While there are a ton of touching stories in the world of gaming that truly show audiences what it means to be family and the lengths one will go to in order to save someone they love, there are also a few father figures that may need a few lessons on parenting.
Often time, a traumatic childhood is the catalyst that gives the protagonist their drive to start their difficult journey; and in other instances, it's the player's duty to reluctantly fill the shoes of the bad dad in the story. Here are some of the worst fathers in gaming history.
Disclaimer: Heavy spoilers ahead!
10 Hades (Hades)
In Greek mythology, it's not particularly difficult to find an unloving parent; Hades is no exception. In the game, Hades clearly has a rocky relationship with his son, Zagreus. Although towards the end of the game, Hades does eventually patch things up with both his son and former lover, Persephone, it doesn't erase the harm that he had done earlier in young Zagreus' life.
Escaping the Underworld is no easy feat, so it goes to say that Zagreus' will to distance himself (or escape) from his father was proof of just how far Hades's negligence and constant berating went.
9 Papa/Former King Of All Cosmos (We Love Katamari)
In the first installment of the beloved Katamari series, fans may be quick to point out how the King Of All Cosmos tasked his own son to restore all the stars and planets in the universe after he himself was the one responsible for their destruction. However, there's another father in the series that needs to be held accountable for their actions.
It turns out that the King had a rough childhood due to his own father's persistence for perfection. The King's childhood was filled with intense practice and training as The Former King forced him to be proficient in math, music, dancing, and boxing. This obsession with perfection caused so much tension within their relationship that it eventually led to a terrible fight and the King's departure from the castle.
8 William Birkin (Resident Evil 2)
Right from the very beginning, Dr. William Birkin had always put his work before anything else. His research as a virologist at Umbrella took priority, even after beginning his relationship with Annette and after the birth of their child, Sherry. In fact, William held off on a wedding as he wanted to focus on his life's work above all else.
It was when Birkin injected himself with the G virus that things went even further downhill. Now fully transformed into a monster, Dr. Birkin, being driven by pure primal instinct, hunted down his very own daughter in order to implant the G virus into her as his blood relation with her made her a perfect candidate. Dr. Birkin died a mutated monster, but his neglect towards his own daughter was what made him even more despicable.
7 Professor Hojo (Final Fantasy 7)
There are a ton of legitimate misdemeanors Final Fantasy 7's Professor Hojo has on his long list of "why he's a bad guy", and his attitude towards parenting is just as awful. Needless to say that offering one's son up for experimentation isn't winning Hojo any parenting awards.
Professor Hojo has the classic case of being the typical mad scientist, putting his work above all else and disregarding the well-being of everyone around themselves in favor of advancing their research.
6 Kratos (God Of War)
Many fans may be a bit reluctant to call Kratos a bad father after seeing his relationship with Atreus. However, many would be hesitant to forget about Kratos' painful past before his life with Atreus.
Regardless of being a changed man with a new life, there's no forgetting the fact he did at one point slaughter his own wife and daughter. Although this was while he was under the powerful influence of Ares, it wouldn't be right to not hold Kratos accountable for his infamous tragic backstory.
5 Ethan Mars (Heavy Rain)
Jason's death at the beginning of Heavy Rain may be inevitable, but the death (or rescue) of Shaun is completely up to the player. Due to the nature of Heavy Rain, Ethan's role as a father can waver in any direction. If the player so chooses to try their hardest and force Ethan to make the necessary sacrifices, Ethan can come out as father of the year with his son back at home, safe and sound by the end of the game.
However, if the player wishes the worst for poor Ethan Mars (or if they're trying to trophy/achievement hunt), the poor protagonist will face every obstacle with mediocre effort and lukewarm concern for his child. Ethan's overall standing in the game varies greatly; from successfully catching the Origami Killer and rescuing his son, to committing suicide after Shaun's death and being framed as the Origami Killer.
4 Sojiro Shimada (Overwatch)
It's not very often that a character makes a name for themselves as a terrible father without ever even being shown. Overwatch's Genji and Hanzo Shimada may be brothers, but they aren't exactly on the best of terms with one another. Hanzo was made to be the next in line to take over his family's clan after his father's passing while Genji decided to continue to live life carefree, ignoring his family's dangerous business.
The dangerous confrontation that happened between the two brothers (leaving Genji to rely on cybernetics to live) was ultimately caused by Sojiro pressuring his eldest son, Hanzo, to turn against his own brother (even if it meant his death). In the end, Sojiro Shimada's neglectful and manipulative parenting not only ruined Hanzo and Genji's relationship but also the clan he worked so hard to preserve.
3 Heihachi Mishima (Tekken)
Heihachi has a total of three sons: Kazuya, his illegitimate son Lars Alexandersson, and his adopted son Lee Chaolan. However, it is his first son, Kazuya, that got the brunt of Heihachi's negligence as a father.
Throughout the Tekken series, it's clear that Heihachi regards his son as a rival and enemy rather than a family member he feels he needs to protect.
However, the single act of throwing his own son into a volcano as a sadistic way to test if Kazuya had inherited the Devil Gene is more than enough to prove to anyone that he's not the best father around.
(Regardless of the fact that Heihachi's sneaking suspicion about his son was true in the end!)
2 Big Boss/Naked Snake (Metal Gear Solid)
Perhaps some Metal Gear Solid fans would be willing to debate the legitimacy of referring to Big Boss as a father. Even Big Boss himself had said he regarded his clones more akin to brothers of his, rather than his own children. However, it's easy to see how another fraction of Metal Gear fans would be willing to consider Big Boss a father figure, and not a great one at that.
Although its no doubt that Boss is a terrible father, it's a bit difficult to put him at fault completely, as the Les Enfants Terribles project was something he personally didn't agree with and subsequently left the Patriots afterward. Big Boss may be notorious for being a neglectful father, but in the end, the creation of his clones wasn't something he ever approved of.
1 Zachary Hale Comstock (Bioshock Infinite)
It's a sad truth to swallow, but it seems that in either of the main timelines, Bioshock Infinite protagonist, Booker DeWitt, isn't exactly father of the year. In the timeline the player follows, it's revealed that Booker sold his daughter off in order to be freed of all the gambling debt he had acquired over the years of alcoholism.
Of course, he regretted his decision almost immediately but that doesn't erase the fact that he was okay with selling his only child, even for a split second.
In the timeline in which Booker becomes Comstock, he somehow manages to one-up his alternate self and subjects poor Elizabeth to imprisonment, solitary confinement, and even painful torture methods in order to mold her into the future leader he wanted her to be all along.