The Outer Worlds 2 companions: Full list and how to recruit them all

As with many role-playing games, how much you enjoy The Outer Worlds 2 will probably depend how much you like the companions you're surrounded by.

In our four-star The Outer Worlds 2 review, I wrote, "By the 12 hour mark, I’d collected all the companions and noted how, in a similar vein to Mass Effect 3, the group had been designed to represent various different sides of the galactic conflict. At this point, I was locked in.

"There are some characters in the mix here that have the potential to become huge fan favourites, with cool designs and zany backstories and great acting to make you believe it all.

"The developers from Obsidian have once again decided not to include romance with your companions, though, which will be disappointing to some players (including me)."

So, how many companions are there, who are the best ones to bring with you, and how do you get them all? We've got the answers to all those questions below.

How many companions are there in The Outer Worlds 2?

There are six companions to collect in The Outer Worlds 2.

After you've left your ship and seen the Party Selection screen for the first time, you'll be aware of this, because you'll see how many slots there are to fill on the menu.

You'll start the main campaign with two companions, and, as you'd expect, you'll collect the others in various places along your journey. We've got more detail on the recruitment process further down this article.

Who are the best companions in The Outer Worlds 2?

The best companions in The Outer Worlds 2 are Inez and Aza, in this writer's opinion.

Inez's companion ability allows her to throw down healing packs during combat, which comes in very handy if you run out of inhaler charges.

Aza's companion ability brings the fight to your enemies, allowing her to pop up anywhere during combat and dish out a power blast on whoever's bothering you.

Combined, these two companions make combat situations less of a slog. Aza also has the darkest, funniest dialogue, if you like that sort of thing.

Can you romance the companions in The Outer Worlds 2?

No, you cannot romance the companions — or anyone else — in The Outer Worlds 2.

The game's director, Brandon Adler, explained the reasoning behind this in an interview with GamesRadar.

Adler said: ""Honestly, it [romance] didn't match my overall vision for what I wanted for the companions.

"I wanted a group of people who you were close with but it wasn't necessarily that we had to have romance. Now, if it naturally kind of came up as a thing, sure, maybe we could talk about that, but it wasn't like a goal from the very beginning – like 'Yes, we're absolutely going to have romance for every character.

"This is how the system is going to work. Say three nice things to them, and then they'll want to romance.' It has to be deeper than that, and has to, in some ways, be organic when you're writing these things."

Alder added: "I won't get into what the relationships are overall, but it truly does need to be something that's organic. And in my mind, it can't be something that's pre planned like a checkbox. It's got to be something that works for the characters we're writing."

Full list of The Outer Worlds 2 companions

The full list of The Outer Worlds 2 companions looks like this:

• Niles
• Valerie
• Inez
• Tristan
• Marisol
• Aza

That is also a likely order that you'll pick them up in! It's worth noting that you can miss some of them or fail to recruit them, so keep your eyes peeled for this gang of misfits as you travel throughout the galaxy.

Keep on reading and we'll share some extra info on each Outer Worlds 2 companion, including the method by which you can recruit them without fail.

Niles

How to recruit: Niles will be with you from the start, automatically.

Allegiance: Earth Directorate (the same as you).

Companion Abilities: Niles has the move from the start that will distract your enemies and make them focus on him, buying you some valuable seconds to heal and reload. As you walk around the world, you can also talk to Niles and ask him to craft things for you.

Valerie

How to recruit: VAL will be with you from the start, automatically.

Allegiance: Earth Directorate (same as you).

Companion Abilities: From the start, VAL can heal you during combat. As you progress through the game, you'll be able to upgrade her in various ways from the ship.

Inez

How to recruit: During the main quests, you'll first meet Inez on Paradise Island. After your first meeting, when you return to the town hall with the mission complete, you'll be able to chat to Inez and recruit here.

Allegiance: Aunty's Choice.

Companion Abilities: Inez will start the game with a healing ability that will come in handy during combat. Once you've recruited her, you'll soon receive a quest that will allow you to choose how exactly you fix her graft. (There are too possible outcomes here and we went for the Crabble one.)

Tristan

How to recruit: After the first planet, head to Free Market Station and you'll find Tristan arguing with the bartender in a bar called The 2nd Choice. Join the conversation, pick up the quest to help Tristan out, and follow it through to completion to recruit him.

Allegiance: The Protectorate

Companion Abilities: Tristan will be a big help in combat because he has a massive hammer. If you were looking for a tank for your party, look no further.

Marisol

How to recruit: During the main quest on the second planet, you'll be sent to solve a dispute at a scientific facility. You'll meet Marisol during this quest, and if you manage to get through the mission without killing her, she'll join your party.

Allegiance: Order of the Ascendant

Companion Abilities: From the start, Marisol has an ability that will scan your enemies, highlight them for you, and showcase their weaknesses. Helpful!

Aza

How to recruit: On the second planet, you will hear Aza shouting for help as you near the Decommissioned Autonomous Extractorium (it's over on the South-East side of the map). Clear the place out and you'll find her trapped in a room. Let her out and become best buds.

Allegiance: The Glorious Dawn

Companion Abilities: Aza can get the jump on enemies and dish out powerful blasts. You can also go for a more stealthy build and have her pick off weaker enemies.

And that's your lot! They saved one of the best for last.

For more on The Outer Worlds 2, check out this list of all the main missions to see how far you have left in the core story.

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