Octodad: Dadliest Catch Reviews
Octodad: Dadliest Catch has moments of comic brilliance, but much of it is uninspired, and it ends before it really even gets going.
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.
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.
Dadliest Catch may have the worst control scheme of any game I've ever played, and that's the entire point.
Octodad: Deadliest Catch is a silly game with a silly yet simple idea, and it works well in just being that.
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.
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.
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.
The game stumbles, though, when it focuses more on the "octo" and less on the "dad."
Octodad: Dadliest Catch's back half wouldn't be so disappointing if the front wasn't so wacky and enjoyable. The titular octopus has the potential to gain as iconic a status in indie gaming as Meat Boy or Minecraft Steve - he just needs a consistently great game to achieve it.
Don't get me wrong, Octodad is a ton of fun. It's got a self-aware irreverence—call it the Katamari factor—that you usually only find in indie games. That being said, with games like that, I usually focus on the stand-out moments, like the big reveals in Gone Home, the progressive decay of Limbo, or even the silly mysteries of something as slight as Frog Fractions. Octodad doesn't have anything like that. It's a giddy little glide full of heart and genuine goodwill, but never manifesting into anything more than a distraction.
So grab some friends, throw Octodad: Dadliest Catch up on the big screen, and prepare to laugh and stumble your way through the life of one of the world's best dads.
Octodad: Dadliest Catch offers a short, good value and entertaining romp that should satisfy those looking for something a little different.
Octodad: Dadliest Catch is a rare beast, then, because it made me laugh out loud the first moment that I ambled down the aisle to meet my doting bride-to-be. Whilst the joke didn't have me splitting my sides with laughter for the entire duration, the shift to a more endearing tale of one sea-dwelling creature's pursuit of a normal life was a welcome one. Octodad: Dadliest Catch is a lovely game, despite its issues.
In the end, Octodad is an interesting and amusing title, a good game to pick up and play with friends for short gaming bursts. If however, you are liable to fits of rage then for the love of God, avoid.
The concept of Octodad: Deadliest Catch is clever and the overall experience is good for some laughs. But it is hard to recommend a game that is fun for little over an hour. Young Horses just doesn't seem to know what to do with their good idea.
I can't really figure out why the developers felt they needed to add some of the frustrating platforming sections seen in the second half of the game.
Octodad: Dadliest Catch is a game that embraces its craziness. The title's zany controls lead to some even stranger onscreen occurrences, and that culminates in a lot of unexpected entertainment. The release does start to grate in long sessions, and perhaps doesn't have enough gameplay variety to carry its core idea, but with PlayStation Move support and a ridiculous co-op component, the package will spread a smile across even the sternest countenance.
An often hilarious bit of video-game slapstick that makes up for its shonky second half with delightful gags and a lovably clumsy protagonist.