List your favorite companions

[Starwars]

Kaelyn from Mask of the Betrayer is probably my favorite. One of the reasons is that it's easy to play a character who is totally on board with her mission, and it's also really easy to play a character who hates that shit. Always thought she worked great in both good and evil playthroughs which is pretty rare in my opinion. And I love the fact that you could Bluff her a lot if you're going evil.

Aside from that, generally great writing, a wonderful and unique look and fantastic voiceacting.

 

[Magnificate]

- Minsc from Baldur's Gate / Bladur's Gate II : most people hate him these days

They do?

Anyways, the companions I'm most fond of:
Fallout 1, 2, NV: None. For one reason or the other I tend to play these games with solo characters.
BG1: Khalid. We don't really get to know him, but I've always seen him as the Reluctant Hero.
BG2: Mazzy, the honorary Paladin. I especially find her interactions with Aerie to be quite uplifting.
PT: Fall-From-Grace, as the embodiment of restraint she has my deepest respect.
PoE: Sagani. Reliable, mature, familial, with very natural reasons to join my side. Ranger is my least favourite class in PoE, yet Sagani can always count on being included.
DA:O: Alistair. Basically, the "normal guy" done well.
ME1: Tali, she's just so excessively cute from the beginning and later her develpment isn't derailed as Liara's.
ME2: Mordin, adorably quirky and his narrative arc has some real weight.

 

[Baron Dupek]

Usually I prefer lone wolf lifestyle but sometimes some games won't let you do that no matter how metagaming sperger you are.

Fallout 2 - Cassidy and Marcus (when you replace his minigun with laser/plasma/pulse rifle)
Gorky17/Odium - Jarek Owicz, cynical can be edgy at times but usually it doesn't bother me. Always give him flame thrower and baseball bat.
Marauder/Man of Prey - Serb "What a mess!" ('Co za kipish) not steroids but army service in eastereuropean country make you semi-terminator walking machinegunner operator. Good at kicking doors and lobbing grenades with his trusty grenade launcher.
Planet Alcatraz - Kruger, good perception and melee. And that smug look when he look through the scope...

 

[Beastro]

Yes, Magnus from Arcanum was ofter very funny.

I hated him because of his dislike of stealing, and if you took too long doing it while leaving him somewhere he'd take off and vanish from the game.

 

[abnaxus]

Telle.

 

[Deleted member 7219]

KOTOR 2 had the best written companions in any video game I've played. I will defend the writing in that game to the death, but the companions especially were well done... with the only exception being the Disciple. But I think he has more dialogue in TSLRCM. I guess Mandalore is pretty weak too but I think the point of that character is that he is one character you can't change in any way - he's already entirely devoted to Revan. Kreia scorns him.

But I'll pick Kreia and Visas, Kreia because, well, Kreia. Visas because there are times when you think the entire game might actually be about her. And while she talks about all the terrible shit that has been done to her, she never asks for your sympathy. Plus, asking her to bring me the Darth Nihilus mask after letting her have her moment of vengeance was one of the most satisfying moments I've had in an RPG.

As for Mass Effect, yes, the companions in these games were done very well. Garrus is a bro as others have said. He's one of the few who stays with you throughout all three of the games, he's got his head fucking screwed on, and he goes from idealistic to grimdark and I always like seeing that happen in any story.

While we're on Mass Effect I'll also pick Ashley, to defend her from morons who call her a space racist and have no idea what the fuck they are talking about, and because apparently, people picked Kaiden to survive over her. What the actual fuck?

Gaichu from Shadowrun: Hong Kong. Saved my ass in so many fights but never felt OP (except at the end of the game when every fight is a walkover, of course). And he was so interesting to talk to. I agree with others about Racter, too. The writing and the companions in the Shadowrun games improved with each new iteration - hope there's more.

Chai Ka from Jade Empire, because allowing an evil spirit free reign to control a little girl's body is really fun. Death's Hand, because binding another evil spirit to your will and disgusting half of your other companions in the process was pretty neat. He doesn't say or do much after you bind him, but his armour is fucking cool and that's all that matters. Black Whirlwind, because even though he's BIOWARE FUNNY, he's fucking amazing with those axes.

Olivier and Schera from Trails in the Sky. They have genuinely funny dialogue, especially when paired together, without it ever really seeming stupid - definitely not BioWarey. No SJW whines from them either. You learn more about Olivier as the game goes on and he only gets more interesting (and less annoying - I didn't like him at first but he definitely grew on me).

Triss, Yennefer and Ciri from The Witcher 3. Reasons should be obvious. Also, Dandelion and Zoltan for being bros. I wish Zoltan had more to do in The Witcher 3.

I'll edit this post and add more from other games as I think of them, but this thread is pretty much already, many good suggestions here.

 

[Azarkon]

I'll stick to the CRPGs most people on the Codex is familiar with, and where I actually remember having a preference.

Baldur's Gate 1

Edwin: Completely utilitarian choice. I was young and didn't give a fuck about the writing. Power gaming all the way.

Baldur's Gate 2

Imoen: For some reason I felt sentimental. I also enjoyed the fact that she shared a special connection with the protagonist and was going through the same personal developments. Thought it was well-written at the time.
Keldorn: The character just clicked on a no bull shit level; also I needed a Paladin to wield the Holy Avenger.
Edwin: For the spells.

Planescape: Torment

Morte: Didn't find him that funny as first but he has some of the best lines later in the game. Torment is when I started to actually appreciate quality writing in games.
Annah: If you think about it, Annah is the first fully realized tsundere in Western CRPGs. Much better written than Bioware's attempt at the same in Bastilla.
Dak'Kon: A powerful character that also had a cool story.

Neverwinter Nights 2: Mask of the Betrayer

One of Many: unique, evil to the core, and opens up new choices. What's not to like?
Kaelyn: the only character who talked much sense about the Wall, and I liked her ending, and also her Cleric spells

Knights of the Old Republic 2

Kreia: an intelligent take on the Star Wars universe? You don't say.
Atton Rand: like a grimdark version of Han Solo, well-written especially when you add in what was cut

Pillars of Eternity

Durance: the only companion that I felt had much depth in the game and who experienced significant developments going through it

Mass Effect Series

Mordin Solus: only character that I remember having an unique and powerful narrative. Rest were all fan service trash.

Dragon Age

All trash. Maybe you can make an argument for the dog because you couldn't romance it.

Knights of the Old Republic 1

Don't even remember, besides that Bastilla and Carth were trash.

Witcher Series

Probably Triss: what can I say? she's hot, and the romance is well-realized; also found it sympathetic that in the books, she always loses to Yennefer, but in the games, she can have a happy ending

 

[Saduj]

Ultima V - Saduj

 

[baturinsky]

Of Witcher, my two most favourites are probably Dijkstra and Anarietta. Too bad Dijkstra has went insane and had to attack Witcher's friends right in front of him, and doing Anarietta would be not a bro move towards Dandellion.

 

[PulsatingBrain]

Of Witcher, my two most favourites are probably Dijkstra and Anarietta. Too bad Dijkstra has went insane and had to attack Witcher's friends right in front of him, and doing Anarietta would be not a bro move towards Dandellion.

No love for Roche? I fucking love that guy

 

[Xathrodox86]

Marcus from FA2
HK-47
Minsc

 

[Freddie]

Fallout 2: Sulik
Perfect companion to introduce the world.

BG 1 & 2: Imoen, Minsc
Imoen weren't very talkative in BG, it's pretty much a tie with Dynaheir but over time Imoen is less to worry about, even though she is a crappy thief.

Arcanum: Magnus
Decent fellow, don't remember that much of any of the Arcanum characters.

KotOR 1 & 2: HK-47, Kreia
I don't think HK-47 needs an explanation, Kreia is one of the best written characters ever.

Mass Effect series: Ashley (Mordin in ME2).
Ashley presented at least some sort of attempt to write mature character. Very defined public and private personality, motives and goals were explained well enough.
Mordin in ME2 is interesting take of character who is deciding between lesser evils. Yet character has also other qualities.

SR Dragofall: Dietrich
Very interesting character which has his own philosophy.

SR Hong Kong: Duncan
Didn't even play orc in my first game. Trusty sidekick, enough said.

Wasteland 2: Angela Deth, Rose
Angela brings history to WL2 continuation. Rose is also interesting with her somewhat mysterious background. Not the best character strategy wise, but interesting.

 

[Modron]

BG 1 & 2: Imoen

 

[Freddie]

BG 1 & 2: Imoen

Well, she doesn't talk too much. I edited my post a bit to make it a bit more than a list.

 

[Kalin]

HEYA!

 

[Bonerbill]

Mazzy Fentan. I just want to hug her tight and say everything will be all right. She is rejected and overlooked by everyone - not given as much attention as other girls by developers and players, refused to be a paladin, and thrown into a cell to rot. And yet, she does not whine all the time about her tragic fate like certain others.

Mazzy is a freaking goody two shoes cunt that represents everything that's wrong with a paladin. She's not a good character at all.

 

[ERYFKRAD]

Keldorn.
All the gothic bros.

 

[Severian Silk]

Tandi from FO1 and Visas Marr from KOTOR2 because they're hawt.

 

[Carnarium]

Mordin and Legion from Mass Effect 2.
Kana and Hiravias from PoE.
Presea from Tales of Symphonia.
HK-47 and Atton from KOTOR2.
Loghain from Dragon Age Origins
Vivienne and Cole from Dragon Age Inquisition.

 

[Jazz_]

 

[laclongquan]

Rose of Sharon Cassidy is a great companion with her voicepack. Veronica is not bad, either.

 

[laclongquan]

A dedicate post to Planescape Torment companions since I see some mention one or two of them above.

The nature of PST companion is that they are great all around, that our party is a poor reflection of our desire.

- Morte: The melee guy. his scene and floating voice is fun. The dialogs where he learn more insults are startling in term of hidden tidbits. The tormenting guilt that haunt him is not a bad central concept

- Annah: Generally the second companion. A very confused little girl with Daddy issue, and TNO is basically a replacement. Tsundere character. her romance scene with TNO is pretty hot, pun intended~ Classic Thief. I keep her for personality (no, really) and a job changer.

- Dakkon: the way he's hidden, possibly the third companion. Very nice in term of philosophical dialog. TNO's previous incarnation LIED to him to keep him alive and he's still lied to himself to keep moving forward, at least that's what I infer from the Unbroken Circle as well as his conclusion. Fighter Mage so he's in for both firepower and job changer.

- Ignus is a little bit of too much mage. Dakkon and TNO is generally enough, so after harvesting his XP I just left him to rot in the bar. his origin quest is not too bad, nothing to complain about, but it's not interesting enough compared to the great posse. Tormented Boy Aim for Power is frankly eh~ Now, if it's a Tormented Girl, leaning toward some questionable aspect of sexuality, that would be more intrigueing.

- Nordom is probabbly the fifth. He's a novelty, an archer where previously our ranged option is spells. His side quest provide us with plenty of ammo and chance to grind. A most likely guy to get the chop.

- Fall From Grace is the sixth. The idea of a succubus control her basic instinct enough to function as a brothel cleric is fascinating. The only cleric so she's fixed. Also, need care as she's classic cleric, not fully armored cleric of later DnD version. She's the reason why I use Sanctuary spell in a DnD game, but not any in BG or IWD series.

- Vhailor is too little too late. I always get him for completion's sake and xp, but generally doesnt use him. The concept of Justice Materializing is not good enough to keep him.

 

[Neki]

Morte-Chaotic bros till death(or not).

Boone-He just stay quiet and pop some heads, also has one of the best quests of the game.

Khalid-He is an scared faggot, but always put his neck on the line for the team

Siegmeyer of Catarina-True bro rigth there he jumps on a pit full of monsters just for you to have a safe passage.

Charizard(Fire red)-Best friends forever

 

[Kev Inkline]

PoE: Sagani. Reliable, mature, familial, with very natural reasons to join my side. Ranger is my least favourite class in PoE, yet Sagani can always count on being included.

 

[baturinsky]

Mazzy Fentan. I just want to hug her tight and say everything will be all right. She is rejected and overlooked by everyone - not given as much attention as other girls by developers and players, refused to be a paladin, and thrown into a cell to rot. And yet, she does not whine all the time about her tragic fate like certain others.

Mazzy is a freaking goody two shoes cunt that represents everything that's wrong with a paladin. She's not a good character at all.

You have probably not seen Saerileth...