10 Gaming Sidekicks That Kicked Butt From the Backseat This Year

10. Sam Drake – Uncharted 4

After so many treasure hunting adventures Nathan Drake’s brother Sam, who Nate believed to be dead,  joins the cast of characters. Although Sam was a brand new addition in Uncharted 4, the character, voiced by Troy Baker, feels right at home in the game’s world. Not only do we get to see how Nathan reacts to his presumed-dead brother actually being alive, but we also see a few flashback segments of the two’s childhood. Sam and Nate’s relationship is the most backstory we’ve seen for Nate, in terms of what he was doing before the first Uncharted and Golden Abyss.

In Uncharted 4, Nate has married Elena and is trying to live a quieter life, but the older and more reckless Sam convinces Nate to come out of retirement. Sam is still all about treasure hunting, and acts as a mirror for Nate to see the old life he used to live. Eventually, the two come to a head, and the disagreement ultimately forces Nate to come to grips with what’s really important to him, his family.

Now keep in mind that Sam may not be the best sidekick in the strictest sense, as he causes a lot of trouble and grief for Nate in Uncharted 4. Still, after everything is said and done, Nate is thrilled to have his brother back, a person whom also happens to be one of the few people on the planet that can claim to be Nate’s equal in terms of exploration skill. The pair have one last rollicking adventure, and learn just who they each want to be along the way.

9. Rotom Pokedex – Pokemon Sun and Moon

The Pokedex is a vital tool in every Pokemon journey, recording your discoveries and catches along with being crammed with tons of useful information. In Pokemon Sun and Moon though, your Pokedex is powered by the Electric/Ghost type Pokemon Rotom.

The cheery little creature inhabits your machine and is able to speak to you throughout the game. He’s always got helpful hints and tips for the aspiring Pokemon trainer, and even manages to crack a joke or two. If all that isn’t enough for you, the Pokedex now works as a camera letting you take photos of certain areas out in the world Pokemon Snap style. So not only is your Pokedex highly functional, it’s a charming companion now as well.

8. Corebots – ReCore

These trusty bots are always at Joule’s side, helping her traverse the world of Far Eden while also defending her in combat. Joule has three different Corebot companions accompanying her, Mack, Seth, and Duncan. Each of these bots have their own unique ability both inside and outside of battle, and their cores can be put into new frames to grant them new abilities.

Despite the different abilities, each Corebot companion has a completely different personality and interact with Joule differently. She starts her journey with the dog-like frame Mack. Mack is most comfortable in this frame and has a playful and cheerful disposition. Joule then encounters Seth, a small shy spider-like Corebot that can reach inaccessible areas. Finally Duncan joins the group. Duncan is a giant gorilla looking Corebot that has a gruff and stubborn personality. All three of them work together with Joule to provide you the tools needed to complete the game.

On a desolate world like Far Eden there’s nothing else you’d want by your side more than three loyal robot companions. Best of all, these Corebots brought life to an otherwise standard puzzle-platformer.

7. Wrench – Watch Dogs 2

Marcus Holloway is an ace hacker in Watch Dogs 2, but his true potential is realized when he’s recruited by the group known as DedSec. They’ve got quite a few talented people working for them, but none are as memorable as the eccentric Wrench. First of all, just look at him. He’s got an electronic mask that displays his emotions, and a spike-studded vest. Rad.

Besides his looks, Wrench is one of the more talented members of DedSec, and he becomes one of Marcus’ closest friends. He’s extraordinarily intelligent and crafts a lot of the useful gear you’ll need in Watch Dogs 2.

Wrench had a fairly troubled childhood, and as he grew up he began to find it difficult to express his emotions, which may explain some of his over the top antics. This is, in part, why he built the mask so he could have something to hide behind and display his emotions for him.

Wrench is never someone to half ass things, and he’s usually the one to take the quick and painful route. Just take the scene where he needs to get a computer chip out of a toaster.  Instead of taking it apart, he just smashes the thing with a sledgehammer to get it out. If nothing else, he’s a friend who’ll get things done.

6. Del and Kait – Gears of War 4

We spent three games following the adventures of Delta Squad and watching them take down the Locust hordes. Gears 4 surprised everyone though by introducing an entirely new squad of characters led by Marcus Fenix’s son JD.

The new cast does a phenomenal job of holding things up on their own, however, as they have some fun dynamics with each other. JD and Del are constantly joking and trying to one up each other, while Kait is the more determined one often driving the squad forward. The three give Gears a bit different of a tone from what we’re used to, but it’s certainly not a bad thing.

5. Clank – Ratchet & Clank

One of the best sidekicks in all of gaming history returned in a new title this year, with the rebooted version of Ratchet & Clank. This new game was a remastered and remade version of the original, including some new areas and weapons that weren’t originally featured.

Clank’s intelligence and sarcastic wit proved to be just as charming as ever, and he had quite a few playable sections of his own. That’s not even to mention how useful he is in general, functioning as a handy gadget for Ratchet and basically the brains of the pair. This duo is still going strong.

4. Delilah – Firewatch

Delilah is an absolutely fascinating character, as she’s basically the only voice you hear through the entirety of Firewatch besides that of the main character, Henry. As you explore the wilderness of Yellowstone, Delilah’s voice is the one thing Henry can find solace, friendship, and even protection in. Soon, Delilah’s appearance is the character’s primary comfort, as the two build a fascinating relationship over walkie-talkie.

The role is beautifully voice acted by Cissy Jones, and while Firewatch’s world is gorgeous, the true appeal of the game is to witness the relationship that grows between Henry and Delilah.

3. BT-7274 – Titanfall 2

Truthfully, BT is more of the star of Titanfall 2 than the main character Jack Cooper. After the robot’s pilot and Jack’s mentor dies in combat, BT is entrusted to him. During the game’s campaign the two develop a bond, and BT turns out to be a special Titan that has the unique ability to acquire loadouts from all six of the other Titan classes. BT is capable of synthesizing their weapons into itself and gaining the ability to switch between them at any time.

Although Jack is a fairly skilled combatant himself, there’s no way he could have survived the battles of Titanfall 2 without BT watching his back.  Even past that, the robot actually cared for Jack to the point where he”bonded” with the pilot, for which he was interrogated by military command as it broke multiple rules and regulations. There are few things that sound better than having a crazy giant robot best friend.

2. Trico – The Last Guardian

Trico may just be one of the most adorable creatures made in any video game ever. At the beginning of The Last Guardian, the young boy you play as befriends this giant cat/bird/dog creature. Although Trico is at first terrified of the boy, he treats the creature kindly and takes care of it.

Most of the puzzles in The Last Guardian revolve around using Trico to reach areas, or solve things. Trico also defends the boy from the strange soldiers that try and capture him. Together the pair set off to discover why they’ve been trapped in mysterious ruins, and they develop an unforgettable relationship along the way.

1. Ignis, Gladio, Prompto – Final Fantasy XV

At its core, Final Fantasy XV is a story about four friends on a journey, regardless of any dramatic overarching story. Noctis is the crown prince of Lucis trying to reclaim his throne, and his three friends Ignis, Gladio, and Prompto support him on that quest.

The main appeal of Final Fantasy XV lies in traveling with Noctis’ companions, learning about them, looking at Prompto’s photos, and seeing them struggle through the turmoil together. Each character grows throughout the game, and they all have a different relationship with Noctis. If you’re taking a road trip through a fantasy world, there’s no better crew to have at your back than these three.