DOG DAYS

Further strategic avenues open up depending on which of Big Boss’s partners escort him. Despite being able to defecate on command and cause trucks to skid on the droppings, D-Horse is soon dumped for more exciting models: a mech, a dog and a gifted sniper, Quiet. While the quartet represent different battle philosophies – the mech for noisy combat, Quiet for hushed takedowns – D-Dog is such a catch-all companion that it’s easy to forget about the others. Barking out enemy locations fixes sloppy binocular work, while the ability to pinpoint hostages means you don’t have to sniff out Intel stashes or interrogate guards. Invest in upgrades and your companion is even able to cut throats, the horror lessened by the comical ‘shing!’ of drawing its tiny little knife. Truly, it’s man’s best friend.