Octodad: Dadliest Catch Reviews

Octodad: Dadliest Catch is ranked in the 56th percentile of games scored on OpenCritic.
GamesBeat
Top Critic
91 / 100
Jan 29, 2014

Octodad is a great example of a game that conveys a message through gameplay. In conjunction with its story, characters, and setting, the controls offer an empathetic look into the life of an extreme outsider trying to fit in and trying to do right by his family.

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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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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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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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May 8, 2014

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.

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8.5 / 10.0
May 2, 2014

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.

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8.5 / 10.0
Nov 9, 2015

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.

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Jan 29, 2014

Some late-game issues not withstanding, Dadliest Catch is a charming, bizarre, genuinely likable little game.

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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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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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8 / 10
Jan 29, 2014

A rewarding, idiosyncratic romp imbued with nonsense, humour, and pathos.

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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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Jan 29, 2014

The brilliant design used throughout Octodad: Dadliest Catch brings out the absolute best from a bizarre concept that simply needs to be played to be believed.

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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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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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8 / 10.0
Jan 29, 2014

Playing and enjoying Octodad: Dadliest Catch seems to require an active narcotic influence; however, thanks to deliberately obtuse controls and a conscious sense of humor, even the most capable operator will inevitably render their invertebrate avatar a hilarious mess of tentacles and destruction. In a game like this there's careful line between frustration and elation, and Octodad walks it (or slides down, falls along, slithers against - whatever) with appreciable balance.

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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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Hardcore Gamer
HG Staff
Top Critic
4 / 5.0
Apr 22, 2014

Octodad succeeds as both a gut-busting slapstick routine and a touching treatise on what it means to be a family. It's a little short, and it won't turn the gaming world on its head, but at least it's fun, replayable, heartwarming and didn't cost 15 million dollars.

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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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8 / 10.0
Aug 25, 2015

Octodad is a short, sweet story with some fun gameplay and challenging tasks. Grab three friends for some multiplayer action.

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