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If Dave the Diver proves something, it is that one should not make judgements primarily based on appearances. Not solely does the loveable lead character exceed the expectations of his cohorts at each flip, however the sport itself goes properly past what it seems to be like. At a look, this can be a charming journey about exploring the ocean, catching fish, and operating a sushi restaurant. It’s all that, however it additionally refuses to settle, continually evolving the expertise in shocking and compelling methods.
All of it begins with a powerful core loop already in place. Each time you dive into the mysterious Blue Gap, its structure and the marine life inside it will likely be barely completely different. It is your job, armed with a harpoon and secondary weapon, to catch numerous fish species with a purpose to then serve them up within the close by sushi restaurant. Solely open throughout the evenings, this aspect of the sport is a administration sim of kinds, as you place dishes on the menu, improve them to earn more cash, and serve the purchasers Diner Sprint fashion. The money you earn from the restaurant will be spent on upgrades in your diving tools, letting you catch larger, extra harmful fish, keep underwater for longer, and go progressively deeper.
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For many video games of this ilk, that might be sufficient; the 2 halves of Dave the Diver work splendidly, completely feeding into one another as you uncover new creatures beneath the waves, analysis new dishes, and discover the Blue Gap extra deeply. Nevertheless, it would not take lengthy earlier than this easy, addictive cycle is supplemented with extra layers, and it is this dedication to broadening the sport that makes it stand out.
Quickly, you’ll rent and prepare employees for the restaurant. Weapons discovered within the water develop into blueprints so you possibly can craft them completely. You may get a digicam to take photographs at sure spots, incomes you a bit more money. Particular occasions and VIPs will demand particular meals on sure days. Nighttime dives are launched, letting you catch nocturnal species at the price of a shorter night time on the restaurant. Collectable playing cards, boss battles, new diving gear, minigames galore — the sport is rarely sitting nonetheless. The excellent news is that each addition — and there are way over we have talked about — makes good sense and enhances the general expertise.
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These additional complexities are added at a good tempo, however it would not really feel overwhelming at any level. It is a formidable achievement, as a result of the sport turns into so dense with options by the top, and you will barely discover. We’ll say that some facets of Dave the Diver aren’t notably properly defined, or not touched on in any respect, leaving us scratching our head every so often. Nevertheless, a lot of the sport’s techniques are easy sufficient that the quick tutorials are ample.
Working hand-in-hand with this gameplay evolution is the story. Equally, it begins off small as Dave, enterprise guru Cobra, and famend chef Bancho work collectively to begin a sushi restaurant beside the ever-changing Blue Gap, however issues escalate shortly. New characters are folded in quick, whether or not it is Dr. Bacon and his analysis into the legendary Sea Individuals civilisation, weapon professional Duff, or the surprisingly antagonistic environmentalist John Watson. Whether or not they play an enormous or small half within the sport, every new face is given plenty of character, particularly in case you take the time to undergo all of the aspect missions.
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What provides to that is some sensible presentational aptitude. The artwork fashion combines pixel artwork sprites with vibrant 3D environments and it’s extremely visually pleasing, however we’ve to offer a shout-out to the superb cutscenes peppered all through. These seize the characters so properly. Duff’s love of anime is ever-present as he builds new weaponry; VIPs fed the dishes they request have their minds blown by flavour; and Bancho will shortly develop into a favorite as he stoically hones his culinary craft in badass type. Dave the Diver throws buckets of character onto its rising pile of concepts.
It’s kind of of a miracle that all of it hangs collectively in addition to it does. The straightforward enjoyable of exploring underwater areas and catching new fish is rarely misplaced, and the constant additional options complement the core loop and cease it from turning into too repetitive. Some additions are higher than others, in fact, however by and huge all of it feeds again into the diving and the restaurant in some vogue, which means every little thing has price even when some elements are much less properly executed.
It is sure elements in the principle missions which might be of slight concern. Typically there are distinctive occasions, puzzles, minigames, or encounters all through the story, and whereas all of them hold issues contemporary, it is not all made equal. Aggressive fish is usually a ache to fend off in case you’re caught out; some boss fights are fiddly affairs, particularly together with your restricted aiming angles; and one notably fussy puzzle had us questioning our sanity for a second. Any frustration is short-lived, although, and frequent autosaves imply you may by no means lose a lot progress in case you fail.
Conclusion
Dave the Diver, like the ocean, is way deeper than you assume it’s. It charms with its engaging visuals and addictive loop of diving for fish and operating a restaurant, however it by no means rests on its laurels, at all times discovering new methods to boost the enjoyable. There’s by no means a uninteresting second, whether or not it is a complete new function increasing the gameplay, an sudden new story beat, or one other hilarious cutscene to take pleasure in. It is this fixed reinvention and shock that makes the sport so compelling, even by the occasional rougher moments. In the event you’ve but to expertise it for your self, we would extremely encourage that you just make the leap.