Fallout's wasteland is terrifying. Slavers and raiders rule the roads, while radscorpions and deathclaws stalk the countryside. The few remaining bastions of civilization are ill-equipped to keep the peace. In this nightmarish hellscape, the romantic idea of the lone wanderer is weirdly overrated. Why bother wandering the wastes alone when some of the most interesting characters in the series are companions?
This ranking celebrates our favorite friends in the Fallout world. Because mechanics vary so much from game to game, we aren't really looking at the companions based on their usefulness in-game. Rather, these are the most memorable and iconic companions in the Fallout franchise.
There will be spoilers ahead!
10 Butch (Fallout 3)
Butch is one of only a few potential followers in Fallout 3. As opposed to other followers in the game, he has a distinct personality and a well-developed backstory. He spends his childhood with the player character, as their bully. Although he delights in teasing and mischief, he stops short of true evil, as evidenced by his neutral karma.
Butch is memorable for his baseless bravado, his slick hair, and his motto: "Tunnel snakes rule!" He was the leader of a gang of leather jacket-wearing thugs in Vault 101, and carries his greaser status with him even after leaving. He's easily our favorite (human) follower in Fallout 3.
9 Goris (Fallout 2)
In Fallout 2, The Chosen One's tribe falls victim to the insidious experiments of the Enclave. However, they aren't the only tribe the Enclave decides to mess with. In Vault 13, the home of Fallout 1's hero, a pack of deathclaws have undergone trials with the Forced Evolutionary Virus (FEV). The Enclave were trying to turn them into hyper-intelligent soldiers. It worked. But the deathclaws were too intelligent and refused to be slaves.
Goris is great. He's a kind, super-smart deathclaw, and the only deathclaw companion in the series (for obvious reasons). He cutely wears a robe that does almost nothing to obscure his identity, yet everyone is somehow fooled by it.
8 Arcade (Fallout New Vegas)
The socialist Followers of the Apocalypse make their first appearance in Fallout 1, but they're far more fleshed out in Fallout New Vegas. However, while Arcade is a scientist working for the Followers, his story really concerns a dying group of fascists: The Enclave.
Arcade's journey to rediscover his past is made better by his snide wit and opinionated commentary on the politics of the Mojave Wasteland. He absolutely despises Caesar's Legion. That makes it all the more ridiculous that the player can cold-heartedly sell him into slavery—only him, which is a hilariously cruel joke on the part of the developers.
7 Myron (Fallout 2)
Myron is the inventor of a drug called Jet, although this was later retconned by Bethesda. Bethesda's version of Jet was invented pre-war, which would make Myron a dirty liar, considering the sheer volume of information he has to share on its advent. If Myron is a liar, he's a very good one. His story is so remarkably detailed, it's hard to imagine he made it all up.
One of the most memorable things about Myron is his sexist, predatory behavior. It's disgusting, but it's also interesting. It lends some extra depth to the player's choice of their character's gender. All we'll say is that Myron treats the Chosen One very differently if they're female as opposed to male.
6 Nick Valentine (Fallout 4)
In terms of his character, Nick Valentine is one of the most memorable and likable companions in the Fallout series. As a first-generation synth, he also has a great look—that of a grizzled old robot detective. Plus, his quests are among the most interesting in the game. Nick is just a fun character to be around.
Nick almost feels like the pet character of Fallout 4's writers. He has the coolest look, the most interesting story, and the most tie-in with the main story of any character aside from the Sole Survivor. It's definitely worth rolling with him, at least for a while. After all, who doesn't love a noir detective?
5 Lily (Fallout New Vegas)
In Fallout 1, The Master used a pure strain of the FEV to create an army of intelligent super mutants. An offshoot of the super mutants is the Nightkin, whose prolonged Stealth Boy usage has turned their skin blue. It's also driven many of them completely insane—like Lily.
Lily suffers from schizophrenia and frequently speaks of her grandchildren, even mistaking the Courier for one of them. At first, she just seems like a silly character. The more time players spend with her, the more they'll realize her story is tragic and real. Seeing how the Master had a direct effect on an actual person is a fascinating bit of storytelling on Obsidian's part.
4 Veronica (Fallout New Vegas)
By far one of the most interesting companions in New Vegas is Veronica, the girl with stars in her eyes and a pneumatic gauntlet on her wrist. Veronica is a member of the Brotherhood of Steel. Their Vegas chapter is extremely isolationist, like the original Brotherhood. But considering the amount of time that's passed since the Great War, their numbers are dwindling.
Veronica, being the clever free thinker that she is, wants to help the Brotherhood. She stands as a stark contrast to the rest of her faction; a reminder that the Brotherhood is made up of real people with their own thoughts and ideas.
3 Marcus (Fallout 2)
As opposed to Lily, our other favorite super mutant companion, Marcus is strikingly intelligent and in full command of his faculties. After the fall of the Master's army, Marcus realized the futility of fighting humans. In particular, a man named Jacob, a Brotherhood Paladin, befriended him and gave him a new perspective on life.
Marcus is an extremely charming character. It's easy to imagine his friendly arguments with Jacob, his slow disillusionment with the Master, and his new life as a tough-but-fair mayor. Marcus reminds us that super mutants are rich and varied, just like real people. Seeing him in New Vegas is a treat—maybe he'll turn up yet again in the future?
2 Raul (Fallout New Vegas)
Raul the ghoul is a grizzled vaquero. He can even wear a cowboy outfit. What seals the deal is that he's voiced by the legendary Danny Trejo. Not only does Raul have a cool character concept, but Obsidian also executes that concept with excellent writing.
Raul's character explores issues of trauma, revenge, prejudice, and the wisdom of the elderly. Raul struggles with his own usefulness. Because he's been around so long, he's starting to feel he can no longer keep up with his gun slinging. It hurts to watch, considering how likable he is. He's genuinely hilarious, and since he's so old, he has a wealth of knowledge about the world of Fallout—particularly Mexico and Arizona.
1 Dogmeat (Fallouts 1, 2, 3, and 4)
Dogmeat has been in every mainline Fallout game, in one form or another. Plus, he's a dog. By his very nature, Dogmeat is the ultimate companion; man's best friend. What's not to love? Unfortunately, in terms of pure mechanics, the mutt is infamously squishy. In Fallouts 1 & 2, players were known to lock Dogmeat in secluded rooms during tough fights, to keep him alive.
In Fallout 4, Dogmeat is the weakest companion in the game. But what else would you expect? The wasteland is a dangerous place for a canine, but the love shown for Dogmeat over the years makes him, inarguably, the most iconic companion in the Fallout series.