Before I dive into my pick, I’d like to ask you the same question. In your opinion, what is the best companion in all of gaming? One that will greet you when you return to a home base location, such as DD from Metal Gear Solid V: The Phantom Pain? Or one that is willing to fight by your side as you take down gigantic beasts like the Palicoes in Monster Hunter Rise? How about a fan-favorite? For example: Polterpup from Luigi’s Mansion: Dark Moon and Luigi’s Mansion 3? Are there any animal companions that help you get better at the game you’re currently playing? Let’s find out.

While pondering all of the lovable companions that players have interacted with over the years I remembered an animal companion that didn’t resemble a dog or a cat at all. In fact, sometimes you can catch him looking an awful lot like a spider. But I’m getting ahead of myself here. Allow me to introduce you to a humble, hard-working subway conductor by the name of C.Q. Cumber.

The Octo Expansion for Splatoon 2 is wonderfully weird in the best ways possible. Is that a GameCube in the sky? Is that an NES with cassettes and game cartridges floating around it? Yes. Yes it is. The liminal and abstract landscape of the Deepsea Metro is a sight to behold. This DLC is choc-full of difficult levels. Much like the main story of the game, it will teach you loads about mobility. But where it really shines is showcasing a vast array of weapons included in Splatoon 2. By the time the player completes the DLC’s story, the player will have mastered all kinds of traversal. Maybe the player will even discover a weapon to bring into online battles that they would have never used otherwise.

You play as Agent 8, an Octoling that wakes up on the floor of the first station of the Deepsea Metro. It’s not long before you’re traveling on a subway through the void with C.Q. Cumber at the helm.

Besides being Agent 8’s guide through the Deepsea Metro, C.Q. Cumber provides some much needed comedic relief. This little guy is idle animations galore. When your Agent 8 arrives at a new station, be sure to pay attention to C.Q. He is usually up to some antics to the left of the turnstile. Catch him slithering along on the wall or asleep in a ball. This is where you can spot him in that spider form I mentioned earlier. My personal favorite is when he appears flat as a pancake.

When Agent 8 is gearing up at the station, C.Q. Cumber always has a recommended weapon for the player to pick. The player can speak to C.Q. Cumber before entering a level. He has excellent tips and if you talk to him for long enough he says: “Take care out there.”

On the flip side, C.Q. Cumber rules with an iron fist when it comes to meeting the requirements of a test. Let an eight ball fall off the stage or break the wrong crate and C.Q. does not shy away from detonating the ink bomb that is rolled up at the bottom of Agent 8’s ink tank. I’ve come to think of this as both a blessing and a curse. It’s a blessing because it keeps the gameplay fair and fresh. It’s easy to try again because Agent 8 is quick to respawn. It allows the player instant gratification and the ability to try again, so long as you aren’t out of lives. It’s a curse because it might make players agitated and turned off to the game entirely. Not to mention your character can go into debt if they loose too many C.Q. Points.

However, this is precisely why C.Q. Cumber is the best animal companion. His ruthlessness forces the player to get good at the game they are playing and, by extension, other third-person shooters. He keeps the player on their toes with the threat of

I think now is a good time to mention just how satisfying the Octo Expansion is. It’s snappy and wrapped in a neat little retro-inspired package. Finishing a test is immensely satisfying. Reach the goal. Spawn back at the station. C.Q. Cumber is waving his arms in excitement. Watch a short cutscene of the player’s Octoling holding a Mem Cake while getting scanned by a red laser. Board the subway. Onto the next. Leave the gyro controls on, tweak them to your needs if necessary, and if you’re like me, you’ll wish more games had gyro settings by then end of it. I am still shocked by how short the list of games is for the PS5 that use gyro controls. The DualSense for the PS5 has one of the best gyroscopes I’ve ever tinkered with. But that’s a conversation for another time.

Be sure to share your picks for the best gaming companion below or consider joining the conversation over on the Boss Rush Discord.

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The Boss Rush Podcast is the flagship podcast of Boss Rush Media and The Boss Rush Network. Each week, Corey, LeRon, Stephanie, Edward, and their friends from around the internet come together to talk their week in games, entertainment, and more while also bringing topics for conversation, answer listener and community questions, and cover major news and events happening in the video game industry. Watch The Boss Rush Podcast live on Wednesday Nights on Twitch at 8:30PM ET / 5:30PM PT or on Friday mornings at 7AM ET on YouTube and podcast services everywhere. Thanks for listening! You can also get this episode one week early on Patreon.

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