Dave the Diver Review

Dive In, Get Hooked: Dave the Diver is Just Plain Awesomeness. Seriously, if you have not checked out Dave the Diver yet, you are missing out on something special. It sounds a bit weird on paper, you are a big dude who dives for fish during the day and runs a sushi restaurant at night, but trust me, it mashes those ideas together into one of the most addictive and charming games I have played in ages.

Gameplay: 9/10

This is where Dave the Diver knocks it out of the park. The core loop is genius. By day, you dive into the Blue Hole, a mysterious patch of ocean where the fish and the layout change on each dive. You are harpooning fish, dodging sharks, managing your oxygen, finding treasures, and upgrading your gear (flippers, air tank, harpoon gun). The diving just feels great. You get to explore caves, discover new species of fish, collect items, and occasionally run into a huge boss fight.

Then, at night, you take your catch to Bancho Sushi. You help set the menu, serve demanding customers (make sure you pour that green tea or beer just right), hire and train staff, then use your profits to upgrade the restaurant and your diving gear. The two halves feed each other perfectly: better diving gear gets you rarer, more valuable fish, which makes the restaurant more money, which lets you get even better gear.

On top of that, there are tons of side activities to engage in from managing a fish farm, taking photos, out-of-control mini-games, farming seaweed, helping ancient Sea People. It never gets boring because there is always something new popping up. It is insanely addictive.

Story: 7/10

The story is not trying to be some super epic, and that is perfect. You are Dave, a super chill yet slightly overwhelmed fella roped into this whole diving and sushi gig by his smooth-talking (and slightly shady) buddy, Cobra. You meet a cast of really funny and memorable characters like Bancho, the stoic sushi master; Duff, the anime-obsessed weaponsmith; the Sea People with their ancient secrets. There are twists, silly moments, and a surprising amount of heart, especially as you uncover the mysteries of the Blue Hole. It is lighthearted and gives great context for all the crazy stuff you are doing. The story keeps you engaged enough, but the real star is the gameplay here.

Graphics: 8/10

The game looks fantastic. It uses a gorgeous pixel art style with tons of detail and full of personality. The underwater sections are vibrant and colorful, packed with amazing-looking fish (that animate really well when you harpoon them), cool coral reefs, and spooky deep-sea areas. The character sprites are expressive and funny, especially during cutscenes. Even the sushi looks delicious. It nails that retro vibe while still feeling modern and polished.

Sound and Music: 9/10

I still hum some of the tunes from Dave the Diver occasionally. The music is super catchy, especially the tunes that play during the diving sections and the surprisingly bumping tracks at Bancho Sushi when it gets busy. Sound effects are spot-on. The THWACK of the harpoon, the glug sound of diving, the satisfying cha-ching of the cash register, the little voice clips the characters have. It all adds so much personality and makes the world feel alive. You will probably have the restaurant theme stuck in your head for days (in a good way).

Controls: 9/10

The controls feel tight and responsive, which is important when you are trying to dodge a shark or perfectly aim your harpoon at the same time. Swimming feels natural and managing your inventory is easy. Even the restaurant serving mini-games feel intuitive after a minute or two. Whether you are using a keyboard and mouse or a controller, everything just works smoothly which makes playing feel effortless.

Final Verdict: 9/10

Dave the Diver is simply brilliant. It blends two totally different types of gameplay (action exploration diving and management sim) seamlessly and wraps it all in charming visuals and sound while throwing in a fun story with memorable characters. The core loop always feels fresh and there is a surprising amount of depth and content. It is one of those games that respects your time while always giving you something fun and rewarding to do. If you are looking for a unique and completely engaging game you can sink hours into without even noticing, you absolutely need to play Dave the Diver. It is easily one of the best indie games in years.

Captured on PS5. Screenshots may contain spoilers.