It doesn’t have to be Father’s Day to celebrate dads. Yet, some games give you more of the daddy experience than others. While there are games that dads would probably enjoy as a hobby, by ‘dadcore,’ we’re referring to games where being a father figure drives the storyline or is a mechanic in the game.
Pac-Man came out 40 years ago; the industry has grown and matured since then. As gamers and developers become parents themselves, games will reflect those life changes. After all, if you believe video games are art, it makes sense for the games we play to reflect the human condition.
We’ve checked some of the best games across various genres to find the best dadcore games available. Whether you want a taste of fatherhood, you’re a father who wants to see yourself in a game, or want the father figure in your life to play these games, these are definitely heavy hitters in the dad genre that are well worth playing!
Some light spoilers ahead!
9
The Sims 4
You Can Be Any Dad You Want
Technically, you could play any Sims game, but The Sims 4 is the newest. The charm of the series is primarily found on PC, thanks to mods and custom content created by fans.
You can either download a mod someone made or recreate your favorite video game characters to the best of your ability. Want to pretend Sora and Kairi from Kingdom Hearts became parents? You can live through that fantasy gameplay.
More akin to a virtual dollhouse, you have numerous options for navigating the dadcore scene. Want to be a single father and take care of seven toddlers all by yourself? By all means. Want to raise ten generations of Sims via the Legacy Challenge? Go for it.
While you’re not giving life advice to your children or being a role model to them as part of the main gameplay story, it’s all about what you want to pretend is happening with your Sims.
8
Octodad: Dadliest Catch
A Decoy Octopus Of A Father
This is the most lighthearted entry on this list. You’ve somehow convinced everyone that you’re an average human. Between the wacky movements and gameplay, Octodad shows a happier side of fatherhood as you do your best to avoid the truth coming out as part of the core gameplay.
You’re just a dad, trying not to let your family in on the fact that you’re actually an octopus. You’re awkwardly grilling burgers, mowing the lawn, grocery shopping, and taking your kids to the aquarium.
Plot-wise, compared to the other games in the series, there is a wholesome family moment when a secret gets revealed, but compared to the rest of the games on this list, this doesn’t have the angst that can come with parenthood.
7
Yakuza 3
A Dad’s Orphanage
The majority of the games in the Like of Dragon Series follow Kiryu’s journey through the Yakuza underworld, while protecting his spiritual daughter, Haruka. While Yakuza 6 literally has you taking care of Haruka’s child as you figure out the “who dunnit” with her, Yakuza 3 is where Kiryu is at his most dadlike.
Being raised in an orphanage himself, Kiryu longs for a peaceful life after saving the Tojo Clan in the last two games by starting his own orphanage. While Kiryu is once again in the middle of another Tojo Clan mystery, the game also features multiple side quests related to the orphanage, as well as main plot points.
Your bond with the children of Morning Glory grows as Kiryu teaches them some life lessons and helps them with their problems. Playing this game makes the sacrifices Kiryu makes throughout the rest of the series much more heartbreaking. You want Kiryu to live in peace with his adopted family, once and for all.
6
God Of War (2018)
A Father And Son Adventure
After the death of his second wife, Faye, Kratos and his son, Atreus, embark on a journey to fulfill her final wish: to spread her ashes at the highest peak in the nine realms. A father and son journey unfolds, revealing hidden truths. If you haven’t played any of the God of War games, this is a good starting point.
Kratos is similar to my own dad in that he doesn’t cut corners and tells you the truth as it is. As a parent myself, his grumpiness towards Atreus can be relatable. However, as you play the game, you start to see their relationship grow, and by the time Ragnarök begins, you’re glad Atreus is on your side.
Parenting is the most challenging job in the world, even for a God of War.
5
Resident Evil Village
A Dad’s Worst Nightmare
Out of every protagonist in the mainline series, Ethan Winters is just your average guy who finds himself in madness. The game begins after Chris Redfield, the series protagonist since the beginning, comes out of nowhere, shoots your wife, and takes your baby with no explanation.
After being escorted, you crash-land and find yourself in a deserted village filled with werewolf-like monsters. You spend the game searching for your daughter, Rose, as you unravel the mystery of the village.
Ethan makes some profound sacrifices on his journey, and in the DLC, there’s a heartwarming moment between Ethan and Rose. Dadcore-wise, it’s what drives the game, as anyone else would just have left the village if it wasn’t for their kid being taken.
Ethan became one of my favorite characters in the franchise after beating this game, and is arguably the best dad in the entire series, especially when compared to William Birkin and Jack Baker (although his story is quite tragic).
4
The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt
A Father’s Race Against The Wild Hunt
The Wild Hunt has arrived and is after your “child of surprise”, Ciri, who goes on the run. Geralt, a legendary witcher, travels throughout the continent in search of her, slaying monsters for coin, and making difficult choices as he follows leads on where she went.
The Witcher 3 is a game where you can spend many hours exploring the world and playing Gwent. A good gift, if your dad is a gamer and this is his type. It’s the only one I’ve played in the series, but I spent an entire month playing it.
However, there’s one central dadcore element of this game that earns it this spot on the list, and that’s the snowball fight between Ciri and Geralt at Kaer Morhen. A brief moment of whimsical calm, the adventure, and what comes after are all worth it. By the time you beat the game, no matter what ending you got, it’s no surprise that the torch has been passed to Ciri in the upcoming Witcher 4.
3
Death Stranding 2: On The Beach
A Dad’s Healing Journey
Sam Porter Bridges has been through a lot in this franchise. In the first game, you felt the loneliness as you rebuilt America, making delivery after delivery. The parents you met, such as Mama and Heartman, had such tragic stories, and by the time you end the journey, you’re looking forward to Sam’s new lease on life.
The second game begins months later, and you see Sam happy with the Bridge Baby that helped him throughout the first game.
However, tragedy strikes, and soon Sam must once again make connections as he grieves yet another loss in his life. But this time, you aren’t as lonely as you are a member of the DHV Magellan with Fragile from the first game. I myself felt happier playing this one compared to the first, where I found myself crying at the tragic backstories of its characters.
There are also many quality-of-life improvements in the gameplay from the first that make this game rewarding. Plot-wise, Sam uncovers many hidden secrets about fatherhood and the world around him. By the time you reach the end, you’ll appreciate the journey of both games.
2
The Walking Dead: Season 1
A Fatherly Journey Through The Zombie Apocalypse
The first time you play this game, you get to the end, and it hits you like a ton of bricks. Lee Everett is a disgraced Professor on his way to prison for murder when the zombie outbreak happens. You soon meet Clementine, a little girl left alone to fend for herself as her parents went on vacation and her babysitter turned into a walker. You decide to take in Clementine and protect her throughout the zombie apocalypse.
Throughout the episodes, you teach Clementine how to survive in this new world, as she rescues you and vice versa. As this is a heavily narrative-based game, your choices significantly impact the type of story you experience.
Some characters judge you on how you raise Clementine and even take actions that affect the gameplay. You may have started as strangers, but in this new world, she might as well be your daughter. This makes the ending one of the most heartbreaking of all time.
1
The Last Of Us Part 1
A Dad’s Choice For Humanity
What else did you think was going to make the top? Aspects of the majority of the games on this list are combined in The Last of Us. The dynamic duo of Joel and Ellie will be remembered forever in gaming history.
Joel, a grieving father who suffered the loss of his daughter during the initial outbreak decades ago, finds himself on a redemptive path through Ellie. You guide her across America, as she is the only one immune to the cordyceps that has caused the apocalypse, and through her, the world can be saved.
If you’ve beaten the game or watched the show, you already know how it ends. However, if you haven’t, you’re faced with the toughest choice a dad could ever make.
