The Best Pets And Animal Companions In Video Games: 2024 Edition
Estimated reading time: 12 minutes
Pets: They’re not just critters that add to our monthly expenses. They’re members of the family that we adore. Our love of cute furballs in real life also extends to how we view them in the games we play, and the ones that released this year have no shortage of such creatures. These are the video game best pets and animal companions of 2024.
Our article includes everything from furry feline friends to aquatic acquaintances. We even have mythological creatures, alien animals, godly manifestations, and terrifying foes.
Everything in Animal Well
Animal Well is a surreal adventure-platformer/metroidvania where exploration goes hand-in-hand with puzzle solving. Apart from various items and devices that you obtain, you also need to be mindful of the animals that you encounter. Some, like squirrels, will run away as you approach, so you have to think of ways to sneak up on them. Others, like the kangaroo, will appear in certain areas, pouncing to annihilate you unless you’re able to scare it away. There’s also the whale and other creatures, whose mechanics imply that they can help you with traversal.
The baby chocobos in Final Fantasy 7 Rebirth
Final Fantasy 7 Rebirth offers an adventure like no other. After leaving Midgar, you’re free to explore the wide world, tackling all manner of activities with Cloud, Barrett, Tifa, Aerith, and the rest of the gang. While it’s possible to fast travel using different methods, there’s one feature that’s so cute and adorable that you’re likely to react in “aww” whenever you see it: the Baby chocobo.
In specific locations, you might spot a baby chocobo in the distance. It will run away when you approach it, so just follow it until it reaches its destination. There, you’ll be able to fix a rest stop sign, causing the baby chocobo to happily chirp. The baby chocobo will then give you a plume that you can use to unlock cosmetics and the rest stop becomes a fast-travel point, too.
Nix from Star Wars Outlaws
Let’s face it: Star Wars Outlaws didn’t necessarily set the world on fire when it released earlier this year, so much so that developer Massive Entertainment dropped “forced stealth” sections that initially caused frustrations during playthroughs. Still, one highlight in this adventure in a galaxy far, far away is Nix, Kay Vess’ cute merquaal pet.
Nix isn’t just there to look adorable for merchandising purposes–sorry, useless Porgs. He actually has unique functions to help you in missions. These include distracting and attacking enemies, interacting with levers and panels, stealing or fetching items, and even peeking at opponents’ cards in Sabacc games.
Assan from Dragon Age: The Veilguard
Dragon Age: The Veilguard has a wonderful cast of characters, all looking to stop the spread of the Blight and the machinations of fallen elven gods. One of these companions is Davrin, a Grey Warden who’s accompanied by his loyal griffon, Assan.
Assan provides additional functionality in combat, since he’s able to attack foes. Moreover, a special action causes Assan to strike Blight pods and winches to aid you in navigation. Most importantly, Davrin’s quests all focus on rescuing Assan’s fellow griffons and finding a better life for him. Assan’s bond with Davrin and, by extension, how you treat Assan, determines how well you’ll get along with your Grey Warden pal. Who knows, perhaps romance will bloom because of your decisions?
The animal familiars from Hades 2
You explore both the underworld and surface world in Hades 2, all while facing countless dangers as Melinoe. But you don’t have to go at it alone. That’s because you can recruit animal familiars to help you in subsequent runs. These include Frinos the Frog, Toula the Cat, Raki the Raven, and Hecuba the Hound.
If you encounter these creatures in your travels, be sure to feed them morsels so they appear in your Crossroads hub. From there, you can continue to upgrade their perks and abilities. For instance, Toula grants a bonus Death Defiance (i.e. extra life), while Raki increases your critical-hit chance. Even better, animal familiars have a gathering function, so you can still collect materials even if you didn’t bring the right tool for the job.
The Pals of Palworld
There’s no denying the impact Palworld has had this year, as it managed to amass over 2.1 million concurrent players on Steam alone.
This is primarily due to one ridiculous premise: It’s Pokemon but with guns. That’s just one facet of this open-world adventure game where you throw orbs to catch and tame Pals, handing them firearms later on so they can defend your base. Aside from this, Pals can also be assigned to tasks in your base depending on their work affinity. Some are able to water plants, while others set out to harvest them. There are also those who excel in construction, repair, and gathering roles.
Enki from Flintlock: The Siege of Dawn
As a souls-like title, Flintlock: The Siege of Dawn is a bit on the easier side of things when it comes to gameplay. One element of what makes it enticing is the character of Enki, a god who has assumed the form of a fox.
As Nor Vanek, you can use Enki’s abilities in combat since his attacks gradually build up an enemy’s stun meter. Likewise, his special gauge lets you trigger a Withering, an ultimate skill that obliterates everyone around you. Furthermore, Nor transforms into Enki whenever she has to pass through rifts. It’s quite fascinating to behold a fox that’s just flying through the skies.
Momo from Infinity Nikki
The Nikki series has had many iterations over the years, with Infinity Nikki being the latest. It’s also the first game in the series that’s available on PC and consoles. Now, millions of players around the world can save the world in style.
Infinity Nikki is primarily a dress-up game–i.e. you collect and upgrade clothes, use outfit abilities, and join styling contests. Aside from these activities, you also get to explore a massive, colorful open world with your cat companion, Momo, by your side.
We’d like to think of Momo as a less0annoying Paimon (from Genshin Impact); our level of annoyance is lessened because Momo is a cat, and we all know that cats are awesome. Even better, one of Nikki’s outfits causes her to shrink to a diminutive size, giving you control of Momo as he dashes, hops, and roams around.
The black cat from Little Kitty, Big City
Speaking of awesome cats roaming around, Little Kitty, Big City puts you in the shoes paws of a cutesy void who needs to find his way back home. Set in a bustling city, your journey is filled with wonderful interactions with other animals, such as lost ducklings and a sneaky chameleon who wants you to solve his riddles. And, yes, you can find and wear dozens of hats, too.
The adopted cat from Copycat
Indie adventure game Copycat isn’t for the faint of heart. The story is about a cat who’s adopted from an animal shelter by an old lady after her pet ran away. Initially aloof, the cat begins to warm up to their human as they begin to feel like they’ve found a home. Then, tragedy strikes, as the old lady’s original cat returns. Knowing she’s unable to take care of two pets, she has to let the adopted cat go.
What follows is an emotionally charged adventure, as the cat tries to find their way home, all while questioning if they were truly wanted or loved. It’s an absolute tearjerker through and through, especially for those of us who’ve adopted and rescued shelter or stray animals. Most importantly, Copycat teaches the value of being a responsible pet owner and the impact we have on the lives of the creatures we take care of.
The wolf from Neva
Similar to Copycat, Neva is another game where the focus is on our responsibility as caretakers of other creatures. At the start, the titular wolf, Neva, is but a cub, and your character, Alba, has to fend off dark creatures to protect it. As you progress through the game, Neva matures into a full-grown adult, becoming Alba’s guardian in times of need.
Neva’s mesmerizing world also speaks volumes about our duty to preserve our planet, especially with the threat of climate change. In the same vein, it also shows us the immutable cycle from childhood to parenthood, when our parents nurtured us as children (similar to how Alba rears Neva as a cub), to the time when we, as adults, need to support those who’ve helped us in our formative years.
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Zhu Bajie or Pigsy from Black Myth: Wukong
Truth be told, Black Myth: Wukong has so many anthropomorphic characters–you even play as a humanoid monkey warrior–that the whole cast could be included as part of this entry. Still, it’s Zhu Bajie, also known as Pigsy, who plays the most pivotal supporting role.
Zhu Bajie is one of the major characters in Journey to the West. Like Sun Wukong and Sha Wujing, he’s counted among the companions of Tang Sangzang in his quest to seek the ancient Buddhist scriptures. Due to his lustful and gluttonous nature, Zhu Bajie is eventually cursed to live as a humanoid pig, earning the moniker Pigsy.
In Black Myth: Wukong, which serves as a continuation of the tale, Pigsy aids the Destined One in his attempt to gather Sun Wukong’s relics. Similar to his depiction in the novel, Pigsy remains gruff, boisterous, and rude. However, he also shows remorse for his actions in the past, especially with how he treated his former lover, the Violet Spider, as well as their daughter. Cursed to suffer a thousand romantic tragedies, Zhu Bajie has no choice but to accept a lifetime of wandering, whether or not his feelings for someone are genuine. And, yes, he also serves as a neat distraction for enemies whenever he’s with you. Just watch out because you also battle him a couple of times, and these encounters truly test your mettle.
Jeff the Land Shark from Marvel Rivals
Jeff the Land Shark first appeared in the West Coast Avengers comic books. As his name implies, he’s a shark with feet, allowing him to walk on land (duh!). But don’t let his charming appearance fool you: Jeff is still a shark and, like all sharks, he loves to eat.
In Marvel Rivals, Jeff is a Strategist-type hero with healing capabilities. More importantly, his ultimate skill allows him to gobble up friends and foes alike in a wide area. What makes things even more hilarious is that players can swim all the way to the edge of cliffs and platforms to spit out everyone to their doom. It’s an extremely cheap move that’s also effective, so much so that countless clips of this gamey tactic have made Jeff the Land Shark a viral sensation since Marvel Rivals’ launch.
Kril from Another Crab’s Treasure
Jeff the Land Shark isn’t the only aquatic animal that’s on a murder spree under the sea. There’s also Kril, the star of Another Crab’s Treasure. While most souls-like games have dark fantasy vibes and cryptic lore, Another Crab’s Treasure offers a more whimsical take while retaining tried-and-tested combat mechanics, in which Kril dodges enemy attacks and follows up with various abilities. These come in the form of Adaptations, such as crowd-control traps, devastating punches, and bubble blasts.
What makes the game even more ridiculous (in a good way) is that you can give Kril a gun. It’s a souls-like game where you play as a crab who shoots enemies. What’s not to love?
Warrior 103,683rd from Empire of the Ants
Based on Bernard Werber’s best-selling novel series, Empire of the Ants puts you in the role of 103,683rd, a warrior of the Bel-o-kan colony. Concerned about the changes in surrounding areas, the Queen urges you to travel to other regions to find other colonies in need of help.
This leads to a campaign that’s part real-time-strategy and part adventure-platformer. In certain quests, 103,683rd has to climb and jump from branches, leaves, flowers, and man-made objects like water bottles or soccer balls. In others, she’s tasked with sneaking into termite camps to ascertain the threat they pose.
As for the RTS missions, these allow you to control different types of ant and insect units in rock-papers-scissors-style gameplay. For instance, Warrior troops are strong against Workers, but they take heavy damage against Gunners. Moreover, your insect legions are bolstered by super predator and support units, such as snails and rhino beetles.
The dragons and beastly bosses of Dragon’s Dogma 2
Rounding out our list are the terrifying creatures found in Dragon’s Dogma 2. From griffins and chimeras to dragons (obviously), these boss creatures are found in various regions in the game world. Some, like chimeras, have multiple parts that you can lop off to weaken them. Dragons, meanwhile, are tough opponents, since they can quickly scorch a wide area with searing hot flame. Then, there are griffins, who offer an unconventional means of transport–if you can manage to grab hold of these majestic beasts as they take off, you can see the surrounding lands from high up in the air. Just try not to lose all your stamina or you’ll end up plunging to your doom.
That does it for our best video game pets and animals of 2024. Did we forget some of your furry and cuddly favorites? Let us know about them in the comments section.
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