Animal followers in Bethesda games are perfect for players who want the conveniences that come with having a companion, minus the human interaction. Skyrim and Fallout 4 had lovable pooches like Meeko and Dogmeat who followed the player wherever they went, and without fussing about their actions. Starfield could very well benefit from implementing a similar system. Although this new IP has a lot of potential for unique, alien-like animal followers.
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Starfield’s Potential Companion Animals
Starfield will likely feature human companions as well as robot companions similar to Vasco. Humanoid alien companions might also be featured in the game, but that depends on the alien races that Bethesda decides to include. Now, what should be included in the game is a variety of extraterrestrial animal followers, each with its own special abilities. These potential pets can be scattered across the 1,000+ planets of Starfield, recruitable after a small quest or even by progressing through the game’s main quest line.
Since Starfield has such a huge setting, the developer has free rein to introduce all sorts of animal friends – from space dogs similar to Rex from Fallout: New Vegas to hulking bipedal beasts like the troll followers of Skyrim’s Dawnguard DLC. And even then, there are more possibilities to be had. Starfield could allow players to recruit shapeshifting creatures like the Mimic from Prey. It could also introduce advanced, mechanical animals similar to the ones from Horizon Zero Dawn and Forbidden West.
It’s easy to justify the existence of even the most unearthly creatures on Starfield, especially considering the sheer scale of the game world. Because of this, players are less likely to question the game should they stumble upon even the most alien creatures in their travels. It’s a massive universe, after all. It shouldn’t be surprising for seasoned travelers to find different forms of life across the galaxy. It just so happens that some of these creatures are friendly.
To add to the appeal of these alien animal followers, the game could give them unique attack patterns. This is in contrast to the companions in series like The Elder Scrolls and Fallout, where most of them attacked in similar ways. The former mostly revolved around bows and melee weapons. Meanwhile, the latter focused primarily on gunplay with some melee attacking. Starfield, however, could change things up.
For instance, some of the animal followers in Starfield could specialize in stealth and have the ability to camouflage themselves in battle. This then allows the player to play the decoy while their pet sneaks up on distracted enemies. Other unique abilities could involve healing friendly parties, firing explosive projectiles, and more. The game could also give these animal followers non-combat abilities, like hunting for ammo or searching for a certain item.
Overall, there’s plenty of potential to release some of the most unique and outrageous animal followers Bethesda’s IPs have ever seen. They’d definitely be a far cry from The Elder Scrolls and Fallout’s much tamer pets. However, there’s no new word yet on Starfield’s potential companions, so the community will have to wait some more before they learn about who (or what) else can join them in their journey across the stars.
Starfield releases in 2023 for PC and Xbox Series X/S.
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