While there are many iconic biological families in gaming, in gaming foster families tend to be less noticeable and thus get less attention from players. Despite this, there is still no shortage of adoptive families that are just as iconic, if not more so, than their biological counterparts.
Especially stepmothers in gaming stand out from the rest of the family and usually assume the role of the caring mother common in gaming. But regardless of their role, one thing remains certain: their love for their children is absolute, a quality these nine foster mothers have in common.
9 Elmyra Gainsborough (Final Fantasy 7)
After losing her husband during the Wutai War, Elmyra eventually came across a young Aerith caring for her dying mother Ifalna, who asked her to take Aerith to a safe place. She has since raised Aerith as her own daughter, despite her minimal knowledge of Aerith’s Cetra powers.
After meeting Cloud and his entourage, Elmyra must take care of Marlene while Barret is away, even moving to Calm to protect her. After receiving the news of Aerith’s death at the hands of Sephiroth, Elmyra was so saddened that she requested that a bouquet of flowers be brought to the Forgotten City.
8 Rose Amber (Life is Strange: Before the Storm)
After separating from his previous wife due to her drug addiction, James Amber eventually marries Rose, a stoic woman with a strange sense of humor. Her stone-faced personality may make her indifferent, but her love for her stepdaughter Rachel is genuine as she admires her ambition and assists her in a school performance of The Templague.
After Rachel is hospitalized as a result of a stabbing, Rose becomes concerned about her condition and thanks Chloe for protecting her. She also has a friendly relationship with Chloe, as she often makes witty comebacks to many of the latter’s statements.
7 Nyx (Hades)
One of the many Chthonic gods in the game, it is Nyx who was responsible for saving Zagreus’ life at birth by instructing her daughters to resurrect him after his death. She then took Zagreus in and raised him as her own son while keeping his true bloodline a secret.
Even after his true parentage is revealed to him, Zagreus still accepts Nyx as his real mother and she continues to be a source of wisdom and support for him throughout his quest. Nyx has the potential to gift Zagreus important quest items such as the Black Shawl and the Mirror of Night.
6 Eri Minami (Person 4)
Her spontaneous decision to marry Yuuta’s father challenges Eri with the prospect of bonding with her stepson. Despite Yuuta’s reluctance to accept his new mother, it is clear that Eri’s main focus and priority is Yuuta’s safety and well-being.
Although Eri has a good heart, her impressionable nature often gets her into trouble, hindering her relationship with Yuuta. After the protagonist’s intervention, Eri and Yuuta form a true mother-son relationship, with the two acknowledging that the other wants to accept each other.
5 Mikoto (Fire Emblem Fates)
The benevolent queen of Hoshido, Mikoto, is greatly cherished by her children, both biological and adoptive children, as well as her people. Even when villains like Anankos weaponize her likeness, Mikoto feels great sadness for cheating on her children, despite not doing so herself.
In her spare time, Mikoto takes care of her children while showing off a crazier side of her, much to the amusement of her adopted children. On the other hand, she can be very emotional if something happens to her children, as shown when she became distraught over the fate of Orochi after the attack on her palace.
4 Samus Aran (Super Metroid)
Easily one of the most iconic mother-child duos in gaming history, Samus meets a baby Metroid who considers her his mother upon release. Initially wary of the chick, Samus eventually bonds with it, as the pair are both orphans, and accepts the chick as her child.
During Super MetroidSamus makes it a priority to protect baby Metroid and sets out to rescue him when she discovers that Ridley has kidnapped him. When Samus witnesses the chick’s sacrifice against Mother Brain, Samus angrily kills the Space Pirates leader before falling into a deep depression over the loss of her child.
3 Brigid Tenenbaum (Bioshock Series)
dr. Tenenbaum, one of the scientists behind the genetically mutated Little Sisters, regretted her part in the project when she realized the effects her experiments had on the little girls. This caused Tenenbaum to forgo the Little Sisters project and save the girls from further harm as she searched for a way to undo what she’d done.
Perhaps because of her guilty conscience in their creation, Tenenbaum is fiercely protective of the Little Sisters; at one point she attacks the player for supposedly trying to harm them. Depending on whether the player chooses to save or harvest the girls, Tenenbaum will appreciate their kindness or berate them for their heartlessness.
2 Misato Kusunose (1bitHeart)
The sinister Misato Kusunose is one of eight people Nanashi can befriend 1bitHeart’s second chapter. She is a creepy resident of Coco Alley and spends most of her time looking after her children, who are made up of the many dolls she owns.
If Nanashi chooses to hang out with Misato, she will ask him to play with one of her children and will comically adopt him once he successfully befriends her. Her favorite gifts from Nanashi are things her kids can play with, namely the Rolly Beads and the Kitten Scrunchies.
1 Jessica Robbins (Another code: two memories)
Jessica Robbins steps in to serve as Ashley’s primary caretaker after the latter is said to have lost her parents. Although Jessica is Ashley’s biological aunt, Ashley confesses that she sees her as a mother figure, which is reflected in how Jessica comforts Ashley when she is sad.
When Jessica reveals to Ashley that her father is really alive, the two begin to drift apart, although this is eventually resolved after Jessica’s kidnapping and subsequent rescue. In addition to taking care of Ashley, Jessica works as a chemistry teacher at her city’s university.
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