Some games throw you into the fire head first, leaving you to stumble through the game all by yourself, while others throw an ally in there with you. Adding extra characters to control makes things easier and more complicated at the same time, doubling your firepower while giving you another thing to coordinate.

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Games that make the process easy and even constructive turn up the level of gameplay, deepening combat systems and immersion. The journey becomes a less lonely one, and at the very least, you'll get a combat advantage, with most minions adding to the story in a big way. So many games get the balance wrong that knowing what titles to focus on can save you a lot of time and frustration, getting straight to the best support in the industry.

Updated April 4th, 2023 by Luke Ackroyd: AI seems to be constantly improving, and plenty of games have made the most out of it over the years. From a personal assistant being there to help with simple tasks to having an entire group of people awaiting your orders, minions can be a valuable asset. There are even some games where you barely have to do anything directly yourself, instead playing the role of an overseer, giving commands, and watching as everyone else gets to work. If you are eager for a new game to play where you'll have a few loyal companions at your side, this list has been updated with even more great suggestions to play next.

14 Colony Survival - Letting Your People Handle The Work

Colony Survival mixes base building, survival, and tower defense mechanics together into a wonderful experience. You begin the game with nothing but slowly start to craft a community of people, all trying to keep the monsters outside the kingdom from destroying it all.

You barely do any of the work yourself. Instead, you will assign jobs to each colonist you recruit. Some might be farmers, and others might become guards or other roles. You can focus on your settlement's management and design while your minions concentrate on the more tedious tasks. You can even enjoy Colony Survival with friends, working together or creating your own separate kingdoms nearby.

13 Unrailed! - A Robot On The Rails

Unrailed! is all about building a track from one side of the map to the other before the train catches up with you. While Unrailed! can be played with a group of four, it also has the option to play solo. Since there is a lot to take care of during this game, it provides you with a robotic companion to help you out. You can give it commands to chop wood, restock the train, and do anything else an actual person could do with you. You must stay on top of your assigned tasks, but the robot is a welcomed ally.

Unrailed! can get chaotic quickly, so it's a good idea to have a game plan in mind before you and your robotic companion set off on your track-laying adventure. With each level, the train gets faster, and the environment around you also begins messing with you. This makes it all the more rewarding when you manage to keep the train on the track long enough to reach the next checkpoint.

12 The Kingdom Series - Your Loyal Subjects Will Support You

There are a few different Kingdom games to play, all with their own fun details to enjoy, but the core concept is always the same: you play as a ruler, venturing into a fallen kingdom, and attempt to rebuild it with the help of your loyal subjects. For the most part, you'll ride around the domain on your mount, offering coins to your people to put them to work.

Each night, wave after wave of greedy monsters will attack your growing kingdom, and if they reach one of your loyal subjects, they will steal their coin. The robbed person will stop doing the job you assigned them, so defenses to keep your subjects safe are vital. Being the ruler of this kingdom can be challenging, but you'll soon become attached to your minions and be keen to keep them safe as your empire expands over time.

11 War For The Overworld - Monster Minions Of The Dungeon

When you think of minions, you'll likely think of monstrous goblins and other sinister creatures of an evil villain. So, when looking for a minion-focused game to play, War For The Overworld is an excellent choice. It is a dungeon management game where you'll build and defend your lair with the help of various minions.

Your minions will help you build different rooms, gain new abilities, and form a large army to defeat rival dungeon-keepers. Your minions feel somewhat disposable, as you often send them out to their inevitable demise and replace them with more loyal monsters to do your bidding instead. War For The Overworld is a fun minion-filled game with lots of twisted humor too.

10 Metal Gear Solid 5 - Four AIs Is Better Than One

A standout member of the Metal Gear Solid family pushes you into a high-intensity stealth game with little help from anyone else. Known for its excellent game mechanics and player freedom, MGS5 makes sure there's no lack of options as you face the ever tougher challenges that mount up by the end game.

The buddy system is an important mechanic that helps you in every way possible along the way. From faster travel to backup in battle, the four buddies cover every advantage in the game. Growing your bond with the minion you use the most, it's not long before you have a powerful weapon that makes up for the lonely missions.

9 God Of War (2018) - Recruiting Your Son For Battle

God Of War revolves around Kratos getting himself and his son to the top of the tallest mountain, facing deadly enemies while sidetracked by some divine drama. Calling your son a minion isn't the most fatherly way to approach a relationship, but for all intents and purposes, he'll act as your support and distraction for every encounter.

Atreus will shoot arrows at enemies, slowly chipping away at their health bar. He'll also use magical effects, like summoning animal spirits, and use different elements to damage foes of all kinds. When you add on his unique movement that helps Kratos get through obstacles that otherwise would prove a dead end, your son is one of the best allies you can have.

8 Horizon Zero Dawn - Hacking Into The Wildlife

Horizon Zero Dawn combines the rugged terrain and lifestyle of tribal civilizations with the high-tech tools that make the setting special. The wildlife that roams the landscape makes for diverse and terrifying encounters along your journey. Luckily, the technology you'll find will help you take down and hack into all kinds of challenges.

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Once you've damaged a hostile machine enough, you'll get the chance to convert it, breaking it free from its corrupted controls. You can then use these animals to travel much faster, even fighting off other hostile machines if you should run into them.

7 Pikmin 3 - Mix And Match Your Workers

Taking a break from the intense battles that most games put in front of you, Pikmin 3 gives you a chance to explore a friendlier environment with plant-like creatures called Pikmin. Using your three alien captains, you'll control up to 100 Pikmin at a time, with different colors having their unique properties.

This is probably one of the closest to the definition of minions you can get in a video game, directing different groups to destroy obstacles, battle enemies, and protect the alien captains from foreign elements. The variety of options also makes for some of the most creative and enjoyable puzzles in recent memory.

6 Ratchet And Clank - The Forgotten Hero

A classic series of games that now has over 15 titles to its name, Ratchet And Clank is one of PlayStation's most beloved exclusives. Taking the strategy and puzzle genre and combining it with a platformer that's near impossible to get bored of, you'll never run out of options for winning plays.

You might consider Ratchet the main protagonist since you play them the most, but Clank brings all the levels to life with all his tools. Some of the most entertaining parts of the game are the short sections you get to play as Clank, solving puzzles, and completing levels in a completely different way than the game gets you used to.

5 Rimworld - Building The Best Colony

Trying to survive a hostile planet, you have to manage a colony in an attempt to make it off the alien rock. Rimworld won't push you in any one direction. Whether you want to use captured raiders for experimental surgery or start a clothing and furniture empire, all cards are on the table.

Between ten and 20 colonists seems to be the happy medium, giving you enough firepower to complete your tasks without exhausting your supplies and attention. You can experiment, but too many moving pieces take away from the intimacy you get with each character, one of the things making Rimworld such a memorable game.

4 A Plague Tale: Innocence - When A Weakness Becomes A Strength

A Plague Tale: Innocence has you guiding a sick child through the plague-ridden streets of 14th-century France on a mission to escape soldiers from taking you out. Soldiers aren't the main enemy you'll be trying to avoid, as hordes of rats will be on your heels most of the time.

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Your sick brother will become your greatest weakness and best ally, revealing his value in the game's later stages. His size will get you into tight spaces, and the sickness making him so weak gives him powers, splitting the workload and unlocking new abilities to keep the game from going stale.

3 Prince Of Persia - A Little More Than A Minion

Fans of the Sands of Time trilogy won't be disappointed with the reinvented gameplay of this 2008 title, retaining the acrobatic puzzle-solving and adding the open-world element that gives the game life. Instead of a restrictive path, you get to explore the sandy landscape and slowly heal the land with help from the newly found princess, Elika.

Elika is one of the most helpful travel companions in gaming, saving you from a misplaced jump or using her magic to defeat enemies. She can help you navigate the map, protect you when your health is low, and act as your backup in tough battles.

2 Monster Hunter: World - A Hunting Swiss Army Knife

Working your way up through the monster ranks is no easy task, requiring combat experience and ever-growing damage output. Unlike other Monster Hunter titles, in World, you'll only have access to one Palicoe helper with full customization options. As you level up, so will the Palico, gaining more skills and power as you progress.

Equipping them with better weapons and armor will help, giving them a variety of other uses. They can talk to wild cats, convincing them to help by setting traps for different monsters. They'll also gather items you wouldn't find by yourself, gradually sourcing upgrades and new material.

1 Kenshi - Survival Of The Fittest

A standout addition to the great wave of sandbox games that have taken over the gaming landscape, Kenshi pulls no punches when it comes to difficulty, throwing you into a hostile fantasy world with no skills or resources to speak of. You'll have to struggle through the game's first stages with no help.

Recruiting different species and factions to your squad will accelerate gameplay and add action to your experience. From mechanics to security, you'll have to think about the best fit for your group, addressing the weakest points and gaining some needed skills. Remember, every person you add to the group is another mouth to feed, so make it worth it.

Next: The Best Games Where You Are The Villain