Question Of The Week [September 5th 2025]

Q: Who Is Your Favorite Game Companion?

A: Game companions are either a blessing or a curse. While their entire existence is in service of the player, and to help them along their journey, there are often too many times that I find myself loathing them and just wish I could put them in timeout, telling them to shut up and stay put and I’ll come around and pick them up when I’m good and ready. But then there are those characters that leave such an incredible impact on us, that we can’t think about the game without those warm fuzzy feelings.

I think most would probably immediately think of a character like Half-Life 2’s Alyx Vance as the best companion in a video game, or maybe someone like Midna from Zelda’s Twilight Princess, but my heart will always belong to Elizabeth from Bioshock Infinite.

When the first Bioshock game came out, it spoke to me, deeply moving me with its art deco design and the underwater world of Rapture. A utopia away from the rest of the worries of the world. Even with the unnecessary sequel by a different studio, the newly found series just captivated my interest like no other game. Once the third game was shown off, showcasing a city in the sky, I was enthralled. And when it finally released, the main character you interact with and the companion that helps along the way, Elizabeth was perfect.

She was sweet and kind, cute and modest, but longed for more than a caged life, like her beloved protector the SongBird. Once she escapes with Booker, she helps in combat scenarios by tossing ammo found on the ground or health. She doesn’t actively participate in the combat, but that never bothered me. What makes her stand out above the rest is how she interacts with Booker and the environment of the game throughout it, being an actual “Companion” to the quest. I’ve always had an issue with games where I feel utterly alone, but with Elizabeth right next to me, experiencing everything I am, and talking to me about it, I felt a genuine connection with the character, and seeing her dance along the sandy beach or picking up carnival prizes adds so much to the game, and my enjoyment.

It’s been well over a decade since the game was released, and I can’t think of a game that even has come close to creating that bond with the main character. Especially in modern games, where every sidekick is there as comedic relief, but overdoes it and becomes an ironic cynicism machine, making awkward bad jokes to ruin the moment. Going back, you can see why Bioshok was so influential and hopefully Ken Levine’s Ghost Studio can make another memorable character with their new game Judas. All I know is that Elizabeth was the perfect companion, and my favorite in any game.