The most iconic fathers in video games

22 hours ago, by Enzo

Father figures hold a special place in the world of videogames, often embodying protection, sacrifice, and passing down knowledge in worlds where every decision can change fate. Without further ado, here's our selection of the most iconic fathers in gaming.

Unsurprisingly, let’s start our article with Kratos. A former god of war turned protector, he represents one of the most striking evolutions of fatherhood in modern video games. In God of War (2018) and God of War Ragnarök, he tries to raise his son Atreus while grappling with his own violent past, portraying a father who learns patience, active listening, and forgiveness.

Staying with Sony franchises, Joel Miller from The Last of Us becomes a father figure to Ellie after losing his own daughter at the start of the outbreak. Even though he isn’t her biological father, he develops a relationship with her based on protection, attachment, and an almost familial love. He embodies a surrogate father willing to do anything to save the one he considers family. In a similar vein, Rost from Horizon Zero Dawn serves as a surrogate father and mentor to Aloy. He passes on his values, survival skills, and sense of honor to her in a hostile world dominated by machines.

Now let’s shift a bit more toward the horror side. Ethan Winters is a father willing to go to any lengths to find and save his family in Resident Evil 7: Biohazard. His journey into horror takes on an even more personal dimension as he seeks to protect his daughter Rose in Resident Evil Village. Sebastian Castellanos is a former detective haunted by the disappearance of his daughter Lily in The Evil Within 2. Despite his trauma and mistakes, he navigates a nightmarish world to find his child and make amends for what can still be fixed.

Hades, from the game of the same name, is a father very different from the others on this list. His conflicted relationship with his son Zagreus reveals an authoritarian, harsh, and clumsy parent, but one whose devotion to his family eventually shines through.

Finally, let’s look at two slightly more unconventional examples. In The Walking Dead: A Telltale Game Series, Lee Everett becomes a protector and a father figure to young Clementine. Their relationship is one of the most powerful examples of a family bond formed in a video game without a blood relationship. On the other hand, Octodad: Dadliest Catch lets you play as a male octopus, the father of human children, who is big-hearted but hampered by his tentacles in an experience as funny as it is touching.

Fathers in video games aren’t limited to supporting roles: they’re often at the heart of the most powerful and emotional stories. Whether they’re warriors seeking redemption, survivors protecting a new family, or mentors passing on their knowledge, they represent different facets of fatherhood. Through their sacrifices and relationships, these characters remind us that family bonds are among the most powerful narrative forces in video games.