Octodad: Dadliest Catch Reviews

Octodad: Dadliest Catch is ranked in the 56th percentile of games scored on OpenCritic.
8 / 10.0
Feb 3, 2014

Still, Octodad is three hours of fun I wouldn't want to throw back. While it is too short an experience it's a great, unique one and I urge anyone who likes fun games to give it a go. Anyone who played Surgeon Simulator and thought it was hilarious should immediately pick up Octodad, and anyone who thought it was funny but wanted a fuller game experience should be covered too. Dadliest Catch is funny, charming, challenging, and packed with loveliness. It's over too quickly, but I can't think of anything I'd rather be playing in that time.

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7 / 10
Feb 3, 2014

It's a shame Octodad leans so heavily on traditional gameplay tropes like boss fights and stealth sections in its second half, especially when the opening sections suggest something quirkier and more inventive - but taken as a whole, it's still a minor triumph.

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80 / 100
Feb 3, 2014

Octodad: Dadliest Catch may be a one-joke game, but the team at Young Horses has taken that joke and squeezed as much hilarity out of it as possible. Don't ask questions about the man in the suit — just buy the game.

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8 / 10.0
Feb 3, 2014

Octodad: Deadliest Catch is a silly game with a silly yet simple idea, and it works well in just being that.

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8 / 10.0
Feb 3, 2014

Dadliest Catch may have the worst control scheme of any game I've ever played, and that's the entire point.

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Unscored
Feb 2, 2014

The game accidentally became a perfect metaphor for itself. It's often charming and it really does mean well, but it has a bad habit of tripping over its own four feet when it really counts. I want to love my Octodad. I really do. But I don't think he really understands me, and – worse – I don't think he really understands himself.

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8 / 10.0
Feb 2, 2014

And that's where Octodad really shines. It keeps you laughing with the sheer absurdity of its lead character, the not-so-subtle references, and fumbling physical comedy that's made all the more potent through your participation. Like a plate of sushi, it might seem a bit pricey for what you get, but it's worth paying a small premium for a fresh catch.

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6 / 10
Feb 2, 2014

Octodad: Dadliest Catch has moments of comic brilliance, but much of it is uninspired, and it ends before it really even gets going.

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Feb 1, 2014

Octodad: Dadliest Catch is an absurdist delight. It only has one joke, but it's a damn good one. Though the game itself falters perhaps towards the end as Young Horses try to force things a little too much, it is to be hoped that the creation tools and the Workshop included with the game extend its lifespan. A brave and bonkers game, for the most part Octodad lollops along the fine line between fun and frustration with gloriously haphazard aplomb.

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Jan 31, 2014

The game's fun outweighs its faults. Do I recommend you go purchase this game right away? Absolutely!

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9 / 10.0
Jan 31, 2014

Dadliest Catch is a wily, outstanding title in the vein of infamous freeware QWOP. With awkward controls, volatile physics and formidable environmental puzzles working in compelling harmony, Dadliest Catch makes the player the architect of physical comedy in a brilliant and idiosyncratic way.

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5.8 / 10.0
Jan 31, 2014

Funny at first, but the jokes wear thin as harder objectives set in

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Andy Kelly
Top Critic
45 / 100
Jan 31, 2014

Starts out funny, but quickly becomes frustrating. A wonderfully weird and original concept that falls flat like its jelly-limbed hero.

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Jan 31, 2014

Young Horses' Octodad: Dadliest Catch makes up for clunky controls and a rough final act with undeniable humor and charm.

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9 / 10.0
Jan 30, 2014

It's a great joke of a game where the punchline can be felt by both players and spectators, and that's why I think Octodad is so special.

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Jan 30, 2014

It might be brief, but Octodad is definitely worth checking out for anyone interested in a charming, hilarious experience. Also, you get to play as an octopus, which... you know, is pretty awesome.

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Jan 30, 2014

Octodad: Dadliest Catch knows exactly what type of experience it wants to deliver and, for the most part, it succeeds in doing so. The mechanics work well and the concept is charming and enjoyable. But a few rough patches will likely keep players from seeing the game as anything more than a pleasant distraction or a fun sandbox to mess around in. Luckily, Octodad is a relatively short experience, and even when it starts to get a little dull or frustrating, there's always something different for Octodad to struggle to do.

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Jan 30, 2014

Its brevity and reliance on contrived challenges work against Octodad: Deadliest Catch, but when it's at its best, it's a damn hilarious game that'll charm the pants off most players.

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8 / 10.0
Jan 30, 2014

In the end, I would not be surprised to hear that the Octodad community is thriving years down the road. It exudes a certain weirdness and charm that makes it stand out from a lot of other titles out there, and there are tools in place for it to live on past the point when the credits start to roll. Though it has some issues with framerate drops and its approach to control is definitely not for everybody, Dadliest Catch kept a smile on my face for most of its duration.

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EGM
Top Critic
9 / 10.0
Jan 30, 2014

Smartly built, endlessly entertaining, and unexpectedly heartwarming, Dadliest Catch manages to turn an utterly ridiculous concept into one of the most surprising games in recent memory.

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