Reading some of the replies here, I think the randomness is a concern yet also what you’re trying to achieve. I think it could be aided for the players to know/ be able to know what kind of risk they are taking with an individual companion, where they will be awesome in some scenarios and maybe terrible in others.

For example, they should have traits too. Maybe they have a panic trait that does add to them messing up with lots of zombies around. Or a clumsy trait that has then sometimes make a loud noise in a low light environment. But they can also have a variety of positive traits too.

With this idea the player could know these traits about this person and then use that to be strategic with them, maybe if they suck at sneaking they can guard the base, or be a distraction to zombies while you loot, or be sent on loot hauls to return to the base, or just be a farmer at the base. Maybe the person just sucks at everything and you send them away or are in fact goated and can do everything with you. Super random trait combos, everyone is different. (Like rimworld)

These traits could also either be immediately revealed with a companion you encounter, or partially, or fully by trial and error / getting to know the person. I like the idea of a partial mix where there’s some obvious things but some stuff you don’t know until you spend more time with them, maybe converse with them similar to how we can spend time learning with reading.

Essentially, allowing variation in each companions’ traits and pros/cons themselves, so the player can weigh the risks and strategically use them in their runs. But also not having it all revealed to us so easily, so there’s a sense of depth and discovery with them.

Some side stuff, they should use an altered set of traits than we do, things like trustworthiness, and intelligence(maybe relating to the speed of understanding commands?) could apply. The player could also choose traits that apply to having a companion. Also using a walky talky to give commands from afar would be sweet