One of the most memorable characters in Far Cry 5 was, of course, Boomer; the canine companion whom you rescue at Rae-Rae’s Pumpkin Farm. One of the game’s three “Fangs-for-Hire,” Boomer was a very useful ally. He could pin down an enemy, giving you time to line up a shot. Plus, he could also bring you weapons from around the battlefield. Unfortunately, seventeen years later, Boomer is canonically dead (sadly, dogs just don’t live that long), but never fear. Far Cry New Dawn has its own dog companion, and moreover, Ubisoft has fixed one of the biggest issues that Boomer had in Far Cry 5.
Timber: The Canine Fang-for-Hire in Far Cry New Dawn
Your new best friend in Far Cry New Dawn is Timber; an Akita dog whose role as a companion is listed as ‘Scout’. From the look of it, Timber has a lot in common with Boomer when it comes to mechanics. His Retriever ability allows him to tag enemies, just as his predecessor could, and occasionally bring you a weapon after disarming an enemy. There is a new aspect to this ability though, which is that Timber will sometimes dig up Crafting Materials; a new resource in Far Cry New Dawn.
In fact, Timber is an especially good choice if you want to hunt down Crafting Materials. Not only will he dig Crafting Materials, but his Pointer ability will cause him to tag nearby Crafting Materials for you. His final ability, Guard Dog, means that he will automatically intercept animals which try to attack you. This makes perfect sense for Timber, since Akitas are descended from Japanese Matagi hunting dogs, and were bred specifically as fighting dogs in the early 20th century. It’s also likely to be useful given Far Cry New Dawn’s dangerous new mutant animals.
Perhaps the best thing about Timber, however, is that Ubisoft has finally fixed Boomer’s biggest flaw; that he couldn’t get into vehicles. Back in Far Cry 5, this meant players would forever be leaving Boomer behind or, far too often, accidentally running him over after getting into a vehicle. Timber, thankfully, will jump into your car and ride along with you.