Far Cry 5’s most ambitious addition is a special companion system that allows players to take up to two others with them on their journey. These NPCs each have special skills and specific weapons that allow them to quickly cut through cult members with ease. There are nine in total, but some of the best are actually the three animals you can locate and take on quests with you. Catering to both stealth and aggressive playstyles, these pets can easily reek havoc if used correctly.
The first step to obtaining these furry friends is by completing the prologue. Once that’s finished the map will open up and you’ll be given a choice of three regions. Each region has one animal associated with them and will require players to finish a specific quest before obtaining them. You can find these animals general locations by looking for their picture on the main map and then marking it as a waypoint. Here is a breakdown of where to find each animal in Far Cry 5:
Boomer the Dog
Boomer can be found in the western region right by Rae-Rae’s Pumpkin Farm. His quest is by far the easiest since all you need to do is free the Outpost. This will then trigger the ability to pet him, which endears this doggo to you. The Outpost is pretty easy and doesn’t feature any high-level enemies like Heavys or VIP cult members.
From here, Boomer can be selected in the Roster Menu as a companion. His special ability lets him tag enemies nearby without altering them. Unless you actually have Boomer attack an enemy he will remain invisible to foes and never raise the alarm. This makes him essential for those looking to clear locations without raising any alarms. We highly recommend picking up Boomer first if you’re running a stealth playthrough of Far Cry 5.
Cheeseburger the Bear
If you plan on going the aggressive route than Cheeseburger is the companion for you. This walking death machine is located in the northern territory at the F.A.N.G. Center. To unlock him, you’ll need to first liberate the actual location from the Cult. There are a ton of dogs that can give your position away, so prioritize taking out the two alarms out in the back first. Once the Outpost is liberated speak to one of the employees to obtain the quest “A Right to Bear Arms”.
For this mission, you’ll need to catch a salmon in the river and then feed it to Cheeseburger. This is easy enough – especially if you have the Fisher King perk. Once you feed Cheeseburger his meal the bear will instantly see you as an ally. However, the cult will then attack, forcing you and your new friend to fend them off. We recommend sticking to the back and letting Cheeseburger draw most of the fire. He’s incredibly resilient in a fight, so just mop up whoever he doesn’t maw. After this is finished you can then take the bear as a companion and bring him on your journey.
Cheeseburger is a potent tank, but he will attack virtually any enemy in his path. Only bring this bear if you don’t mind drawing as much attention to yourself as possible. He can easily take down most foes in one attack, so make good use of him and point him to key targets like Heavys.
Peaches the Cougar
Another stealth companion, Peaches is located in the western region along the border to Jacob’s territory. In order to unlock her, you’ll need to venture to this location and speak with her owner to trigger a quest. This mission is pretty simple, but we recommend doing it in the daylight. All you need to do is lure Peaches back to the camp with an endless supply of bait.
Simply throw it along the path every few meters to get the cougar to follow you. However, the cult will show up from time to time and try to stop you. There aren’t a ton of enemies so you and Peaches should be able to mop them up pretty quickly. Once you make it back to the camp the peggies will attack a final time and all you have to do is defeat them. After this, Peaches will become a companion and even let you pet her!
If you want a powerful killer that won’t raise alarms then Peaches is for you. She can quietly take down cult members and will stay hidden if you place her in tall grass. Using her in conjunction with Boomer or Jess will let you quickly eliminate entire areas without raising suspicion. Peaches is not essential for a stealth playthrough, but she does make it much easier.
Remember, you can mix and match any of the companions you unlock in Far Cry 5. If something isn’t working out, consider trying a new ally and approach. Also, if you are particularly fond of a certain companion then consider unlocking their corresponding perk to reduce their cooldown time if they die. After all, who doesn’t want to have a cuddly, terrifying Grizzly Bear as their pet?