This is not the game you think it is. It is, against all odds, one of the most brutally honest, tender, and psychologically rich simulations of single parenthood ever made. You play as Hiroshi, a 42-year-old salaryman who, after a bitter divorce and a decade of estrangement, suddenly gains full custody of his 14-year-old daughter, Miki. The mother has moved abroad for work, leaving Miki with a suitcase, a school transfer slip, and a heart full of quiet resentment.
The game opens not with a hug, but with a silence. A long, painful silence across a breakfast table. ideal father – living together with beloved daughter
Loses one point only because the cooking mini-game is genuinely impossible. Sorry, Miki. Burnt toast is our family tradition now. Have you played? Did you cry during the "firefly watching" scene? Let me know in the comments—or better yet, call your dad. This is not the game you think it is
The game didn't end with a tragedy. It ended with her graduation, a polite nod, and a text message: "Thanks for everything. I’ll send money when I can." The mother has moved abroad for work, leaving
I focused on finances—overtime, promotions, a bigger apartment. I thought a "proper father" provides stability. By day 180, Miki had perfect grades and a brand new laptop. She also stopped eating dinner with me. By day 300, she moved her bedtime earlier just to avoid conversation.
Your goal isn’t to "win." It’s to survive 365 days. Every decision—from what you pack in her lunch to whether you attend the parent-teacher conference—affects a hidden set of metrics: Trust, Independence, and Emotional Safety. Most parenting games turn children into quest-givers. Ideal Father refuses that.