When video games give the player a companion, they’re typically helpful. They either provide assistance in combat, share helpful information, or are just a genuine friend tagging along, whether they have two legs orfour furry ones.
Unfortunately, though, that’s not always the case.
10 Scariest Moments in Non-Horror Games
Even though a video game’s genre isn’t horror, that doesn’t mean it can’t scare you. These are some of the scariest moments in non-horror games.
Some video game companions are more of a hindrance than a helping hand, making the experience difficult or outright unenjoyable.
By either being in the way, constantly requiring help, or just by being outright annoying, some companions aren’t reliable partners. If anything, they may be better off remaining in the cutscenes.
The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim
Lydiais thefirst follower(and potentialmarriage option) that players will get inSkyrim, after completing theDragon Risingquest and being namedThaneofWhiterun. She swears that she will protect theDragonborn, and all they own, with her life.
Little did anyone know she would then throw her own life away at any chance she could.
From running head-first into dungeon traps, diving off mountains/cliffs, or simplyfalling victim to friendly fire, it’s very easy to lose Lydia to all kinds of ridiculous manners. In fact,thousands of players have sharedmemorable and bizarre ways she’s died in their playthroughs.
Her constant recklessness just ends up in her grim fate rather than providing any assistance to the player, making her unreliable as a follower.
Imagine wandering anuclear wasteland, trying to survive apost-apocalyptic world, but being accompanied by someone who complains and hates basically every single action taken. This is exactly what it’s like havingStrongfromFallout 4as a companion.
Stronghates when players hack computers, pick locks, or evenwear power armour. All of these actions are crucial for the game, and make up a significant portion of the gameplay loop inseveral builds. He expresses strong disdain for players that are playing Fallout 4 as it’s best intended.
It’s frustrating enough to where players often find themselves asking: is there anything hedoeslove?
Yes, actually: cannibalism.
8Survivors
Dead Rising
There’s lacking survival skills, and then there’s lacking all self-preservation. The survivors thatFrankrescues inDead Rising, in particular, lack self-preservation in every sense of the term.
Not just one survivor, not a handful — all of them, every single one. And frighteningly, there are48 total survivorsin the game.
10 Amazing Games With Tiny Budgets
Sometimes less is more
They will run into hordes of zombies, ignore instructions, or simply do nothing, standing like fresh meat and waiting to be killed. It’s a struggle to keep them alive without constantly hovering over them and arming them to the teeth. It’s appalling.
Dead Risinghas the option to rescue more than one survivor at once in a large group, which goes as awfully as it would sound. Best of luck to anyone trying to get the achievement.
7Eileen Galvin
Silent Hill 4: The Room
Silent Hill 4
Silent Hill 4: The Roomis a horrifying installment in theSilent Hillfranchise. It’s unsettling and moody, yet it remains a divisive game in the series. No thanks, at least in part, toEileen Galvin.
Eileen is the protagonistHenry Townshend’s next-door neighbour, and she becomes far more significant towards the latter-half of the game. After surviving a horrific attack from the game’s serial killer antagonist,Walter Sullivan, she joins as a companion.
The thing is, if players want the game’s good ending, they cannot let Eileen take damage. Eileen will be possessed in the final fight against Walter, walking towards her death.
The more damage she had taken as a companion, the faster she would walk, and if she had taken too much damage, it would be impossible to save her — just as impossible as preventing her from taking damage in the first place.
She walks significantly slower than Henry, limping, injured, and completely vulnerable. Plus, there are areas (such as the infuriatingescalator) where damage is inevitable, so players just have to hope Eileen is able to take a low enough amount to where they can still save her later.
6Sheva Alomar
Resident Evil 5
Resident Evildoesn’t have the best track record for in-game companions, andSheva AlomarfromResident Evil 5, unfortunately, isn’t helping that case.
Sheva is able to assist in combat and puzzles, sure, but her A.I. doesn’t seem to grasp that concept. She’s prone to run in the middle of gunfire, into hordes of enemies, or into a wall, whichever she’s in the mood for. She flies through resources and ammo, and is just an outright hindrance more often than not.
The best way to have Sheva utilize her potential is to simply play the game inMultiplayer, with another human controlling her instead.
5Natalya Simonova
GoldenEye 007
In the early days of video games, the A.I. was incredibly bare-bones. Some of these games, such asGoldenEye 007, don’t have muzzle awareness programmed into NPCs.Natalya SimonovaisJames Bond’s main NPC companion in thefoundational First-Person Shooter— and perhaps now the issue is revealing itself.
It’s not that Natalya lacks self-preservation; it’s more like she never knew that self-preservation even existed in the first place.
10 Best Survival Games With Unique Mechanics
From city management to apocalyptic shooters, surviving in these games means very different things.
Running into gunfire and standing directly in that gunfire isn’t abnormal for Natalya. She’s got zero awareness of her surroundings, and will be killed more often than not, resulting in many mission failures.
Just ask players about how theControlmission went with her and watch them have war flashbacks.
4Donald Duck
Kingdom Hearts
Kingdom Heartsis a belovedSquare Enixfranchise known for its marriage ofDisneyandFinal FantasyIPs. Thislong-running JRPGfollows the trio consisting ofSora,Goofy, andDonald Duck, while on a quest to save the world from darkness.
Donald Duck is theparty healer, and unfortunately, he does a terrible job at it.
When healing, Donald Duck prioritizes Goofy, no matter how dire of a condition Sora might be in. Players have to mess with settings in hopes of a chance that he’ll heal them, but even then, it’s still not a guarantee.
Sora could be on the brink of death in the middle of anintense boss battle, but Goofy has a paper cut, so that takes priority.
The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time
One of the most infamous companions in video gaming,NavifromThe Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Timeis a fairy that accompanies Link on his journey to save Hyrule. She’s not fondly remembered, though, and is often credited for being one of the most annoyingcompanions Link hadin the entireLegend of Zeldafranchise — and for ditching Link when he needed her the most.
Players got a little too used to hearing Navi shouting at them throughout their entire playthrough. It would be fine, though, if she maintained her reliability. Navi is the reason behind Link being able to target-lock onto enemies, the only useful trait she offers. It’s a crucial gameplay mechanic that allows Link to be lethal in battle.
However, come the final battles with Ganondorf, she leaves. She claims that his evil aura is too powerful, despite the countless evil she has helped Link vanquish prior. This prevents Link from being able to target-lock onto Ganondorf at all.
Sure, it provides an extra challenge for the final fights, but if anything, it makes her annoying attitude all game all for nothing.
She’s meant to be a guide for Link, a mentor in a way, while on his adventure. Instead, especially after this final straw, players just want to lock her in an empty bottle and throw it far, far away.
2Ashley Graham
Resident Evil 4
NewResident Evilplayers who haven’t played the originalResident Evil 4may only know aboutAshley Graham’s infuriating A.I. simply from reputation.
TheResident Evil 4: Remakemadesignificant changes to Ashley’s character, which improved her indescribably. Veteran players of the original game, however, remember exactly why she was one of the worstescort missions in gaming.
10 Most Beautiful Video Game Views, Ranked
Video games are beautiful works of art — with stunning scenery and breathtaking skies, these are some of the most beautiful views in video games.
In the remake, Ashley is alert, aware, and self-assured. She’s helpful and witty and a genuinely incredible companion to have. In the classic game, however, she’s none of those things. For a college girl, the original Ashley Graham acts like a teenager, and not in a good way.
She’s only tolerable in the original game when she’s completely plated in a full suit of armour. Even then, she’scuter in the remake’s armour anyway.
1Baby Mario
Yoshi’s Island
Super Mario World 2: Yoshi’s Island
Yoshi’s Islandwas a crucialNintendogame for many children and their childhoods — and, for many, it was the start of a deep hatred for escort missions.
Playing asYoshi, players have to escort, guard and protect a baby version ofMario, who is helpless to all incoming danger. Yoshi, trying to reunite the babySuper Mario Brotherswith their parents, has to fight countless enemies to make sure this can happen.
Of course, being a literal baby, Mario isn’t able to help. Unfortunately, still being a literal baby, all hecando is cry – which he does the entire game. It’s a nightmare for both children and parents alike; the best they can hope to do is tough through the next level.
Baldur’s Gate 3: 10 Best Honour Mode Builds
Honour Mode is a brutal challenge to new and veteran players of Baldur’s Gate 3. These are the best builds to help get through it.
