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DAVE THE DIVER

Dave the Diver not only offers a wholly unique experience but manages to make all of the elements fit together and were fun to play. The dialogue and humor are all cleverly written and show deep attention to detail in the game's storytelling.
93%Game Brain Score
story, gameplay
grinding, stability
97% User Score Based on 87,476 reviews
Critic Score 90%Based on 37 reviews

Platforms

MOMac OSNSNintendo SwitchPCPCP4Playstation 4P5Playstation 5SDSteam DeckWinWindowsPlaPlayStation
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About

"DAVE THE DIVER is an adventure-RPG management hybrid where you explore the Blue Hole to gather resources for your exotic sushi restaurant. Experience casual combat and rogue-like elements, upgrading and forging equipment with collected resources. Meet eccentric characters in a lighthearted narrative, all set in a beautiful 2D/3D underwater environment."

Genres & Tags
Play Modes
DAVE THE DIVER screenshot
DAVE THE DIVER screenshot
DAVE THE DIVER screenshot
DAVE THE DIVER screenshot
DAVE THE DIVER screenshot
DAVE THE DIVER screenshot
DAVE THE DIVER screenshot
DAVE THE DIVER screenshot
DAVE THE DIVER screenshot
DAVE THE DIVER screenshot
DAVE THE DIVER screenshot
+3

97%
Audience ScoreBased on 87,513 reviews
story6.2k positive mentions
grinding3.1k negative mentions
  • The game features a whimsical and engaging story that combines humor, quirky characters, and a charming atmosphere, making it a delightful experience.
  • Gameplay is praised for its addictive loop of diving and sushi restaurant management, with a gradual introduction of new mechanics that keeps the experience fresh.
  • The graphics and music are widely acclaimed for their vibrant pixel art style and captivating soundtrack, enhancing the overall immersive experience.
  • The pacing of the story can be slow, with some players finding fetch quests tedious and the overall narrative lacking depth.
  • The gameplay loop can become repetitive after a while, and some mechanics may feel overwhelming or unnecessary.
  • There are mixed reports on stability, with some players experiencing frequent freezes and bugs that disrupt gameplay.
  • story
    15,253 mentions Positive Neutral Negative

    The story of "Dave the Diver" is a whimsical and engaging narrative that follows the titular character as he navigates the challenges of underwater exploration and sushi restaurant management. Players appreciate the humor, quirky characters, and the gradual introduction of new gameplay mechanics that keep the experience fresh and entertaining. While some find the pacing slow and the fetch quests tedious, the overall charm and depth of the story, combined with the game's relaxing gameplay, make it a delightful experience for many.

    • “The game is story-driven; it's meant to take you on a silly adventure of Dave's life that went sideways after being called for a simple dive mission that turned into a full-on career with everyone depending on Dave to do so many things.”
    • “The game is phenomenal in just about every aspect, but the story is kind of what keeps you playing more and more.”
    • “The story is engaging and unique, with a captivating narrative that unfolds as you dive deeper into the ocean and manage your sushi restaurant.”
    • “The story moves like molasses and is constantly delayed by "we'll have that ready tomorrow" interruptions.”
    • “If you play it, my advice is either ignore the main story entirely or race through the seapeople stuff; it's all tedious.”
    • “The story I was not remotely interested in, especially as it grew more and more tedious.”
  • gameplay
    14,329 mentions Positive Neutral Negative

    The gameplay of "Dave the Diver" is widely praised for its engaging and addictive loop, which combines diving for fish during the day with managing a sushi restaurant at night. Players appreciate the gradual introduction of new mechanics and mini-games, which keeps the experience fresh and prevents monotony, although some feel that the sheer volume of mechanics can become overwhelming. Overall, the game is celebrated for its charming visuals, humorous storytelling, and the seamless integration of various gameplay elements, making it a standout title in the indie gaming scene.

    • “Dave the diver is an absolute gem that combines quirky humor, engaging gameplay, and a rich world full of surprises.”
    • “The gameplay of catching and collecting underwater creatures with multiple mechanics and features plus managing a restaurant makes it fun and entertaining; loved the characters with their unique traits and story, the details are amazing and gorgeous, and the soundtracks are pleasant to listen to!”
    • “The core gameplay loop is simple: hunt fish by day, run a sushi shop by night. The game constantly introduces new mechanics and features, ensuring that the gameplay remains fresh and engaging throughout.”
    • “This game is really interesting and fun for a while, but after 10 hours or so the gameplay loop becomes repetitive.”
    • “The game especially in story missions throws new gameplay mechanics at you just for the sake of novelty.”
    • “The gameplay loop gets repetitive after a while, but there's a lot of content to discover.”
  • graphics
    5,909 mentions Positive Neutral Negative

    The graphics of "Dave the Diver" have received widespread acclaim for their vibrant pixel art style, which effectively combines 2D and 3D elements to create a charming and immersive underwater world. Players appreciate the attention to detail in the visuals, the engaging animations, and the humorous cutscenes that enhance the overall experience, making it both visually appealing and enjoyable to play. Despite being pixelated, the graphics are described as stunning and contribute significantly to the game's nostalgic and whimsical atmosphere.

    • “It's a masterpiece and the visuals are awesome!”
    • “The graphics are stunning, and the art style perfectly captures the whimsical yet immersive atmosphere of the ocean.”
    • “The charming pixel graphics draw you in with their vibrant colors and delightful character designs, creating an inviting underwater world that's both whimsical and immersive.”
    • “I kept skipping on getting this one as I felt I would not like it, and yes, a big factor were the pixel graphics.”
    • “The graphics are terrible and the lack of fun makes this game way overpriced.”
    • “I can't agree with this style of graphics in a game that is not 20 years old.. also, it crops my image when playing on an ultra-wide monitor (3440 x 1440).”
  • humor
    5,077 mentions Positive Neutral Negative

    The humor in "Dave the Diver" is widely praised for its quirky, lighthearted nature, with many players highlighting the hilarious cutscenes and character interactions that keep the gameplay engaging and entertaining. The game effectively blends absurdity and charm, often evoking laughter through its clever dialogue, funny animations, and unexpected scenarios, making it a delightful experience for those who appreciate a comedic touch in gaming. Overall, the humor is a significant draw, contributing to the game's addictive quality and enjoyable atmosphere.

    • “Dave the diver is an absolute gem that combines quirky humor, engaging gameplay, and a rich world full of surprises.”
    • “The cutscenes are hilarious and the story holds my attention.”
    • “The humor and quirky characters add so much charm, making the whole experience feel fresh and fun.”
    • “It's not funny.”
    • “I guess they are supposed to be funny.”
    • “I know it's supposed to be funny, but it got old pretty quickly for me.”
  • music
    4,425 mentions Positive Neutral Negative

    The music in *Dave the Diver* has received widespread acclaim for its captivating and diverse soundtrack, which enhances the game's immersive underwater atmosphere. Players appreciate the relaxing and catchy tunes that accompany both the exploration and restaurant management aspects, with standout tracks like "Hot Pepper Tuna" becoming fan favorites. While some users noted that certain tracks can become repetitive over time, the overall quality and variety of the music contribute significantly to the game's charm and enjoyment.

    • “The music is great, with a variety of tracks well-suited to the different environments and activities you'll be going through.”
    • “The soundtrack is a bubbly mix of tunes that will have you humming along as Dave belly flops onto unsuspecting sea creatures.”
    • “The music, the gameplay loop, the story, just the vibes overall of this game had me smiling and feeling good every time I booted the game up.”
    • “Only thing missing is to be able to customize what in-game music plays as selecting the music on the in-game phone app stops playing when you put the phone away and the music from mxmtoon (which my wife loved) could only be played while selling sushi.”
    • “The music is zone locked and some zones you spend way more time in than others so the music kinda gets stale.”
    • “The music could have been better but besides that the game fit everything together very well and made it a great time.”
  • grinding
    3,268 mentions Positive Neutral Negative

    The grinding aspect of "Dave the Diver" has received mixed feedback from players. While many appreciate the engaging gameplay loop that combines diving, fishing, and restaurant management with farming elements, others find the repetitive nature of resource gathering and certain quests tedious, especially in the late game. Players noted that while the game introduces new mechanics to keep things fresh, it can become overwhelming and grindy, particularly for completionists aiming for 100% achievements. Overall, the game is seen as enjoyable but may require patience due to its grindy elements.

    • “The game is not too grindy, even if you decide to go for all the achievements, and it offers just the perfect amount of challenge while remaining a relaxing experience.”
    • “Very relaxing, a very well-made game, and it's not grindy at all.”
    • “I would definitely recommend it as a relaxing exploration game; management isn't too involved and fishing/resource gathering is not grindy at all.”
    • “I really wanted to love this game, and it did start out pretty intriguing and fun, but unfortunately it eventually turned into an incredibly tedious grind, diving for the same few fish day in and day out hoping to finally get the random drop needed to continue.”
    • “The game becomes increasingly tedious and repetitive.”
    • “The farming mechanics are just not enjoyable, coming from a pretty hardcore Stardew Valley player.”
  • emotional
    731 mentions Positive Neutral Negative

    The emotional aspect of "Dave the Diver" is overwhelmingly positive, with players frequently describing the game as "wholesome," "heartwarming," and "fun." Many reviews highlight the engaging story, charming characters, and delightful cutscenes that evoke genuine laughter and tears, creating a nostalgic and uplifting experience. Despite some criticisms regarding gameplay mechanics, the overall sentiment is that the game successfully combines humor, emotional depth, and a cozy atmosphere, making it a standout title for those seeking a feel-good gaming experience.

    • “The ending made me shed a tear in awe.”
    • “This game made me feel genuine happiness in a way nothing else could in a difficult phase of my life.”
    • “What truly sets Dave the Diver apart is its heartwarming story.”
    • “The game is chill and good at the beginning, but you will soon lose your patience and interest by getting stuck in the boring story and different stupid missions.”
    • “And the little amount of gameplay there is (which is interrupted every 2 seconds) isn't fun enough to make up for the otherwise boring story.”
    • “I wish the game just stuck to the fish harvesting and restaurant management, and left out the mid-game aspect of fighting bosses, doing fetch quests, and sitting through countless amounts of dialogue/scripts while being forced to follow a boring story I have no interest in.”
  • atmosphere
    677 mentions Positive Neutral Negative

    The atmosphere of "Dave the Diver" is widely praised for its charming and immersive qualities, combining beautiful pixel art, a relaxing soundtrack, and engaging sound design that enhances the underwater experience. Players appreciate the game's ability to create a cozy, whimsical environment that encourages exploration and enjoyment, making it a standout title in the indie gaming scene. Overall, the game's atmosphere is described as captivating, serene, and filled with delightful details that contribute to a memorable gaming experience.

    • “The astonishing atmosphere motivates to explore more thanks to the well fitting soundtrack.”
    • “Most diving and ocean related games try to play up the creepy atmosphere, but this game does an excellent job in making the ocean feel welcoming, exciting, mysterious and fun to explore.”
    • “The tranquil oceanic soundtrack combined with the ambient sounds of bubbles, waves, and marine life creates an immersive audio experience that enhances the game's atmosphere.”
    • “I didn't really enjoy the gameplay or the atmosphere, way too casual for me, but considering this game is marketed honestly with the 'Dave the Diver is a casual adventure' in its description, I can't give it a thumbs down.”
    • “After 8 hours of play I am suddenly forced to do tasks like: take this thing x to location y z times, bring 3 seaweeds, bring an object from location xyz etc. So after a very promising start of fine atmosphere, restaurant managing, environment issues and activism, I find myself stuck with some sea people and wasting hours of my time in childish missions, searching sea horses from the sea like it's intended for 6-year-olds and I don't want to continue.”
    • “The charm and atmosphere are really well done, but after you get the garden, then start getting assigned tasks by the new characters you run into, and you run into more and more annoying puzzles, it definitely gets less motivating except to find out how the story ends up (which is only above satisfactory but not all that remarkable).”
  • replayability
    322 mentions Positive Neutral Negative

    The replayability of "Dave the Diver" is a mixed bag, with many players praising its engaging gameplay and procedural elements that encourage multiple playthroughs, while others criticize its limited post-story content and lack of significant replay value. Some players find it endlessly enjoyable due to its charm and variety of missions, while others feel that once the main story is completed, the incentive to replay diminishes significantly. Overall, the game offers a blend of replayable mechanics and enjoyable content, but opinions vary on its long-term replayability.

    • “This blend of mechanics not only enhances replayability but also ensures that monotony never creeps in.”
    • “With a variety of missions, upgrades, and secrets to uncover, 'Dave the Diver' offers substantial replay value.”
    • “The replayability is off the charts and it's an amazingly dynamic and fun game.”
    • “Ultimately, I'd say not terrible to play once, but there is zero replayability because I can't stomach going back through everything that annoyed me.”
    • “Only downside is that there isn't much replay value after you beat the game and collect everything you want.”
    • “Unfortunately, single story ending, so no replayability at all.”
  • stability
    186 mentions Positive Neutral Negative

    The stability of "Dave the Diver" has received mixed feedback from players. While many report a generally smooth experience, particularly on the Steam Deck, several users have encountered frequent freezes, glitches, and bugs that can disrupt gameplay, especially during critical moments like boss fights. Overall, while some players appreciate the game's charm and the developers' responsiveness to issues, others express frustration over the persistent technical problems that detract from the experience.

    • “Above all, I appreciate the love and care that went into making Dave the Diver an enjoyable, bugless experience - I ran into virtually no glitches or problems.”
    • “For a game that released just now, it is really a full package. It's not buggy as someone would expect from a new game; there are a handful of things that need fixes, which the team is always making new hotfixes for as soon as possible, so they definitely care about Dave the Diver.”
    • “Even in early access, Dave the Diver was surprisingly bug free.”
    • “The game used to only freeze every 25 minutes, but now it freezes every 5 minutes.”
    • “Game is extremely buggy, with fairly frequent crashes.”
    • “Gave is fun, but it randomly freezes the character when using tranq weapons to catch fish; a bell ding will sound and your character is frozen. The game is unresponsive and it always seems to happen in an area where there are no deadly creatures, so you won't die unless you decide to wait out your oxygen. Please, I hope they fix this.”
  • optimization
    184 mentions Positive Neutral Negative

    Overall, "Dave the Diver" is praised for its solid optimization, running smoothly on various platforms, including lower-end PCs and the Steam Deck, with a performance rating that often exceeds expectations. While the game features a well-polished design and engaging gameplay mechanics, some users report occasional performance issues, particularly on Mac and in crowded areas, suggesting room for further optimization. Despite these minor drawbacks, the game is generally regarded as a well-optimized experience that balances fun and strategy effectively.

    • “This game is a well-made, optimized, fun, creative game filled with the love of the developers and great humor.”
    • “The graphics are breathtaking, and the game's optimization ensures a smooth and visually stunning experience.”
    • “Looks great, good mix of 3D and 2D, fun and vibrant colors, runs well despite my dinky laptop which is not made for gaming, that means a lot to me that it's optimized so well.”
    • “Do not buy this, it is so poorly optimized and laggy that it is literally unplayable.”
    • “It seemed as though it was attempting to encompass everything from survival to restaurant management, yet it never truly excelled in any one aspect, settling for a rather average performance.”
    • “What I would recommend be looked into and/or fixed: optimization is a problem with this game, in the sense that in crowded areas my frames drop and especially in the ocean people's village.”
  • character development
    140 mentions Positive Neutral Negative

    Character development in the game is a mixed bag, with some players praising its depth and integration into gameplay, while others feel it lacks focus, particularly among a large cast. Many reviews highlight the charming and humorous character designs, which often overshadow the actual development of the characters themselves. Overall, while there are moments of character growth and engaging narratives, the emphasis on visual appeal and gameplay mechanics sometimes detracts from a more profound exploration of character arcs.

    • “The plot is nuanced and generally sweet, the character development is great, and the mechanics and facets of the game all complement one another like layers of flavor, which is really the point, I think.”
    • “The meticulously detailed character designs, lively animations, and beautifully rendered marine environments create an immersive and visually stunning experience.”
    • “A ton of fun stuff to do, real character development, incredible story and character writing, and unending possibilities of gameplay with changing scenarios.”
    • “The characters are charming/quirky but the visual designs are carrying them as character development is not the focus nor is there much room in the game/quests.”
    • “There is 0 character development across the course of the game, and one of the characters in particular desperately needed some.”
    • “Quite a few of them even undergo some character development, but given the large cast there is not all that much focus on them.”
  • monetization
    96 mentions Positive Neutral Negative

    The monetization aspect of the game has received mixed feedback, with many users expressing relief at the absence of microtransactions, loot boxes, and pay-to-win mechanics, which are often prevalent in modern gaming. Some players appreciate the game's value for money, highlighting its content and gameplay without the interruptions of ads or in-game purchases. However, there are concerns about potential future monetization tactics, especially given the game's association with Nexon, known for its aggressive monetization strategies.

    • “In lieu of a sea of monetization these days (especially the optimization and new content), this game is an absolute unicorn!”
    • “If you are longing for a game that doesn't have microtransactions, a horrid grind, and greed written all over it, then pick this game up; the price is amazing for what you are given.”
    • “Granted, I see all the little places Nexon can sneak in their usual nonsense down the road, but they seem to have actually let the developer just make their game this time; no microtransactions, no loot boxes, no upgrades that have a chance of damaging my gear if I don't pump premium currency into a roulette wheel... $20 actually got me a whole game (well, an early access one, anyway).”
    • “Get ready for all the predatory microtransactions and scummy monetization tactics.”
    • “That this was published by Nexon, possibly the inventors of microtransactions and other pay-for-convenience schemes... well, it's kind of like oil in water.”
    • “Worst than mobile games with those annoying ads every 30 seconds... really disappointed.”

90%Critics’ scoreBased on 39 critic reviews

Buy DAVE THE DIVER

21h Median play time
31h Average play time
10-40h Spent by most gamers
*Based on 574 analyzed playthroughs

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