The dog is often represented in the cinema and in literature not only as a faithful companion (Hachiko, Balto), but also as a real lifeline for the human being who finds himself in uncomfortable or dangerous situations. Just think of the role of the quadruped in works such as Io sono leggenda, in which the protagonist remains alive thanks to the incredible support of his four-legged friend, while he succumbs as it happens when he meets a woman (joking, huh).
Video games are no exception, many titles allow us to have a dog as a companion for simple companionship in exploration, narrative necessity or gameplay element. In fact, dogs in video games, guided by AI, can help us during fights or find useful objects for us.
In this article, we briefly analyze five video games with a dog as a friend.
Fallout 4
Let's start the list with a tribute, in fact many of you will know that River, the dog that inspired it, has passed away Dogmeat, the dog that can be recruited as a companion in Fallout 4. The cute animal will be among the first friendly faces we meet once we exit the Vault after 200 years of hibernation. We will meet him outside of Red Rocket, a gas station southeast of Sanctuary. Obviously, he will not be able to shoot enemies like other allies, but it will still be very useful because he will attack them by acting as a diversion and immobilizing them. Hearing him moans when he's hurt, waiting for a stimpak, tears his heart.
Metal Gear Solid V: The Phantom Pain
A dog that has our backs is always welcome, even Venom Snake must think this way since to recruit D-Dog is willing to do a lot more than it takes in Fallout to get Dogmeat. In The Phantom Pain, the doggo can be encountered in various locations on the map, but in all cases it is necessary to transport it to Mother Base with the Fulton system and complete a certain number of missions. All done, D-Dog can be taken on missions complete with equipment that increases his abilities and his usefulness on the battlefield. DD can stun, attack, recon, distract by barking, even retrieve someone.
Far Cry 5
In Far Cry 5, the first trainable animal is the dog Boomer, an excellent company in the exploration phase and a gameplay element not to be underestimated. In combat, in fact, Boomer can be very useful when the one vs all situation becomes unbearable. Unfortunately, he does not have much stamina and against many armed enemies he risks succumbing very soon (preventing the player from calling him before the end of a cooldown). In the early stages of the game, however, he is certainly very useful, because the outposts are not particularly populated. As the story progresses, the player can recruit two other animals, the Puccettina jaguar and the Cheeseburger brown bear, more ferocious, more powerful, than war machines when used in tandem.
Blair Witch
Not the best Bloober Team game, quite the opposite, but that's another story. In Blair Witch the help of the dog is fundamental Bullet not to get lost in the gloomy forest that acts as a theater for the horror that lurks among the trees. Bullet is able to guide us in the right direction and, above all, to understand the origin of the threats that from time to time will try to kill us as we wander in disorientation. Listening to him barking will be very important to get out unscathed. In addition, a particular section has been included in the game in which the player's patience and loyalty towards Bullet is tested. Would he never abandon us, would we?
Rule of Rose
Even in video games from a few years ago there are dogs that help the protagonist. Rule of Rose is a survival horror for PS2 that tells a filthy and perverse story, so much so that it has been labeled a cursed or forbidden game. Little Jennifer has to explore the Rose Garden orphanage, inhabited by sadistic and cruel girls… and more. To do this she needs the help of Brown, a very sweet Labrador mistreated by other girls. This is an integral part of the gameplay, it is in effect a game mechanic in the form of a dog. Impossible to go on without his nose, in fact, when you get hold of a new key object, an option appears in the inventory that allows us to make it smell to Brown, who will accompany us to the place where it is to be used. Also useful in combat, the game's Achilles heel, because it slows creatures by scaring them.
Special mentions: to remember absolutely the "variants" of Dogmeat in the various chapters of the Fallout series, Hewie by Haunting Ground e Rush, the robot dog created by Dr. Light to help Mega Man on his adventures.
