Animal companionship is something that dates back to the dawn of time, and it’s no surprise that video games today love to include representations of these furry friends. Some of them are more noticeable than others, but still represent these pets all the same.

In Fallout 4, the adorable canine companion Dogmeat is the perfect example of a creator seeking such a high level of animal realism, they ended up recreating their own pet. In this article, Dogmeat’s creator Joel Burgess describes how he wanted Dogmeat to be a genuine companion players would want to protect, not just a weapon. He modeled Dogmeat after his own puppy, River. Not only was Dogmeat’s physical appearance referenced from River, the barks, growls and whines that you hear in game also come from River herself. Sadly, River passed away in June of this year, but her legacy continues to live on in Fallout 4.

Another adorable addition to this list is one that surprisingly a lot of people don’t know about! The deadly Ghast from the Nether in Minecraft has a plethora of spooky sounds, from its eerie sighs to high-pitched screeches. But did you know that those sounds come from C418’s cat? In an AMA on Reddit, C418 said that his cat tends to make noises whenever he is disrupted while sleeping, so he worked those sounds into Minecraft in the form of Ghasts. Just look at that cutie! No one would ever think that such a precious fur baby would be responsible for the trepidation and horror you experience while in the Nether.

Cats aren’t the only animals that have given scary creatures their signature sounds in games. In Halo Ultimate, the aliens have some pretty disgusting audio that really makes your stomach churn when hearing them. In another strange twist, credit for these sounds goes to Gyoza, a pug. This pooch spent a lot of time in the studio munching on snacks, sniffling into the microphone and giving alien sounds a real run for their money. The studio’s Technical Art Director allowed his pet to be used for the creature’s sounds and after hearing the end result? There would’ve been no better portrayal of these aliens. If you’d like to take a look at Gyoza in action, you can click here for the video of him in the studio. Whenever you’re playing a game and an animal companion is by your side, it’s heartwarming to imagine the real life animal that may have been used as inspiration. The realism is really amped up and helps you immerse yourself into the game. The next time you hear a gross or bone-chilling sound, you’ll have to take a second: is this a made-up noise, or just a really hungry pup snuffling for a snack?

Written by: Dovepool, Edited By: Denayed, Originally posted April 3, 2021.