Family is always a complicated subject in the media. It tends to be the first feature added when it comes to creating conflict for a struggling character. Family members are used as devices to further a character, and that doesn't stop when it comes to dads.
Even in the video game world, the father role is taken very seriously. Though some fall short when it comes to the daunting task of parenthood, much like Thane Krios from Mass Effect or Manfred Von Karma from Phoenix Wright, there are a wide variety of dads who excel at the task at hand.
10 Geralt Of Rivia Did A Far Better Job Than Emhyr, The Witcher
While Ciri's birth father, Emhyr, would make most hang their heads in shame when it comes to his idea of fatherhood, her adoptive father Geralt more than makes up for Emhyr's absence. Geralt and Ciri are destined to be in one another's lives, but he goes above and beyond his fated responsibility in The Witcher series.
Geralt not only traverses the continent to find Ciri in The Witcher 3, he is willing to die to keep her safe. His entire adopted family, particularly Vesemir and Yennefer, would also go to the ends of the Earth for the young woman, cementing her role in the family as the glue that binds them together.
9 Lee Everett Stepped Up In An Apocalypse, Telltale's The Walking Dead
The arrival of The Walking Dead Telltale series introduced players to one of the greatest adoptive father and daughter arcs of the 21st century when Clementine saved Lee from a walker. Over the course of the first game, Lee and Clementine's bond only deepens, though it tragically ends with Lee turning or dying, determined by the player.
Lee's strong influence remains as Clementine continues her journey. Despite meeting him at only 8-years-old and finishing the series at 16, she speaks of him fondly throughout, carries a picture of him in her pocket, and dreams of him still being alive after she gets shot. She mentions that throughout all of her difficult decisions, she heard Lee in her head guiding her, showing how good of a job he did being the father figure Clementine needed.
8 Joel Miller Did What He Believed Was Best, The Last Of Us
Joel was a father to two girls in The Last Of Us, Sarah and Ellie. Players lose Sarah in the prologue, though it's clear Joel cares deeply for her and is massively affected by her death. Players are then introduced to Ellie in the first few hours of the main game.
While Joel was not perfect by any means, which is what led to his and Ellie's estrangement in The Last Of Us Part 2, he only made decisions he believed were best for her. Even as he faced death, Joel only thought about Ellie, and Ellie's grief showed just how much she cared for her surrogate father.
7 Rost Taught Aloy Everything She Knows, Horizon Zero Dawn
Rost stepped up to take care of the fatherless baby Aloy, and was a man of morals, strength, and empathy in Horizon Zero Dawn. Teaching Aloy everything he knew about surviving in the wilds, Rost and Aloy spend all of their time alone together due to their status as outcasts from the Nora tribe. Rost was the only person Aloy had. Rost even encouraged Aloy to go through the Proving, even though her success meant they would never be able to speak again.
Rost ultimately sacrificed himself to save Aloy's life, which in turn allowed Aloy to fulfill her duty and save their people and planet. Aloy still laments his absence, saddened by the loss of the lone parental figure in her life. She's often found in-game wishing he was there to see the wonders of the world she's discovering.
6 Kazuma Kiryu Didn't Hesitate, Yakuza
Kiryu meets Haruka when she is only 9-years-old in Yakuza, their paths cross as she looks for her mother. After her mother's death, Kiryu wastes no time in taking Haruka in and raising her as his own. He raises her with so much understanding and compassion that she's willing to go and live in Sunflower Orphanage when she realizes Kiryu must return to a life of crime to protect their family.
Despite being an inexperienced parent, Kiryu raises a brilliant daughter in the form of Haruka, and even takes care of the other children at Sunflower Orphanage. He's widely loved by all the children and considered a blessing by most.
5 Barret Wallace Wants To Save The World For Marlene, Final Fantasy 7
Barret finds himself torn between his desire to protect his planet and his love for his daughter Marlene, but it doesn't mean he doesn't battle every day to keep her happy. Barret's desire to save the planet comes from wanting Marlene to be able to have a long, healthy life, something he tells himself when they're apart.
Marlene, however, doesn't resent her dad's absence. She joyously welcomes him back every time and enthusiastically gets to know all of his friends, welcoming them into their little family. Marlene is a wonderful little girl with a big heart, and only one person could've taught her how to be so kind.
4 Kratos Is Becoming Better Because Of Atreus, God Of War
After a long, hard life of suffering and pain, the 2018 God Of War release showed how Kratos settled down in the Norse realm and fathered a son, Atreus. At the beginning of the game, their relationship is strained after the death of Atreus' mother, Faye, and the pair set out together to spread her ashes at the highest peak in the Nine Realms.
Throughout the journey, Kratos shows just how much he has changed from his past self by sticking by Atreus through mood changes, terrifying killer instincts, and strange revelations. By the end, Atreus understands how far Kratos is willing to go to protect him, and their relationship drastically improves in time for the next stage of their journey.
3 Sojiro Sakura Took In Two Kids, Persona 5
Sojiro doesn’t have children, but before the events of Persona 5 he adopted his close friend's daughter, Wakaba. Futaba, Wakaba's daughter, quickly became like Sojiro's own, and although he sometimes took too many precautions when taking care of her, she loved him like a father.
But Sojiro didn't only parent Futaba, he also provided guidance to the main character as they carried out their probation living at Leblanc. Together they build a rapport and, eventually, Sojiro keeps all the main character's secrets. Both him and Futaba owe a lot to Sojiro, who took them in and cared for them when nobody else cared.
2 Corvo Attano Was Always There For Emily, Dishonored
It isn't confirmed until Dishonored 2 that Corvo is Emily Kaldwin's father, but the evidence is there long before the reveal. Dishonored's opening sees Corvo playing a kind-natured game of hide and seek with Emily, and it establishes that Corvo and Emily not only have an extraordinarily close bond, but that she trusts him without question.
Corvo continues to demonstrate how he excels at fatherhood in Dishonored 2 even though he's absent if Emily is picked as the playable character. Emily comments about all the things her father has shown and taught her, considering him a brilliant influence on her life.
1 Bayek Made Khemu's Death A Legacy, Assassin's Creed: Origins
Bayek loses his son, Khemu, very early on in Assassin's Creed: Origins, but it sets him on a path of revenge and righteousness. What starts as a way to avenge his son, ends up as Bayek and his wife Aya forming an early version of the Assassin Order.
When Khemu was alive, he loved his parents and had a brilliant, full life. In his death, his father sought to make his death mean something, ensuring that his son didn't die in vain. Bayek did that and more.