Parvati, oh Parvati – how we love thee. But seriously, Obsidian’s The Outer Worlds has incredible companions that players will meet and fall in love with – though not literally because there’s not romance because then the game would be absolutely perfect and we can’t have that.
The thing about companions in games is they aren’t like our children – we have no shame in saying who is our favorite and who is better left out on the Unreliable. So without further adieu, let’s get to judging! Now with video at the bottom!
Best The Outer Worlds Companions Ranked
The best: Parvati
Immediately after meeting Parvati, I couldn’t help but to compare her to Merrill from Dragon Age 2. Say what you will about the second Dragon Age game, that title had some damn good companions. Merrill’s naive and humble nature made her adorable and someone that you want to protect with your life and Parvati was definitely harnessing that same energy.
A mechanic players meet on the first world with Edgewater, she is as helpful as she is useful with her powerful melee attacks. Plus, if you decide to help her in the name of love with another character, her loyalty mission is about as precious as they come with little cakes and dresses and oh my god, Parvati you have no damn right being this adorable.
The coolest: Ellie
I knew I was firmly Ellie’s when the space pirate winked at me and insulted me at the same time. Swoon. Though not enough to top Parvati in my eyes, Ellie was a close second with her wit, her cynicism, and her quick trigger fingers when it comes to taking out enemies. Her needling commentary is a sharp contrast to Parvati’s sweet talk, but provides a nice balance with companion banter while exploring.
She’s a bit of a dick, but she’s our dick. You know?
The millennial younger sister: Nyoka
I love Nyoka, I really love Nyoka but her existential crisis mixed with drinking and a fun splash of depression hit a little too close to home for comfort. Some may like being able to see themselves in characters – I’m not one of them. I’m stuck with myself 24/7. If I wanted to hang out with a ball of anxiety and a bottle of whiskey, I’d just chill out in front of a full-length mirror and cry.
That being said, she’s a cool chick with even cooler hair, which saves her from being down at the bottom, and her LMG is pretty heckin’ sweet. She’s a very well-written character with a personality that is as real as it gets, just for me personally – it’s a little too real sometimes.
The cringe: Felix
Oh, Felix, you sweet summer child. Bless your heart. When you meet Felix, he’s the epitome of small appendage syndrome. He’s a pipsqueak that thinks he can solve every one of his problems by beating the crap out of anyone that says differently. Sure, he has a funny line here and there but overall he reminded me of the younger brother that you love but don’t necessarily like.
His skills in combat aren’t really anything too special either, so if you want to leave him on the Unreliable, you aren’t really missing out on much.
The worst but not the worst: Vicar Max
OK, so I know since he’s at the bottom of the list, he’s technically the worst but there are two reasons that doesn’t actually mean much: 1) all of the companions are dope in the way that they feel natural and are so different from each other, 2) I’m old. OK, only 32, but I feel like I’m 80 so his snark and attitude is something I don’t approve of but can definitely understand.
He’s miserable when you first meet him: haughty, superior, almost mean. But once you do his loyalty quest, you see a different side of him. He’s a philosopher that feels caged by society with a splash of ageism that isn’t often seen in games. He’s older, he’s crammed into a box that he doesn’t fit into (metaphorically), and he knows the older he gets the less value society sees in him. He’s a bit of a tit, but where Nyoka was a little too real for me personally, Vicar was a little too real on a mass scale which is why I think a lot of people won’t like him. Younger people will just “ok boomer” him whereas the older gamers will see something in him that might feel a little uncomfortable.
Now you may be wondering where SAM is. SAM is a robot that was built by the previous captain (that you KILLED, you monster) and he’s as useful at cleaning as he is killing. He’s pretty hilarious for a robot, a bit of an airhead, and feels right at home with other takes Obsidian has had regarding mechanical companions. The only reason I don’t have him ranked is because he almost doesn’t feel like a companion despite clearly being one. It’s a funny addition but nothing that I think the game couldn’t do without, so I say definitely reconfigure him when ou get a chance, but I can’t honestly tell you where I think he fits in at because he’s pretty much in a class of his own.
Like my list? Think I’m dead wrong? Think I should go die in Edgewater? Tell me all about it over on Twitter @DirtyEffinHippy. I can take it.
