Dave the Diver Reviews
Dave The Diver is an aquatic adventure RPG that’s wholesome, wonderfully complex, and delightfully hard to put down.
Dave The Diver will end up being one of those fundamental titles that people talk about in the same breath as Stardew Valley, where it achieves on nearly every front.
Dave the Diver shows a perfect connection between two genres, Adventure and Tycoon. While adventure element is deep, Tycoon part gives a speedy, hectic fun. On top of that, well handled B-rated vibe, attractive characters, and various mini-games are creating a synergy throughout the game play.
Review in Korean | Read full review
Dave the Diver was crafted by video game visionaries with a pure love of fun. I have never seen a game jampack so much into one seemingly tiny title and somehow make it all work with the clarity of something smaller in scope. Dave the Diver doesn’t just deserve your attention, it demands it, and if you’ve been waiting for your sign to dive into this addicting game, I’m telling you now it’s time to take the plunge.
Whether you're diving into the depths or managing a sushi restaurant, Dave the Diver is full of ideas and engaging from start to finish.
Every moment in Dave the Diver feels unique the first time through. The constant changing of side-missions, the cutscenes when upgrading weapons or fish dishes, and the eccentric cast of characters, all blend together so well into a game that, when viewed just from the surface, might seem shallow. But players willing to dive into the meat of the game will find even more enjoyment than they bargained for, especially with its official 1.0 release. It’s a single-player adventure with heart, good music (‘Hot Pepper Tuna’ will likely end up on a lot of people's personal playlists), and a cast of characters that feel right at home around The Blue Hole. Its eccentricities make it memorable, and Dave might be the kindest and most fun adventuring protagonist players encounter in the world of video games this year.
Dave the Diver is endearing and lively, a feel-good game to its core, with just enough lore and mystery to keep nudging you along.
What makes Dave the Diver work so well is wanting to see what comes next. In another game that just tacked on mechanics and plot devices with no plan, it could feel like the padding around a threadbare premise. But Dave’s kitchen sink approach somehow feels like a perfectly logical, if absurd, escalation — like a Tim Robinson sketch in game form. It’s a teetering pile of mechanics and minigames that never gets around to collapsing because the balancing act is just too much fun.
Dave the Diver is a gorgeous underwater experience that centers around the beauty and mystery found in the depths of the sea. It's packed full of mechanics, some better than others, but its central dives truly shine.
Dave the Diver from Mint Rocket is something to behold. The game features exploration, collection, side quests, an RPG backbone, and a restaurant simulator, all of which are beautifully balanced and connected. This is by far one of the better games of 2023 and shouldn’t be overlooked.
Dave the Diver is an incredibly charming experience, offering players a somewhat repetitive gameplay loop fortunately saved by its wonderful characters. Its often time cosy atmosphere, offset ever so slightly by the visceral act of hunting fish, and engrossing sushi bar management gameplay kept me coming back for more, despite repetitive fetch quest objectives and ironically shallow fishing. Considering its very low price point, this gorgeous, hilarious, and extremely enjoyable experience is absolutely worth it, especially for all the sushi enthusiasts out there.
With so many elements of Dave the Diver, I feel like I’ve only scratched the surface since many other concepts bring even more to the table, including a fully functional phone, fish farming, and fun minigames. But, if you want to experience it in its entirety, you’ll have to swim your way to Steam to get this absolute gem of a game. I know I’m already hooked in, and it’s quickly become one of the best titles I’ve played this year.
A wonderfully strange and imaginative indie adventure that delights in terms of its visuals, storytelling, and enjoyably unpredictable gameplay.
A charming, fantastic mashup of genres that delivers on all fronts. Dave the Diver is funny, cozy, fascinating to explore, with a solid cast and even more amazing cinematics. It treats its world as a tangible place other than a “place to gather resources”. Its management aspects don’t overdo anything but are just enough to keep you invested. Easily one of the best games of 2023 so far.
Review in Portuguese | Read full review
Dave the Diver is an absolute delight to play. Its core gameplay loop is wonderfully relaxing, but before too long players will be finding all the different options in its nooks and crannies. It’s surely one of the best games of the year so far, and players will love taking on the role of our goatee'd hero.
A triumph in just about every way, Dave the Diver is undoubtedly going to be one of 2023’s biggest success stories. This gorgeous adventure keeps you hooked no matter what you’re doing. Whether you’re serving up sushi, catching fish or exploring the depths of the oceans for long-lost secrets, you’ll struggle to pull yourself away. We just love it. Even if it does leave us craving sushi – but it’s a small price to pay.
Dave the Diver is a small surprise of the gaming year so far. With a coherent and complex overall package and a lot of creative ideas and attention to detail, the indie title does a lot right and will probably earn a top position on the permanent favorites list of many players.
Review in German | Read full review
In essence, Dave the Diver is not like anything that players would imagine based on their first glance at this RPG. Its story is simply intriguing and engrossing, both parts of its gameplay formula complement each other greatly with fun and depth, and the many different surprises always manage to astound, usually in a good way. Despite the rare bugs and the lack of challenge in some of its bosses and puzzles, this is one deep-sea dive and sushi restaurant that should have droves of players lining up to taste its goodness.
Charming, deep, and constantly surprising, Dave the Diver is packed with activities and full of heart.
You might question whether a sushi restaurant management sim crossed with underwater diving is your cup of tea, but that would be missing the point. Dave the Diver is a unique and memorable vacation away from expectations, and it’s the very fact that you don’t usually play games like this that makes it so satisfying.