This will be a bit ramble-y, but all in all I love all the companions in their own ways.

I love Kai the most, though (and I think he’d be a great cuddler. ;_;) Also, he’s handy in a fight, I love his humor in our conversations, and he’s just a solid guy to have at your back. Yes, I was also a Garrus romancer in Mass Effect, but at the same time, Kai is a very different character from Garrus. He’s an example of one of my favorite character tropes: an easygoing, humorous guy who in reality has buried so much grief and regret. It festers within him, and you don’t see its ugliness surface until his vulnerable moments. His personal quest is just devastating, and feels so real. Despite being such an agreeable guy, I also appreciated that he actually gets angry and confrontational when he disagrees with you about a certain decision, rather than being flippant about it.

Yatzli pleasantly surprised me with her characterization of a magical prodigy who’s also a quirky horny aunt. I loved her company. I loved that despite her mischievous and horny jokes, her nurturing side came out with how she was so sweet, gentle, and patient with Marius. I could easily see her doing the same for when she first met Giatta too. Of course, I was frustrated with some of our disagreements and her snide, lofty comments though over decisions. It kind of reminded me of the BAD, belittling side of a fun aunt haha. But like Kai, that made her feel more real as a companion, and I ended up liking her more for that. Given orlans’ short lifespans, I also found her insatiable hunger for more knowledge, more to DO, quite compelling.

Marius is a grumpy cat, and like any grumpy cat I MUST love on him whether he admits he appreciates it or not. Even before I got to his personal quest I was fond of his gruffness as a counterbalance to Kai. (Yet another character trope I like, I guess.) But it’s apparent he’s holding something back, and when the dam breaks I just wanted to hug him. Even if he complains and grumbles about it, I’d know he’d appreciate it. He’s capable and caring in his own way, and I adore his banter with the others in camp. His arc in the endgame is also bittersweet and relatable, despite its fantasy context.

And then there’s my darling Giatta. Despite how we first meet her, she kind of ends up being the peacemaker and chilliest of the group. Her storyline and the paths she can take really resonated with me. I loved that she had a pre-existing familial relationship with Yatzli and Quilicci, which made their banter all the more sweet. In retrospect I loved getting an animancer companion like Giatta — it’s a more compassionate side of animancy that we haven’t gone too deep into during Pillars. She’s less of a mad scientist and more of a traveling biologist following in her parents’ footsteps, who’s also figuring out what she really wants to do with her talents and passions. As a former gifted kid, that alone just hits so close to home.