Video games have introduced many fan-favorite dads, from Joel in The Last of Us, to Geralt in the different adaptations of The Witcher, including the Netflix series. What do these adoptive dads have in common? They stepped up and took these children under their protection when no one else would. They break the mold of traditionally absentee fathers in the media and show how nurturing some dads can be.

RELATED: Powerful Parent-Child Relationships In Gaming

The best father figures teach their children useful life lessons, make sacrifices for them, and even lay down their lives to protect their children. Though not faultless, these dads prove that every parent should be there for their child, providing good role models for players to follow.

8 Big Daddy/Subject Delta - BioShock 2

Big Daddy and a Little Sister in BioShock 2

The Big Daddies of the underwater utopia of BioShocks Rapture are biologically engineered and designed to protect Little Sisters. Armed with a heavy mechanical drill, a Big Daddy could easily dismember any potential threats to their make-shift daughters. The Big Daddy protagonist in BioShock 2, nicknamed Subject Delta, showcases a nurturing and paternal relationship with a Little Sister, Eleanor Lamb. Subject Delta has a strong psychological connection with Eleanor and is told he will die unless he finds her.

Through the game’s morality system, the players as Subject Delta can teach Eleanor how to make important decisions and, at times, be merciful. The game has multiple endings, depending on if players spared or sacrificed non-player characters.

7 Jack - BioShock

Jack From Bioshock standing on stairs

The mute protagonist of BioShock has a rough relationship with his father, Andrew Ryan, the leader of Rapture. It is revealed he was a biologically-programmed weapon of destruction.

RELATED: Most Dysfunctional Families in Video Games

However, by the end of the game, Jack can be seen in a cut scene returning to the surface with at least five Little Sisters depending on the player's choices. He raises them as his own, until dying of old age, surrounded by the Little Sisters, now as adult women, comforting him on his deathbed.

6 Sojiro Sakura - Persona 5

Sojiro Sakura from Persona 5

Having no children of his own, Sojiro Sakura adopted his close friend's daughter under his wing in Persona 5. He treated Wakaba, Futaba's daughter, like his own. Sojiro also becomes the player's adoptive father, providing shelter, and constantly reminding the player they are a useless delinquent. He houses them and gives them a job working at his coffee shop.

He acts ignorant when confronted about the player's gang activities as a Phantom Thief member. He deserves top dad brownie points for taking in not one, but two children!

5 Conrad Roth - Tomb Raider

Conrad Rost and Lara Croft Tomb Raider (2013)

Conrad Roth is introduced in Tomb Raider (2013), which acts as a prequel adding backstory to the world-famous character of Lara Croft. Roth, as he is referenced in-game, acts as Lara’s legal guardian and mentor following the death of her father, Richard.

RELATED: Tomb Raider Writer Wants Lara To Evolve Past Her Father

In one journal entry, it’s revealed that the iconic green necklace worn by Lara was made by Roth, using his shoelaces and a piece of jade gemstone discovered at an archeological dig. Roth taught Lara basic survival skills, like rock climbing and navigation, teaching her that it was okay to be different from other girls her age. Roth never doubted Lara once and protected her for as long as he could, molding her into the world-famous Tomb Raider we know today.

4 Rost - Horizon Zero Dawn

Rost from Horizon Zero Dawn

Horizon Zero Dawn’s Rost, as a man of faith and honor, took it upon himself to nurture abandoned baby Aloy. Rost’s patience was tested through Aloy’s child-like curiosity about the world, yet he never denied her thirst for knowledge. He imparted all of his survival skills onto her as they lived alone together as outcasts. Rost was all Aloy had, and vice versa.

By the age of six, Aloy discovered the Focus. Rost didn’t understand this concept but respected her bond with this technology. He even encouraged her to undertake The Proving, even though her success meant she would be forced to abandon him. Even when Aloy’s antics clashed with his faith, he still found ways to support his adoptive daughter, as all parents should! Rost made the ultimate sacrifice to save Aloy’s life, and in turn, she could fulfill her duty and save the lives of her tribe. He never stopped watching over her until the very end.

3 Geralt Of Rivia - The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt

Geralt of Rivia from The Witcher 3

Geralt of Rivia took Ciri under his protection when she was 12 years old, as the pair’s fates become intertwined through the Law of Surprise. The pair have a tumultuous relationship, with Ciri essentially being a ticking-time-bomb of magical energy. Despite his stern exterior, Geralt cares for Ciri as the daughter he would never be able to have biologically - witchers were sterile due to their genetic mutations and vigorous training.

RELATED: The Witcher: Facts You Didn't Know About Geralt

Geralt spends most of The Witcher 3 searching the entire continent for any signs of Ciri. He proves he was willing to put himself in harm’s way to keep her safe.

2 Lee Everett - The Walking Dead Telltale Series

Lee Everett and Clemetine in The Walking Dead Telltale series

Lee Everett is possibly the only man in gaming history to be saved by the zombie apocalypse. In TellTale's Walking Dead series, Lee was about to be sent to prison when the end of the world happened and managed to escape. Lucky timing! He stumbles across a young girl called Clementine, as she saves him from being bitten by a walker. Lee promises to take care of her until they find her biological parents. Lee becomes her guardian, and teaches her all the basic “Zombie-Apocalypse-101.” In an adorable cutscene, he shows her how to style and cut her hair to avoid being grabbed by walkers.

As with many zombie apocalypse games, it all ends in tragedy, with Lee’s fate being left up to the player controlling Clementine. Lee’s strong influence sticks with Clementine through The Walking Dead seasons. She mentions that while making difficult decisions, she would imagine Lee’s voice in her head, guiding her.

1 Joel Miller - The Last of Us

Ellie and Joel from The Last of Us

Joel’s personality at the beginning of The Last of Us is defined by his role as a father. Players witness his failure to protect his biological daughter, Sarah, in the prologue, setting the tone for the game. Fast-forward twenty in-game years and several real-life hours, and players are introduced to Ellie. Ellie is deemed the cure to the end of the world, as she is immune to the zombie-like clickers that have infested the planet. Joel, now a smuggler, is tasked with escorting her across the country. Joel initially viewed her as a job to be completed and an inconvenience. However, along the way, the unlikely pair form a bond, where Joel becomes protective over her.

At the end of the game, Joel discovered that the only way a vaccination cure could be created was for Ellie to die. The death of one teenage girl over saving the rest of humanity? Seems like a no-brainer. Not for Joel, though. He kidnaps Ellie, killing former allies to save the life of his surrogate daughter. Top dad points! Who needs humanity anyway?

MORE: The Things That Could Have Happened if Ellie Was Given To The Fireflies