair Of Dragon Age: Origins Is Just A Good Guy

A Templar With A Heart Of Gold

The Dragon Age series is full of fun and fascinating characters, and among them, Alistair stands out as one of the most beloved. He is a party member in Dragon Age: Origins and an NPC in other titles in the franchise, like Inquisition. Throughout all of his appearances, he remains an idealistic and committed warrior who truly has his heart in the right place.

His loyalty to the player and small jokes make him a feel-good character to have in any team.

Depending on the actions of the player character in Origins, Alistair may end up in different places by the end of the game: as a roving drunk, a king, on his way to an execution, the list goes on. But his good nature and jovial mood often influence players to seek out the happiest endings for the man. While some may view him as a bit plain in comparison to the more morally conflicted characters in the series, his loyalty to the player and small jokes make him a feel-good character to have in any team.

8 Ashley Williams From Mass Effect Suffers From Comparison To Her Crewmates

The Least Likable Of The Normandy Crew

Mass Effect features some of the most enjoyable companions in any video game series. Which means that the worst of the bunch seem even more hated in comparison, unfortunately for Ashley. She and Kaiden Alenko are the two human companions in the first game, and standing beside their alien counterparts, they are both boring and less sympathetic. Kaiden often receives a fair bit of hate as well, though his sheer blandness in the first game makes him less of a target than Ashley.

One of the more polarizing and confrontational figures in the series.

She is something of a bigot, who holds a grudge against aliens because of her family's standing and generally distrusts crew like Garrus and Liara. This, along with her treatment of Commander Shepard in the second and third games, makes her one of the more polarizing and confrontational figures in the series. This could actually make her an interesting character to get to know, but she will rarely be on the crew with so many more likable options available.

7 Craig Boone in Fallout: New Vegas Fulfills The Role Of A Grizzled Soldier

One Of The Strongest & Most Tragic Companions In The Game

The archetype Boone embodies, that of a hardened warrior with a dark past, is one that is difficult to pull off. It can often result in overly edgy characters that are meant to feel badass but just come off as annoying. But Boone is one of the few characters that can actually make it work, balancing an incredibly tragic backstory, intense hatred, and horrible regret. To top it off, his skills as a sniper make him one of the more effective companions in combat, which makes bringing him along helpful and interesting.

Boone's experience with war in New Vegas' history and his self-hatred for his past actions conflicts with his current desire for revenge, and it is satisfying whether the player helps him deal with his trauma or assists in getting his vengeance. His story feels particularly in tune with the darker aspects of New Vegas, since the events that have brought his life crumbling down could be seen as either the outcome of his actions or just plain bad luck. For Couriers looking for a darker, more serious story in a game that can often lean into goofier themes, Boone is the clear choice.

6 Navi From The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time Is The Original Annoying Companion

Technically Not A Party Member, But Still Terrible

Navi is distinct from the other options here because she is not a party member so much as she is a plot device, guiding Link and giving him "helpful" tutorial messages, partly to help players acclimate to the – at the time – novelty of 3D video games. As anyone who has played the game can say, however, these messages are more annoying than they are helpful, especially on repeat playthroughs. Navi has gained notoriety for the way in which she bogs down parts of the game, and many players hate the phrase, "Hey! Listen!" associated with her lines.

Navi has gained notoriety for the way in which she bogs down parts of the game.

Now, granted, the hatred of Navi is absolutely overblown, and the character does not come anywhere close to ruining an otherwise fantastic game, which Navi was almost cut from. But her role as a constant and unwanted presence on Link's team makes her an excellent example of what makes a character insufferable. When they lack any sense of personal goals outside the main plot, when they can't do much to help the player when it counts, and especially when they interrupt gameplay, companions will end up in the fanbase's crosshairs.

5 Persona 5's Futaba Sakura Goes Through A Compelling Character Arc

This Member Of The Phantom Thieves Changes Greatly Throughout The Story

Persona 5 is a game about compelling characters and their inner turmoil, and hosts some truly great party . Even among them, Futaba shines as an endearing companion with a great storyline. Starting out as an introverted and isolated person with a likely case of agoraphobia, Futaba slowly learns to trust her friends and expands the horizons of her world, conquering many of the fears she starts the game with.

Her knowledge of online spaces is a boon to the group as they try to achieve their goals.

Futaba's anxiety around others and her discomfort with the outside world challenges her throughout the game's runtime, but also, her knowledge of online spaces is a boon to the group as they try to achieve their goals. She is simultaneously working to help others while they bolster her confidence. The abilities Futaba unlocks are also tremendously helpful, and make for an excellent reward to an already great story for her character.

4 Cait Sith Of Final Fantasy 7 Has Few Redeeming Qualities

This Character Goes From Useless To A Liability

Even before Cait's heel-turn when it is revealed he is a spy, most players dislike him for his relative weakness in combat. Cait's abilities are mainly defensive, and he lacks the flashy attacks and moves of the other Final Fantasy 7 party . That, and his goofy appearance, somewhat clashed with the rest of the party's aesthetic, leading many players to dislike having him on the team.

His goofy appearance, somewhat clashed with the rest of the party's aesthetic.

But of course, the main reason Cait is here is that he is a spy for Shinra, stealing a valuable item from the players and betraying their trust. This is something most players don't ever really forgive Cait for, making repeated FF7 playthroughs where they cannot oust the robotic cat annoying. His "sacrifice" for the player's crew would maybe work to endear him to the audience a bit if he did not immediately return with a new body, making it less of a sacrifice than it initially appeared, and causing people to wonder why he was allowed back onto the team.

3 Karlach In Baldur's Gate 3 Is Immediately The Player's Best Friend

By Far The Kindest Person On The Sword Coast

Any character from Baldur's Gate 3 could have been here, given how much love each companion in this game has gotten from its player base. But while Astarion and Shadowheart may have their haters, practically nobody can bring themselves to dislike Karlach. She is a ray of sunshine in an otherwise dire circumstance, which is surprising given the tragedy of her own background. From being betrayed by her former friend and sold to a devil, to being forced into fighting in the Blood War, to learning she only has a few weeks left to live, Karlach's story is constantly super sad.

Characters who go to Hell and come back kinder are truly special.

But somehow, her character remains the most optimistic and kindhearted in the group. She constantly encourages of the party, is always ready to help, and even when the agony of her situation gets to her, her anger is so understandable that it's hard not to her in it. Characters that have been through Hell and come out stronger are interesting, but characters who go to Hell and come back kinder are truly special.

2 Preston Garvey Is The Punching Bag Of Fallout 4

This Poor Man Did Not Deserve His Horrible Role In The Game

Preston is one of the least liked characters in any RPG, and it's honestly not even his fault. With his naive but kindhearted view of the wasteland and his desire to help others, he seems like the kind of person audiences could get behind. But the execution of this character in Fallout 4 flounders big-time, and his role as a quest giver has doomed him to eternal scorn.

He is a pushover who delegates all the duties of his aspirations to the player character.

Preston lacks the charisma of Karlach, the strength of Alistair, the grit of Boone and the dynamic nature of Futaba. For all his good intentions, he is not only bland, but disappointing, given how much greater his character could have been with more to do and better development. Instead of a lovable underdog, he is a pushover who delegates all the duties of his aspirations to the player character. For all the hate his quests receive, the worst part of Preston Garvey is the wasted potential in his writing.

1 Garrus Vakarian Of The Mass Effect Trilogy Is An Undisputed Favorite

A Constant Companion & A True Friend

Garrus is one of only three characters in the Mass Effect trilogy who the player is able to recruit and bring along in each game. As such, he receives a great deal of development and change during his time in the party. He is one of the most dynamic people in this story, as well as a loyal friend to the player character.

Starting out as an arrogant but well-meaning security officer, Garrus s the player and sees them as something of a mentor. Later on, after experiencing failure in his own leadership role, Garrus returns to the player and s them on another adventure. In the third game, after all he has been through, Garrus is finally succeeding as a leader of his people, yet he still stands by the player as their constant wingman.

He is almost a mirror of the player's arc throughout the games, yet his confidence and comion always shine through.

The player character's impact on Garrus's growth is part of what makes him so memorable and endearing. He is almost a mirror of the player's arc throughout the games, yet his confidence and comion always shine through. The moments Garrus shares with the player, expressing concerns, asking for advice, and even just kicking back and relaxing, are among the best parts of the RPGs, and the story is constantly better when he is a part of it.