The Best Worst Dads in Games

Perhaps the most beloved video game dad, Joel needs no introduction. There’s not much that hasn’t already been said about his morality and his famous choice to save Ellie over the rest of humanity; we’ve already concluded he’s a pretty good guy, who did the reasonable thing.

Of course, Joel has killed people, so that definitely makes him worse than Bowser and Cody. But otherwise he’s too good of a dad to be any higher on the list.

5. Asgore Dreemurr (Undertale)

Again, just another man trying his best to protect the people he cares about. Singlehandedly ruling and defending an oppressed nation puts a lot of pressure on a guy, especially after the death of his son. None of his actions are malicious for the sake of it; he’s a decent man doing the best he can in an unfortunate situation. I think Asgore’s great, and the Pacifist Ending is canon to me.

4. Isaac’s Dad (The Binding of Isaac: Rebirth)

Not much is known about Isaac’s dad, which is exactly why he sucks so much. He abandoned a five-year-old with the worst mother on the planet—what more is there to say?. His absence is itself a presence, in Isaac’s hallucinations and the game’s fixation on God, the father of all fathers.

This absence is also what makes Isaac’s dad an intriguing character. Funny how that works.

3. Hades (Hades)

Hades is actively hostile and antagonistic toward Zagreus throughout his escape attempts, which is definitely not a quality you’d want in a dad. He rules the Underworld with an iron fist, punishing anyone who even speaks Persephone’s name as he actively lies to Zagreus about who his mother even is. His pressuring Zagreus to stay in the Underworld is all too familiar to children with overbearing parents who prioritize their own wants over their child’s future and best interests. You have to let them leave the nest eventually, man, and you have to tell them the truth, even if you think it’ll hurt.

With that being said, Hades is an endlessly compelling character both in the game and mythology, so of course, he ranks high on this list.

2. Zero (Katana ZERO)

(If you haven’t played Katana ZERO, I would strongly recommend stopping here and trying it out. I tend to go into new media completely blind, and the experience of Katana ZERO benefits greatly from this approach.)

Zero’s fatherhood status is up for debate, as the unnamed girl with whom he forms his paternal relationship may not actually exist. This dilemma is why I’ve ranked him so high; though he may not even be a father figure, Zero’s humanity is embodied by the girl. He is at once a cold-blooded murderer, an unfeeling weapon of destruction, and a victim so thoroughly traumatized that his empathy is pinholed into a single relationship that may only exist in his mind. Zero’s affection for the girl amplifies his own personhood—yes, he was chosen for the military because he scored remarkably low on an empathy test, but ultimately, he is a person, not a weapon.

I love Zero, and his bad-dadness is not so much about the quality of his and the girl’s relationship but rather his not technically being much of a dad at all.

1. Brad Armstrong (Lisa: The Painful)

(Same warning as from Katana ZERO applies.)

Lisa: The Painful is a meditation on intergenerational trauma and abuse, and Brad’s attempts to protect his daughter (in the way he couldn’t protect his sister) by sheltering her ultimately serve to harm Buddy and push her into a bloodthirsty rage.

Despite his earnest desire to be a good father to Buddy, Brad struggles with addiction which, coupled with his refusal to let her venture outside, means that one of the literal only people in Buddy’s life, not to mention her role model and guardian, is deeply unstable; the game shows Buddy discovering Brad unconscious after an overdose multiple times.

However, Brad’s love for Buddy is also the driving force of the game, as he embarks on a quest where he will do anything—including betraying his allies and hacking off his own limbs—to find her and bring her home. His love for her is so boundless that it extends to the very player, who goes through the punishing ordeal of playing Lisa: The Painful to save Buddy. But at the same time, Brad uses his fatherhood as justification for his thirst for violence. How much of his journey is about her, and how much of it is about satiating his own desires? Every time I listen to He’s My Dad from the Lisa: The Painful soundtrack, I cry.

My favorite video game character of all time, Brad Armstrong, is truly the best worst dad in games.

Bee Wertheimer is a games writer based in New York City. You can find them on Bluesky or visit their website at beewertheimer.com.