Dave the Diver Review | Worth the Dive

I really enjoy multiplayer games. Partying up with friends and spending a few hours talking smack and playing video games is a great time. But as an introvert, it can also be draining. During those times, when I boot up my console and set my status to “Appear Offline,” I usually have a single-player game waiting for me. Games like Stardew Valley or Potion Permit. Recently, that game has been Dave the Diver from MintRocket, a separate sub-brand of NEXON. Chances are, if you follow any video game related accounts on the internet, you probably have the incredibly positive buzz around this game. With all that in mind, for the past two weeks I have been playing Dave the Diver to find out how deserving it is of all that praise.

You play as Dave, the titular diver who partners up with Cobra and Bancho to open a sushi restaurant by the water. By day, you go diving for fish, sometimes for the restaurant and sometimes for strangers with deep pockets, and at night, you work as a server, carrying food to tables and scrubbing tables. Much like the other games I mentioned, Dave the Diver has a pretty simple gameplay loop but its success is in its clean execution and charming presentation. Not all the characters are likable, but they are distinct and eccentric in their own way. And it is amidst them all that our kind and rotund protagonist shines.

Most of your time in the game will be spent underwater where you will be searching for loot, hunting for fish, and looking for oxygen tanks. Your primary objective on any given day is to dive for fish to put on the restaurant’s menu but there are also plenty of side quests to distract you. Dave the Diver is sort of like its setting, the deeper you go, the more you will be rewarded. It’s a perfectly good game on the surface, featuring easy-to-learn mechanics and a short day-night cycle that makes the game easy to pick up and put down. But engaging with the various apps on the phone and diving for more than just the tiny fish is where the real fun lies.

The game is advertised as a chill RPG but that doesn’t mean it can’t get intense. One of the most enticing parts of the gameplay loop is the risk/reward of taking a dive. As you explore the ever-changing expanse of the deep blue, you have to constantly gauge your oxygen levels and ask yourself if it’s worth pushing deeper for the prospect of better finds. And in the instances where you do decide to keep going, it can get intense as you desperately grapple with the question of going back to the last escape pod or pushing even further in hopes of finding one around the corner. Running out of oxygen isn’t a game over because you can still be pulled out by Cobra, but you can only bring one item back up with you, nullifying all your hard work.

As I said earlier, there are plenty of optional objectives to entertain you but the game takes its time setting it up. Over the first five hours, you will slowly be introduced to the mechanics that will keep you busy for the next twenty to thirty. These can range from an app where you can buy upgrades to shops where you can buy weapons. And we can’t forget the weird mini-games either. It is impressive that despite not having a lot of change of scenery, Dave the Diver doesn’t ever get stale. The side content doesn’t entirely get the credit for this but it is a testament to the game’s solid core design.

To touch on the pick-up and play point specifically, I played Dave the Diver on a Steam Deck and I think a big part of why I enjoyed it and why I put so much time into it over a short time, is that convenience. Much like my addiction to Stardew Valley was abated by the portability of the Nintendo Switch, I love the fact that I don’t have to boot up my PC and sit up in my office chair to play the game. I often lounged back on the couch, playing the game while a sitcom played in the background. I don’t think Valve’s handheld is perfect for all Steam games, but this one is certainly one of them.

Dave the Diver has a pleasant blue color palette that’s easy to look at and not hard on the eyes. It can be bright for those who like gaming in the dark but that is an easy fix on the Steam Deck. Right from the opening animation, the game has a strong sense of presentation and though the story isn’t always presented in that way, its character is carried through in all other aspects. That same breezy vibe carries over to the audio department. The music of Dave the Diver is pleasant and while I rarely just sat and listened to it as I played (I often played the game while I listened to other things) I still enjoyed the pairing. Same goes for the effective sound design that doesn’t feel overbearing or distracting.

I want to preface the last point I want to make by saying that it is simply an observation and that it did not effect my overall score for the game. That being said, I have put over a dozen hours into Dave the Diver and I am not sure what it’s message is. (If it has any.) What do I mean by this? Well, the game seems to emphasize the taste of exotic meats, including sharks. Putting aside the bias of the lifelong shark admirer in me, in a world where sharks are being over hunted, I am not sure what the impact of talking about the tastiness of shark meat has. Furthermore, there are interactions that Dave and his crew have with a dangerous environmental activist group and they are painted in a dark light. Once again, it’s a game, but it makes some odd choices in these matters. Especially when it is centered so much around the ocean.

Nothing I have said in this review should come as a surprise. Dave the Diver is a fantastic game that’s easy to sink time into. It has a simple and addictive gameplay loop with plenty of side content to keep you entertained. If you’re looking for a new light-hearted RPG to get addicted to, put this game at the top of your list. My only drawback with the game is a personal one due to a lifelong love of sharks, but past some missions, it’s something I can ignore. Dave the Diver is available now on PC. A review code was provided by the publisher.