History ParentalSubstitute / VideoGames

* In ''VideoGame/{{Xenoblade}}'', Dickson found Shulk orphaned at the age of four, and adopted him as his own. [[spoiler:Didn't stop him from shooting him in the back and reveling in being EvilAllAlong, and it turns out he adopted Shulk because the kid was now [[DemonicPossession hosting his master]]. Dickson does seem proud of Shulk when the latter leaves him to die after his boss battle, but it's hard to know for sure]].

* Lee Everett becomes this to Clementine in ''VideoGame/TheWalkingDead'' video game. While he never gets officially PromotedToParent, several characters think Lee is Clementine's father when they first meet them, and at the end of the game, it's Lee who's going to find Clementine, no matter what. And God help anyone who [[PapaWolf tries to hurt her.]] ** Season 3 ''A New Frontier'' has main character Javier taking over as a father figure for his niece and nephew Mariana and Gabriel, and after we find Clementine, we get flashbacks of her raising AJ as a baby/young toddler.

* In ''[[VideoGame/PuyoPuyo Puyo Puyo Tetris]]'', Ess looks up to the S.S. Tetra's resident robot, Zed, who is considered her father. Zed, in return, gives Ess his affections as well. [[spoiler:Ex, Ess's actual father, specifically built Zed to act as Ess's dad when Ex left to guard the Space-time Gate.]]

** [[spoiler:Jade]] from ''VideoGame/DragonQuestXI'' lost her biological mother soon after she was born, so she came to view [[spoiler:Queen Eleanor]] as a mother figure. She even refers to their biological son [[spoiler:the Luminary]] as her "[[LikeBrotherAndSister little brother]]" when giving an abridged version of her backstory.

* In ''VideoGame/{{Mother 3}}'', Kumatora was raised by the Magypsies but views Ionia as her father (Or mother. It's all good). It's mostly PlayedForLaughs (and it's implied Kumatora's such a tomboy because of the Magypsies' overly feminine behavior), but [[spoiler:some serious tears are shed when Ionia's needle is pulled and she ceases to exist]].
* In ''VideoGame/{{NieR}}'', Emil was essentially taken care of for thousands of years by his non-human butler Sebastian. Eventually, the eponymous protagonist becomes one to him, extending his general fatherly nature to help the boy cope with his numerous issues.

* It's pretty clear Gau from ''VideoGame/FinalFantasyVI'' sees Sabin and Cyan as his father figures in Gau's own father's absence. Heck, the only reason Gau joins to party in the first place is because he became attached to Sabin and Cyan.
* Barret Wallance to Marlene in ''VideoGame/FinalFantasyVII'' after her own father Dyne seemly fell into a chasm and died, Barret is all around bruiser but becomes a gentle FamilyMan whenever Marlene is around. Tifa Lockhart is also mother figure for Marlene and looks after her whenever Barret is off being a RebelLeader, Marlene also begins to see Cloud Strife in a similar light to Barret especially in ''Anime/AdventChildren'' or older brother figure at very least.
** Elmyra Gainsborough to Aerith, to the extent that the latter gets her surname. Elmyra, having lost her husband, cherishes Aerith after her dying mother Ifalna [[TakeCareOfTheKids hands her over]] at the train platform, and successfully protects her from Turks for years. [[spoiler: That why it's all the more heartbreaking when Cloud and company have to come back to Midgar and inform Elmyra of Aerith's [[KillTheCutie death]] at Sephiroth's hands]]. Strangely, Tseng of the Turks could be considered a father surrogate to Aerith, given their mutual care for each other, though he does slap Aerith at one point... so less than favorable parental substitute.
** Bugenhagen to Nanaki aka Red XIII who even calls the village elder "grandfather" affectionately, surprisingly none of [[TheTeam AVALANCHE]] question how a red lion/wolf beast could have a old dude for a grandfather, since Red XIII doesn't explain that they are obviously not related.
* Auron to Tidus in ''VideoGame/FinalFantasyX'' Auron is the one who looks after Tidus when his father Jecht vanishes [[spoiler: aka becomes Sin]] and his mother becomes apathetic. Auron trains Tidus in swordplay and is the one to bring him into Spira, it also notable while Tidus frequently badmouths his father, he shows Auron the utmost respect. In return, while other adults (e.g. Lulu) get annoyed at Tidus's childish behavior, Auron lets it slide, as it amuses him over how similar Tidus is to Jecht - which, of course, pisses Tidus off whenever Auron points it out.
** While Auron plays father surrogate to Yuna and even Rikku at times, it's Wakka, Lulu and Kimahri who are Yuna's primary guardians having looked after her throughout her childhood and when Yuna decides to go a Summoner's pilgrimage [[spoiler: which will result in her death via sacrifice]] Lulu and Wakka ''begged her'' not to.
* ''VideoGame/FinalFantasyXIII'': Lightning is this for Hope. Although it could be seen as a CoolBigSis relationship, they only act like this after Hope's mother's death, and she spends much of the story being his ResentfulGuardian. Also inverted. While Lightning clearly becomes a stand-in for Hope's [[MissingMom late mother, Nora]], Hope is just as much a stand-in for Lightning's younger sister, Serah, [[PromotedToParent who Lightning raised]].
* ''VideoGame/FinalFantasyXIV'': Minfilia, whose father was killed at the very start of 1.0 has two parental substitutes. F'lhaminn who was actually responsible for her father's death (though accidentally) and took to raising her as penance for it. Minfilia despised her at first, but eventually came to consider her as mother. Her second parental substitute is Thancred, a member of the Scions of the Seventh Dawn(and initially the Circle of Knowing) who helped take care of her when he was unable to save her father from the event that killed him. He and F'lhaminn aren't a couple, but he does clearly have a crush on her though it doesn't go anywhere. But they are both extremely dedicated to Minfilia and both are heartbroken when [[spoiler: she is sent by Hydaelyn to the First Shard to save it, possibly never to return to their world]].

* ''VideoGame/JakAndDaxter'' don't have any parents to speak of (until the third game), and Samos is the one who raised them.
* ''VideoGame/KingdomHearts358DaysOver2'': Roxas and Xion are incredibly naive concerning anything that doesn't have to do with combat due to their lack of memories, so Axel takes it upon himself to teach them when prompted. He also tries to protect them from the truth behind their pasts to preserve their friendship.
* ''VideoGame/KingdomHeartsBirthBySleep'': Master Eraqus serves as a mentor and father figure to Aqua and Terra, who themselves can be seen as older siblings or parental figures in [[TheHeart Ven's]] life (the Japanese version of ''Birth by Sleep'' has Scrooge give Ven three tickets and telling him to bring "his parents" along; he gives them to Aqua and Terra). Later on in-universe, Axel's extremely over-protective behavior towards his best friend Roxas is revealed to be the result of Axel basically ''raising'' him, once again blurring the line between a big brother and father figure in Roxas's life.

** Kiryu becomes this for Haruka Sawamura, the orphaned daughter of his LoveInterest Yumi, working hard to give her a normal childhood despite all the craziness that he keeps getting dragged into, just like how Kazama was with him. Haruka adores her "Uncle Kaz" and goes out of her way to try and project him as best she can (usually trying to talk him down in the event his HonorBeforeReason mindset gets too one-track) and towards the end of his tenure as protagonist Kiryu admits he sees Haruka as the daughter he never had.

* [[spoiler:Jade]] from ''VideoGame/DragonQuestXI'' lost her biological mother soon after she was born, so she came to view [[spoiler:Queen Eleanor]] as a mother figure. She even refers to their biological son [[spoiler:the Luminary]] as her "[[LikeBrotherAndSister little brother]]" when giving an abridged version of her backstory.

* ''{{VideoGame/Yakuza}}'': Shintaro Kazama is this to Kiryu and Nishiki, who look up to him and try to emulate him in every way they possibly can. Kiryu worships Kazama to the point that even after Kiryu discovers Kazama's DarkSecret, [[spoiler: namely, that he was the assassin who killed Kiryu's biological parents]] the [[BrokenPedestal pedestal]] still [[AvertedTrope doesn't break]].

** While Auron plays father surrogate to Yuna and even Rikku at times, it's Wakka, Lulu and Kimahri who are Yuna's primary guardians having looked after her throughout her childhood and when Yuna decides to go a Summoner's pilgrimage [[spoiler: which will result in her death viva sacrifice]] Lulu and Wakka ''begged her'' not to.

** ''VideoGame/MassEffectAndromeda'' has Nakmor Drack, also a krogan, being the closest thing Vetra Nyx, who is a turian, has to a loving father-figure (her actual dad went missing when Vetra and her sister were kids). It's especially pronounced if Ryder romances Vetra, since Drack gives them the IfYouDoAnythingToHurtHer speech. Vetra even quips at one point Drack should've been her father. Drack just retorts she'd have turned out worse if he had (but she'd be a better shot). Drack also had to serve as dad to his granddaughter, Kesh, whose parents died when she was an infant. Raising her helped raise him out of crippling depression from losing several body parts.

** Cassandra Pentaghast lost her parents early in her life due to the political intrigue in the Nevarran court. She and her brother were taken in by their uncle, a mortalitasi (essentially a mage undertaker -- Nevarra takes funeral rites ''very'' seriously). Their relationship was rather strained since her uncle kept trying to make Cassandra into a 'proper' court lady while she would have none of it. Nonetheless, he still seems to care for her a great deal. In ''VideoGame/DragonAgeInquisition'', [[TheEmpath Cole]] will mention a letter that Cassandra received from her uncle, and that he can sense just how much her uncle misses her.
** In ''VideoGame/DragonAgeOrigins'', the Dalish Elf Warden is raised by Ashalle, a friend of their mother and father. The Warden's father was killed by humans, and not long afterward, their mother gave birth to them. However, she [[DeathByDespair lost the will to live]] and "[[DeathByDespair vanished into the forest]]," leaving her child in Ashalle's care.

* Cassandra from ''Franchise/DragonAge'' lost her parents early in her life due to the political intrigue in the Nevarran court. She and her brother were taken in by their uncle, a mortalitasi (essentially a mage undertaker -- Nevarra takes funeral rites ''very'' seriously). Their relationship was rather strained since her uncle kept trying to make Cassandra into a 'proper' court lady while she would have none of it. Nonetheless, he still seems to care for her a great deal. In ''Videogame/DragonAgeInquisition'', [[TheEmpath Cole]] will mention a letter that Cassandra received from her uncle, and that he can sense just how much her uncle misses her.
** The Dalish Elf Warden is raised by Ashalle, a friend of their mother and father. The Warden's father was killed by humans. Shortly afterwords, their mother gave birth to them. However, she [[DeathByDespair lost the will to live]] and "Vanished into the forest" and left her child is Ashelle's care.

* In ''Videogame/EarthBoundBeginnings,'' [[spoiler:the protagonist's grandmother, Maria, raised the BigBad [[SufficientlyAdvancedAlien Giegue]] from infancy,]] and at the end of the game it's [[spoiler: the [[EvenBadMenLoveTheirMamas memories of her]] triggered by the lullaby that she used to sing him that repels Giegue's AlienInvasion.]] The game's original Japanese title, ''MOTHER'', refers to this specifically.

* Terry Bogard from ''VideoGame/FatalFury'' is this towards Geese's son Rock after he adopts him. To Rock, he's is a better father than his real one could have ever hoped to be. [[spoiler:This case is especially complicated because Terry taking Rock in is a consequence of ''Geese's ThanatosGambit''--he chose to let himself die when Terry went SaveTheVillain on him, specifically to saddle him with the grief of having orphaned an innocent boy, ''like Geese himself did to him and Andy'', and then make sure Terry would adopt ''and'' raise Rock well to atone]].
* It's pretty clear Gau from ''VideoGame/FinalFantasyVI'' sees Sabin and Cyan as his father figures in Gau's own father's absence, heck the only reason Gau joins to party in the first place is because he became attached to Sabin and Cyan.

** Elmyra Gainsborough to Aerith to the extent that the latter gets her surname, Elmyra having lost her husband cherishes Aeirth after her dying mother Ifalna hands her over at the train platform and successfully protects her from Turks for years. [[spoiler: That why it's all the more heart breaking when Cloud and co have to come back to Midgar and inform Elmyra of Aeirth's [[KillTheCutie death]] at Sephiroth's hands]]. Strangely Tseng of the Turks could be considered a father surrogate to Aeirth given mutual care for each other, though he does slap Aeirth at one point... so less than favorable parental substitute.

* Auron to Tidus in ''VideoGame/FinalFantasyX'' Auron is the one who looks after Tidus when his father Jecht vanishes [[spoiler: aka becomes Sin]] and his mother becomes apathetic. Auron trains Tidus in swordplay and is the one to bring him into Spira, it also notable while Tidus frequently badmouths his father, he shows Auron the utmost respect. In return, while other adults (e.g Lulu) get annoyed at Tidus's childish behavior Auron lets it slide as it amuses him over how similar Tidus is to Jecht which of course pisses Tidus off whenever Auron points it out.

** Aside from Chris Redfield being PromotedToParent for his sister Claire after thier parent died, Barry Burton being a FamilyMan extends his fatherliness to the Redfield siblings and acts as their mentor and guide. This is best shown on in ''VideoGame/ResidentEvilRevelations2'' where he cares as much for Claire as he would his own daughter despite Claire being a grown woman at that point.

* ''{{VideoGame/Yakuza}}'': Shintaro Kazama is this to Kiryu and Nishiki, who look up to him and try to emulate him in every way they possibly can. Kiryu worships Kazama to the point that even after Kiryu discovers Kazama's DarkSecret, [[spoiler: namely, that he was the assassin who killed Kiryu's biological parents]] the [[BrokenPedestal pedestal]] still [[AvertedTrope doesn't break]].
* In ''VideoGame/NiNoKuniIIRevenantKingdom,'' Roland is this to [[AChildShallLeadThem Evan.]] Evan has recently [[DisappearedDad lost his own father]], and is still dealing with the loss and his own pending ascension to the throne when Roland [[TrappedInAnotherWorld becomes trapped in Ni no Kuni.]] The two forge a bond over the course of the game.
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* Urbosa veers between this and CoolBigSis for Zelda in ''VideoGame/TheLegendOfZeldaBreathOfTheWild''. After Zelda's kind and encouraging mother dies while her daughter is still a young child, Zelda's [[FantasyForbiddingFather stern father King Rhoam]] is left to try and guide his daughter to unlock her RoyaltySuperPower needed to defeat Calamity Ganon. In their interactions with each other in the recovered memories, Urbosa fills a similar role for Zelda to her mother, gently encouraging the princess, sticking up for her (and her appointed knight Link) against badmouthing from people like [[{{Jerkass}} Revali]], and asking Link to convey [[SoProudOfYou how proud she is of Zelda]].

* In ''VideoGame/NiNoKuniII,'' Roland is this to [[AChildShallLeadThem Evan.]] Evan has recently [[DisappearedDad lost his own father]], and is still dealing with the loss and his own pending ascension to the throne when Roland [[TrappedInAnotherWorld becomes trapped in Ni no Kuni.]] The two forge a bond over the course of the game.

* In ''VideoGame/DevilMayCry5'' and to lesser degree ''VideoGame/DevilMayCry4'', Dante becomes this Nero [[spoiler: who is his nephew]]. Despite being a ManChild Dante keeps a watchful eye on Nero, gives him advice, helps him escape The Savior, repeatedly orders him to leave the battlefield and is noticeably [[PapaWolf pissed]] when learns that [[spoiler: Vergil ripped off his son's arm to regain his power]]. Dante even gives Nero physical affection such as patting him on the shoulder multiple times, it's telling that even when he discovers that he has a real father is, Nero still cares more for Dante.

** Sherry Birkin unabashedly sees Claire and Leon S. Kennedy, as her surrogate parents due to Sherry's actual parents William and Annette Birkin dying in [[VideoGame/ResidentEvil2 RE2]] resulting in Claire and Leon looking after Sherry. Claire's bond with Claire is a reference to Newt and Ripley from ''Film/{{Aliens}}'' so it's upsetting for long-time fans that Sherry and Claire never reunite in later games with Sherry only keeping Claire's jacket as a keepsake, though [[VideoGame/ResidentEvil6 RE6]] confirms Claire became Sherry's part time guardian off-screen. Speaking of [=RE6=] Sherry's affection for Leon is shown as she became a Government Agent like him, and Sherry is overjoyed to meet Leon again in Lanshiang though being with [[LoveInterest Jake Muller]] at the time it becomes a sort-of "introducing your boyfriend to your dad" scenario.

* Lee Everett becomes this to Clementine in ''VideoGame/TheWalkingDead'' video game. While he never gets officially PromotedToParent, several characters think Lee is Clementine's father when they first meet them, and at the end of the game, it's Lee who's going to find Clementine, no matter what. And God help anyone who [[PapaWolf tries to hurt her.]] ** Season 3 ''A New Frontier'' has main character Javier taking over as a father figure for his niece and nephew Mariana and Gabriel, and after we find Clementine, we get flashbacks of her raising AJ as a baby/young toddler. that a ** In Season 4 we play as a teenage Clementine, raising a more grown AJ (around five years old) and being his role model, for better or worse depending on how you play.

** ''[[VideoGame/FireEmblemTellius Fire Emblem: Radiant Dawn]]'' also provides [[spoiler:Micaiah and Sothe, at least at the beginning of their relationship. In a variation, [[RelationshipUpgrade you can get them hitched]] if you want to]].

* ''{{VideoGame/Yakuza}}'': Shintaro Kazama is this to Kiryu and Nishiki, who look up to him and try to emulate him in every way they possibly can. Kiryu worships Kazama to the point that even after Kiryu discovers Kazama's DarkSecret, [spoiler: namely, that he was the assassin who killed Kiryu's biological parents] the [[BrokenPedestal pedestal]] still [[AvertedTrope doesn't break]].

** Bugenhagen to Nanaki aka Red XIII who even calls the village elder "grandfather" affectionately, surprisingly none of [[TheTeam AVALANCHE]] question how a red lion/wolf beast could have a old dude for a grandfather since Red XIII doesn't explain they are obviously not related.

* Terry Bogard from ''VideoGame/FatalFury'' is this towards Geese's son Rock after he adopts him. To Rock, he's is a better father than his real one could have ever hoped to be. [[spoiler:This case is especially complicated because Terry taking Rock in is a consequence of ''Geese's ThanatosGambit''--he chose to let himself die when Terry went SavetheVillain on him, specifically to saddle him with the grief of having orphaned an innocent boy, ''like Geese himself did to him and Andy'', and then make sure Terry would adopt ''and'' raise Rock well to atone]].

* [[spoiler:Jade]] from ''VideoGame/DragonQuestXI'' lost her biological mother soon after she was born, so she came to view [[spoiler:Queen Eleanor]] as mother figure. She even refers to their biological son [[spoiler:The Luminary]] as her "[[LikeBrotherAndSister little brother]]" when giving an abridged version of her backstory.

* In ''VideoGame/DevilMayCry5'' and to lesser degree ''VideoGame/DevilMayCry4'', Dante becomes this Nero [[spoiler: whose his nephew]]. Despite being a ManChild Dante keeps a watchful eye on Nero, gives him advice, helps him escape The Savior, repeatedly orders him to leave the battlefield and is noticeably [[PapaWolf pissed]] when learns that [[spoiler: Vergil ripped off his son's arm to regain his power]]. Dante even gives Nero physical affection such as patting him on the shoulder multiple times, it's telling that even when he discovers that he has a real father is, Nero still cares more for Dante.