Octodad: Dadliest Catch Reviews
If you're looking for a very interesting game with a weird premise, Octodad is the way to go on Switch.
Octodad: Dadliest Catch is a unique and fun game in which the awkward controls and the weird situations you find yourself in are part of the charm. The odd premise, the funky controls, the colorful graphics and the objectives to complete will keep you coming back for more from start to finish. The game might be a short one, but it's a fun one you have to experience on Nintendo Switch.
Octodad: Dadliest Catch is quite a hard game to actually recommend but, at the same time, it’s worth a dabble for a cheap laugh. While the original was praised for its interesting proof of concept, this rendition of trying to flesh out the idea further can feel a bit stretched. However, there is a charm to this game and its very short length ensures that it doesn’t outstay its welcome too much, and, if you want, you can always try and coordinate the lovable protagonist with a friend for some squits and giggles.
If you've already played this on Wii U you'll know what's to come, and there won't be the laughs to the extent there'd be if you're a newbie. It's certainly worth experiencing, but try and get those controls nailed down ASAP or you're in for a frustrating time.
Octodad: Dadliest Catch is the epitome of cult, as it's clearly a love-or-hate video game, since its purposely "bad" control scheme and comedic approach to things is far from most people's cup of sea water. As for those who think that this is up their alley, it's best to wait a bit. Not because this isn't fun or anything, but because it's currently a bit too pricey for what's on offer.
What will likely either attract people to Octodad or scare them away will be its unorthodox control and style of play. If you’re looking for a serious challenge with tight controls and impeccable level design you will very much come away disappointed. If, however, you’re open to the experience and the humor of it all Octodad is an excellent representation of the genre as a whole and plays very well as a handheld game to boot. If you’re looking for a major change of pace on the Switch Octodad will be happy to help you out with that!
Once the novelty and the wackiness have worn off, you are left with a short and sometimes haphazard experience that treads an incredibly fine (and wobbly) line between hilarity and frustration. While kids will love the simple, bold, bright cartoon-like characters and physical humour, older players will likely feel that they are constantly at odds with the game's controls and become immune to its charms. If you haven't experienced Octodad before it's worth checking out, but be cautious - it will make you giggle as well as probably stretch your patience.
Octodad looks like it is made for kids, but the gameplay can be very hard and frustrating at times. It will reward you with dozens of laughable moments nevertheless. We recommend buying it in a sale.
Review in German | Read full review
Octodad is the sort of game that is going to sell itself on absurdity alone. But by reducing it to just a joke, we miss what makes it so special
I loved Octodad's premise right when I heard about it, and I'm glad to finally have the chance to play it. The Wii U version doesn't run at 100%, but It's already sold me on any projects Young Horses works on in the future. I just hope it comes to a Nintendo platform sooner.
As a game, Octodad seems less interested in entertaining and is more intent on taking the player through a journey, and by its own design can be an incredibly stressful affair. Break it down and you'll see why: challenges involve shopping, chopping wood and pouring yourself a cup of coffee. Add this on top of a few technical hiccups, such as slowdown and some drops in framerates, and you have a middle of the road title.However, this game is all about portraying life's bigger picture and would appear to be one big analogy for some of life's biggest challenges and the problems some of us face, depending on you interpret it. That in itself is good art and also where Octodad is a success. The real fun lies in seeking your own meaning behind this bizarre title and helping Octodad cross the metaphorical finish lines that seem to plague his every turn - no matter how mundane the challenges are or how taxing it may be to guide him through life, he's a character you'll want to see succeed.
Octodad is a clever game that is fun in the same sense something like Goat Simulator is. It is hilarity, physics-based mayhem that is entirely random. The difference here is that the developers tried to streamline it with actual objectives and level progression, which can lead to frustration.
Octodad is a short, sweet story with some fun gameplay and challenging tasks. Grab three friends for some multiplayer action.
While many ports are simply lesser versions of what is already available, Octodad on the Vita retains what made the original releases so fun and therefore it is easy to recommend.
Intentionally uncooperative controls are one of the most difficult ways to engage a player, but Young Horses has pulled it off twice in a row as of Octodad: Dadliest Catch. Aside from a handful of gameplay missteps (heh), the game is sublime slapstick that never stops being funny.
Originally and stupidly funny, with plenty of charm wrapped up in a package that is a bit too short.
It's hard to recommend a game that may or may not work each time you load it up.
Still, even if you don't subscribe to that particular analogy; that Octodad is code for anyone a little different that needs to figure out how to act in mainstream society, there's still a lot of fun to be had here. Even when the overall challenge of living a day in Octodad's shoes bears too much weight, the game is amusing enough to quell most of the frustration.
Octodad: Dadliest Catch is a quirky mix of physics and mini-games wrapped up into a story about an Octopus that pretends to be a man and simply wants to live a normal life with his family.
In the end, the entertainment value of Octodad rests on one all-important factor; what kind of sense of humor you, as a player, have. If you can laugh at the absurdity of game mechanics, then this game will be silly, goofy fun and well worth the $15. If, on the other hand, you get mad at any design failing that impedes your ability to win, this game will simply bore you at best, enrage you and make you put your foot through your TV at worst.