There are many sidekicks in video games. Plenty of video games have parties of interesting, cool characters who have something to bring to the table. In some cases, a secondary character fights alongside you.
However, there are some games that create characters who stay by your side who are the entire reason to play the game. These are your ride-or-die companions, the ones who make the game what it is. These characters unanimously feel the most real. It’s as if they exist outside of the screen and outside of the game. Here are my top three video game companions, in no particular order.
Garrus Is Your Best Friend in the Galaxy
Garrus Vakarian is the best wingman you’ll have in the galaxy, hands down. Coming from the Mass Effect series, Garrus is one of the few characters who is a party member in every game. This means, canonically, even when the going gets rough, Garrus never leaves your side.
Garrus is one of the most fun and likable characters in the entire series. Additionally, he’s loyal and a great fighter to boot. Outside of combat, he’s got some of the best relationship sequences across the games. His “calibrations” in Mass Effect 2 made him a lovable meme, and his citadel shootout scene in Mass Effect 3 stole our hearts. Who can forget “I am Garrus Vakarian, and this is my favorite spot on the Citadel!”
Mass Effect is just as much about your squad as it is about Commander Sheperd. Garrus is a great example of the care this series puts into its companions. You’ll watch Garrus go from a disgruntled cop in Mass Effect 1 to a badass Punisher-style vigilante in Mass Effect 2 to a hero and beacon for hope in Mass Effect 3. You’ll be with him every step of the way, encouraging him to improve and become the person he was always meant to be. In return, he’ll do the same for you.
Garrus has a great character arc and has landed himself as one of the most beloved characters in the series. Speaking of “beloved”, I would be remiss if I did not mention Garrus’s romance quest line, which is one of the best in the series. Mass Effect spared no effort for showing how smooth and confident our favorite Turian can be. It’s true that Garrus stole players’ hearts, in many senses of the word.
Midna Turns You Into Her Sidekick
Midna debuted in Legend of Zelda: Twilight Princess by essentially stealing the game from Zelda. While some of the plot revolves around restoring Zelda, Midna is the princess pulling the strings in this game. She shows up by busting you out of prison and then turning you into her trusty steed and errand boy.
Mechanically, Midna is the next in a line of Navi clones. However, narratively, Midna is the protagonist and emotional lead of Twilight Princess. The plot of this game simply doesn’t happen without her. Her betrayal at the hands of Zant is the inciting incident for the game and every major step we take in the game is to aid her.
Once you return to the starting area with Midna, you quickly become her errand boy. You collect your first real sword and shield because she tells you to. She still fills out the Navi role by pointing out useful information, but due to her importance in the story, this is much less grating. Midna is essential to the story, it only makes sense that she’s the one telling you where to go. This only intensifies as the game progresses. From start to finish, Link is in this quest for her.
You can even see Twilight Princess’s focus on Midna when defeating dungeons. The series standard is to acquire power ups for Link from a dungeon boss. Instead, you acquire fused shadows and mirror shards, both items that make Midna more powerful. The typical Master Sword power up only comes when you make it to the Twilight Realm and help Midna gain access to Zant. Midna is firmly in control of the game’s plot, and it’s great.
An Imp in Every Sense of the Word
Midna is awful and we love her for it. She’s sarcastic, sassy, sadistic, and with you every step of the way. While she initially comes off as somewhat one-dimensional, she is the titular character for a reason. The game is about her. Midna’s hidden depths and her growth round out a complicated and compelling character.
Despite Midna’s evolution into a better person, she’s still great even when she is kind of terrible. There’s something endearing about Midna, even when she’s mocking you for being her new “pet” as a wolf. Despite her impishness, she goads Link into some of his more stunning acts of heroism, inspiring his bravery and courage.
The Heart of Twilight Princess
There are many moments in Twilight Princess where Midna stole the show. Twilight Princess is a dark, emotional game. It isn’t afraid to go to some intense sequence. A lot of those scenes are so good because of Midna.
One of the most harrowing moments of the game is when Midna is injured during an attack by Zant. After acquiring all the fused shadows, Zant appears, taking the items, permanently turning Link into a wolf, and injuring Midna. Taking action, Wolf Link races across Hyrule with Midna on his back in a desperate bid to find Zelda and save Midna’s life. I will never forget the first time I played this sequence and heard Midna’s Lullaby playing in the background.
The race to save Midna and her restoration by Zelda is one of the moments where Midna begins to evolve as a character. After a moment as vulnerable as nearly dying, Midna opens up about her insecurities and her history to Link. Slowly, Midna becomes more sincere and transforms into a better person. In the climactic battle against Ganondorf, Midna even takes a stand against him alone to give Zelda and Link a chance to escape.
Finally, the ending to this game shattered my heart. Watching Midna break the Mirror of Twilight and return to the Twilight Realm for good, leaving Link behind, destroyed me. I love a tragic romance, even if it hurts, and Twilight Princess did a masterful job at selling the emotional connection between Link and Midna. Only the manga that came out years later could sooth my heart. At long last, these two got the happy ending they deserved.
I Would Kill or Die for Elizabeth (… And I Did)
The best part of Bioshock Infinite is Elizabeth. The game is only “Infinite” because of her ability to open tears to alternate realities. She is sweet, kind, and a genuine ray of sunshine inside a dark game. She learns and grows alongside your main character, Booker DeWitt, and how Elizabeth feels sets the tone for entire sections in the game. Additionally, while she doesn’t fight alongside you in fights like Garrus, she is damn useful in a firefight.
Elizabeth starts the game as a naive and easy-to-deceive subversion of the archetypal princess in the tower. While she is the villain’s daughter locked in a tower, it’s clear as you break into her gilded cage that she’s not being kept safe from the world. The world is being kept safe from her. Elizabeth is strong enough to tear holes in reality and her very presence is Comstock’s undoing.
Throughout the game, Elizabeth matures into a strong young woman. She learns a lot, both from Booker, and because of Booker. Booker is not a good man. He doesn’t always tell her the truth or teach her good lessons. Elizabeth doesn’t remain naive forever and makes choices both good and bad. Some of the best moments in the game are the ones where Elizabeth is mad at you. As she learns to defy Booker, she learns more about who she is and who she wants to become.
Going through Bioshock Infinite, your relationship strengthens with Elizabeth. After playing through Bioshock Infinite, you understand Booker’s willingness to kill for her or die for her. Over the course of the game, you’ll see both happen more than once.
Though it’s taken me a while to accept some parts of Bioshock Infinite, Booker’s bond with Elizabeth is real. As the player, you experience everything right alongside them. Elizabeth is one of my favorite companions in any video game. I love Bioshock Infinite, and it’s all because of her.
Elizabeth is a Fighter
While Elizabeth may not be a combat companion like Garrus, she’s damn useful in a firefight. You don’t need to protect Elizabeth during a fight, and if you start to run thin on resources, there’s a chance she’ll help you out. I’ve been in an intense fight and run out of ammo, only to be saved by Elizabeth hucking a freshly loaded weapon my way.
Especially during fights, Elizabeth’s ability to toss you useful items is a great mechanic that makes her invaluable. This feature really helps grow your relationship. I can’t tell you what it did to me the first time I died in combat only to have Elizabeth pull me out of the hail of bullets and get me back on my feet. In battle, Elizabeth is your resupply, your healer, and the way you get back in the fight when you would normally hit a “game over” screen in other games.
To top it all off, Elizabeth can dish out the pain when she wants to. She’s got a mean kick and can swing a wrench like no one’s business. These moments of ferocity in cutscenes add something important to Elizabeth’s character. Elizabeth is not just a pretty girl in a dress. She’s someone who can hold her own in a fight with you and is more than capable of standing by your side and watching your back.
Will the Circle Be Unbroken?
Elizabeth will steal your breath away. In a game that is predominantly a first person shooter, you don’t expect to be on the verge of tears. Yet, Elizabeth is a character that manages to break down my barriers with ease. A large part of this is due to the fact that Elizabeth is incredibly expressive. Even years later, heart expressions still strike a chord in my heart.
There are moments in the game that are special where Elizabeth’s unique kindness and presence in the world make it a better place. These are the moments that cement Elizabeth as the best character in the game, that connect you to the game, and make you willing to do whatever it takes to save her.
One of the iconic scenes in Bioshock Infinite is a small moment in a world filled with violence where Elizabeth sings a song. In a basement with an old guitar and a warzone outside, Booker and Elizabeth take a brief respite from it all. As Booker plays the guitar, Elizabeth sings “Will the Circle Be Unbroken.” The song is beautiful and it lures an urchin out of hiding just to listen. Elizabeth gives the urchin an orange to eat just before he scampers away.
Elizabeth’s song is only one of a few of the most arresting moments in the game where she steals the show. At this moment, some of the major themes of the game are established. Elizabeth changes the world around her just by being herself. I love Bioshock Infinite because of moments like this one. Time spent with Elizabeth is always time well spent.
By and Bye
There are some games that we play because the mechanics are great and some games we play because they capture our hearts. At the heart of some of the best games are characters that will leave a lasting impact. Twilight Princess, Mass Effect, and Bioshock Infinite are all games I play for the latter reason. These games introduce companions that have shaped me for years to come and altered my gaming experience forever. Thank you Garrus, Midna, Elizabeth, and everyone who brought these characters to life.
