Dave the Diver

Dave the Diver is a humorous adventure game with RPG, roguelike and economic elements. It was developed by an indie studio Mitrocket. Players must explore the oceanic depths during the day and run a successful restaurant during the night, serving caught sealife to the customers.

Plot

We play as a titular Dave, a heavy-set, yet skilled diver. Alongside his friend Bancho - a natural at preparing seafood - he runs a sushi restaurant next to the Blue Hole rift.

While conducting research for archeologist Bacon, Dave comes across a marine civilization facing great danger. He decides to save both their world and his.

Mechanics

The game revolves around relaxing exploration, character growth and business management. Every day the player must dive in search of resources and fish to serve our customers. There are also underwater ruins to explore, full of puzzles and treasure.

There are over 200 species of sealife to encounter, including sharks, narwhals and hermit crabs (some serve as bosses). We battle them using a wide roster of weaponry tailored to our playstyle. If we so wish, we can take along a sniper rifle or a shotgun - it will massively increase our firepower, but also affect the quality of harvested resources. To gain better loot we must use weaker, riskier equipment such as harpoons, nets and tranquilizer darts.

While underwater, we must watch out for our oxygen tank and the weight of resources Dave is carrying. The heavier things we carry, the heavier and less agile we become. Our weight may prove to be a life-or-death matter when escaping predators, pirates and sea monsters.

The other main mechanic of Dave the Diver is the sushi restaurant. Initially, we're the ones taking care of everything: harvesting products, preparing recipes, cooking, serving drinks, keeping customers happy. Earned money can be spent on hiring and training employees, who's relieve us of some of our duties or entirely take them over.

Technical aspects

Dave the Diver features colorful, pixel art visuals with some 3D elements. As a whole, the graphics make the ocean depths rather uniquely atmospheric.

Last updated on 25 October 2023