Dream Daddy was a smash-hit dating simulator when it was first released on July 20, 2017. Described as "A Dad Dating Simulator," the game follows the player's "Dadsona" as they attempt to, well, date other dads, all while trying to be the best father they can be for their daughter, Amanda.
With seven dateable dads, there are lots of options to choose from when it comes to romance! But Robert Small, cryptid dad extraordinaire, is one option that players fell in love with immediately. His bad boy exterior is tough to crack, but underneath lies a hoard of secrets. So what don't we know about Knife Dad?
10 10. Has A Tattoo
It might be hard to spot at first, especially since his hand is usually covered by the text box, but Robert has a sneaky little tattoo on the back of his left hand. If you look closely, you can see the edges of a circle with a dot in the middle and some spokes poking out of it like a wheel or a sunburst.
During your first meeting with Robert at the bar, you have the option to "Compliment his hand tattoo." Though this isn't the best option—Robert hates this response—it does give you a bit of insight into its meaning. After the player asks what it means, Robert says it's a "reminder." Interesting!
9 9. Has A Dog
This lovable little Boston terrier is named Betsy, and despite what Robert may joke, she's his dog! If you're on Robert's route, you'll first hear about Betsy during Robert's second date when he spins the tale of the mysterious Dover Ghost. At first, he describes Betsy as a big, intimidating pit bull. Seems like the perfect dog for Robert!
But during his third date, you arrive in Robert's place to find a tiny, cute dog scratching at your feet. This is the infamous Betsy, who Robert only claimed was a pit bull for "comedic emergencies."
8 8. Adopted His Dog From Damien
If you decide to pursue Damien, on your second date together you'll find Robert in the park with Betsy. Robert will then claim that he just "found" Betsy out in the woods, but we already know that's not true!
What's even funnier is the revelation in the second Dream Daddy comic, released earlier this year in May. Robert actually adopted Betsy from Damien, who works in the local animal shelter. It seems that Robert's ironic jokes about Betsy are a couple of layers deep!
7 7. Has A Passion For Whittling
Every dateable dad gets a minigame, and Robert is no different. His minigame, "Knife That Wood," involves trying to whittle, a task that Robert loves and the player character is... not so good at.
On your second date with Knife Dad, Robert offers you a folding knife and a stick to whittle as part of a "time-honored tradition." You can then name each of your simple creations, ranging from "Sharp Stick" and "Tongue Depressor" to "Tough Guy Accessory" and "Ouija Board Planchette."
6 6. Doesn't Think Mothman Is Real
Robert claims to be a cryptid hunter, but he casually dismisses one of the most famous cryptids of all: Mothman! During your second date, Robert will claim that there are tons of cryptids outdoors and that they're "attracted to the smell of blood." Yikes.
But when the player character brings up Mothman, Robert immediately claims, "Mothman is bulls***" before diving into his spooky tale about the local cryptid, the Dover Ghost. The player character and Robert then have a close encounter with what may be a cryptid hiding out in the woods. For all they know, it could be Mothman out there — it probably felt pretty rejected!
5 5. Might Be The Oldest Dad
Though none of the dads' ages are provided directly in-game, Robert's appearance seems to indicate that he's one of the older dads in the neighborhood, if not the oldest. Unlike the other fathers, Robert's hair is tinged with some gray, and his beard definitely adds a couple of years.
He also has the oldest child (who we'll talk more about later) out of all the dads. While Robert isn't too certain about her age, she's around 25 or 26, and it's clear that she's definitely an adult and much older than the rest of the neighborhood kids.
4 4. It's Easier To Get His Bad Ending
Robert is a tricky character to date. Though it is possible to get a good ending with him, it's harder than any of the other dads due to a choice you can make almost immediately. Right after meeting, Robert invites you back to his place to, well... you know. And if you say yes, the player character will enter a casual, friends-with-benefits relationship with Robert.
This sounds pretty appealing at first — you successfully romanced a dad! Nice! But Robert puts no emotional investment into the relationship and just takes advantage of the player character. Not to mention that once you've made this choice, you can't get his good ending. Not so nice after all.
3 3. Has An Estranged Daughter
As mentioned earlier, Robert actually has a daughter named Val, who lives in Brooklyn and works for an online magazine. Unfortunately, they haven't been talking for about three or four years. Robert hadn't been the best father to Val when she was growing up, and after Robert's wife tragically died in a car accident, he lost all contact with Val.
But Val eventually reaches out to patch things up with her dad, and if you play your cards right and get Robert's best ending, she'll show up at the final party to chat. Their relationship has a long way to go, but it's good to know that they're putting in the effort to reconnect.
2 2. Had An Affair With Joseph
This is one of the more tricky scenes to unlock, mostly because it'll take a long time to get to it. In order to find out this bit of information, you'll have to go on two dates with Robert and two dates with Joseph before finally going on the third date with Joseph. Whoo, that's a lot!
But it does get you an interesting scene in which Robert confronts the player character before they meet up with Joseph. He tries to protect them, but he's vague as to why. When the player character asks Joseph about it, he reveals that they had a short-lived affair years ago. No wonder Robert was so upset.
1 1. His Connection To The 'Cult Ending'
The "cult ending" is one of the more infamous aspects of Dream Daddy. It's a non-canon ending that players found when digging through the game's files, and it has a whole host of crazy scenes and mind-blowing information.
What's most interesting, though, is Robert's supposed role in Joseph's murderous plot. Robert's hand tattoo matches the "cult symbol" seen in multiple other places in the game, and most particularly in the dungeon during the cult ending. Nothing more has been revealed about Robert's connection to this "cult," but it is intriguing that he'd get a tattoo of the symbol itself!