What is better than going to a weird world’s backwater province and greeting the unwelcoming locals with a healthy serving of lead slugs? Why, doing it with an animal companion, of course! The Far Cry games have been giving this opportunity to us ever since Far Cry Primal and with the upcoming Far Cry 6, it does seem that they’re upping the ante by including some wackier and more helpful animal companions.

They’re all so cute and dangerous that we just can’t help but look back at how far the older Far Cry games have come in being considerate to animal welfare by letting animals obtain justice via combating their enemies. There have been many of them in all three Far Cry games and it’s quite a conundrum picking which among them make the best forever pets, so here’s how they all measure up.

13 Badger from Far Cry Primal

  • Angry boy.
  • Won’t let you pet it.
  • Decent offensive distraction.
  • Revives itself.

No surprises here. Badgers are nasty devils that are only a little bit less hostile towards their “owners.” Forget about getting cuddly with them, they don’t like pets.

What they do like taking damage like a champ and then unleashing it back ten-fold to their attackers. In the event that they fall down from too much damage, they’ll get back up as they’re incredibly resilient.

12 Dhole/Rare Dhole from Far Cry Primal

  • Utility animal, collects skins and resources.
  • Fragile, not for combat.

The Dhole and their Rare Dhole counterparts are useful animals at the start of the game. They’re ubiquitous enough to be helpers but don’t expect them to perform well in combat.

At best, dholes are solid pack mules that will collect crafting resources for you. They’re perfect for minimizing the amount of manual labor you do.

11 Jaguar/Black Jaguar from Far Cry Primal

  • Stealth companions.

The Jaguar and Black Jaguar are both made for anyone who prefers taking their opponents down brutally. Both jaguar variants will help you in your sneaky attempts to unlock those Ubisoft camps or towers.

They can attack and take down any unsuspecting enemy fast and they’ll move as quietly as you. Of course, the black jaguar is an upgraded and more robust version of the other one. It’s also rarer.

10 Wolf Varieties from Far Cry Primal

  • Reveals enemies by growling.
  • Expands radar information.
  • Versatile.

Far Cry Primal gives three varieties of wolves; the Wolf, the White Wolf (stronger and faster attacks), and the legendary Rare Striped Wolf (faster, stronger, and fire-resistant).

All three of them are awesome all-rounder animal companions as they function as enemy detectors to their owners. They can also be stealthy when the situation calls for it and aren’t too bad when it comes to combat.

9 Cave/Black Cave Lion from Far Cry Primal

  • Tags enemies on the map.
  • Good in combat.

The Cave Lion and its rarer variant, the Black Cave Lion (better stats and fire resistance) are mean killing machines that can overpower most enemies in Far Cry Primal.

Their special ability is an upgraded version of the wolf’s because they will mark any enemy on the map. That means they’re also decent for stealth approaches.

8 Leopard from Far Cry Primal

  • Also tags enemies on the map.
  • Better than the Cave Lion for stealth.

The Leopard is a better version of the cave lion as is the general consensus of the Far Cry Primal community. It has slightly worse combat capabilities than the lion but more than makes up for it by being faster and quieter.

On top of that, it also has the same ability as the lions, meaning it also tags the enemies on the map. For fighting, it’s decent enough to hold its own ground but don’t expect the same toughness as the lion.

7 Cheeseburger the Bear from Far Cry 5

  • Has diabetes, take care of him.
  • Tanky.
  • Will maul your enemies for you.
  • Noisy, not for stealth.

In a game like Far Cry 5 where guns are brandished by almost anyone, a bear might be counterproductive. Cheeseburger, however, begs to differ. He will draw fire from the enemies and also turn some of them into dinner.

As such, Cheeseburger is a great companion to have if you lack subtlety.

6 Peaches the Mountain Lion from Far Cry 5

  • Can climb ledges and rooftops.
  • Stealthy companion.
  • Decent in combat.

Faithful enough to her real-world counterparts, Peaches the Mountain Lion will sneak up behind her prey and then bite their scalp off, leading to instant incapacitation.

To that end, she makes for a good stealth companion. Peaches also has a unique ability that allows her to climb up to areas that other animal companions in Far Cry 5 wouldn’t access.

5 Boomer the Dog from Far Cry 5

  • Jolly.
  • Tags enemies.
  • Steals weapons for the players.
  • Versatile.

Boomer is one of the more well-rounded companions in Far Cry games, similar to the wolves in Far Cry Primal. He’s also prominently featured in Far Cry 5’s trailers, making him a popular choice.

When it comes to making himself useful, Boomer is eager to please and will track down and tag any enemy in the vicinity.

4 Bear Varieties from Far Cry Primal

  • Tough and draws aggression.
  • Not for stealth.
  • Can be mounted.
  • Gathers resources.

Turns out bears in Far Cry Primal are more energetic than the one from Far Cry 5. They come in three varieties; Brown Bear, Cave Bear, and Great Scar Bear each of which is tougher than the last.

In terms of usefulness outside of combat, these bears are awesome as they can be ridden and they also gather resources whenever you’re idle.

3 Sabretooth Tiger/Bloodfang Sabretooth from Far Cry Primal

  • Versatile.
  • Fastest animal in Far Cry Primal.
  • Can be mounted.

Too bad the bear gets overshadowed by the “perfect” animal companion in Far Cry Primal. That would be the Sabretooth Tiger and its rare variant, Bloodfang Sabretooth.

They’re well-rounded killing machines be it for stealth or combat. Their speed is also next to none in Far Cry Primal, making them incredibly indispensable for traveling.

2 Horatio from Far Cry New Dawn

  • Mutant wild boar, probably smells like Pumba.
  • Destroys shields quickly.
  • Tanky and hits hard.
  • Not for stealth.

By far one of the most unique animal companions in Far Cry games, Horatio from New Dawn is a wild boar. Thanks to a healthy diet of radiation, Horatio is nigh unkillable and has bad rage fits that will kill even the most elite units in Far Cry New Dawn.

Horatio’s specialty is goring enemies’ shields so that either you or he can make quick work of them. In tough situations, Horatio can also act as a good bodyguard by taking the hits and shrugging them off. Don’t expect him to be subtle about it.

1 Timber from Far Cry New Dawn

  • Good boy.
  • Fluffy Akita Inu.
  • Tags enemies and resources.
  • Can prevent other animals from attacking you.
  • Steals weapons for you.
  • Versatile.
  • Good balance of utility, damage, and perks.

So for Far Cry New Dawn players who are looking for something more flexible and cuter than a piece of wild bacon, then Timber might just be the ideal companion. He can tag enemies, ride in the passenger’s seat, and also give you some weapons.

On top of that, he’s a Japanese dog breed and the internet loves those! He’s also a morally good boy and will bark at you if you go crazy and start attacking innocents. Think you deserve him?

NEXT: Far Cry New Dawn: Weapons That Aren’t Worth Your Time