Dave the Diver

Game Review

It's amazing to have such an experience in Blue Hole

Summary

The first time I entered this world, I was drawn by the stunning sceneview of Blue Hole, where I started my business: fishing and sushi. This game combines both diving adventure and management sim, where I split my time between fishing in the daytime and managing a sushi bar at night. Playing as an over-gentle diver, I loved the moments when I was chatting with my friends, even merpeople, and fishing in the Blue Hole alone.

Gameplay Analysis

The most attractive elements lie in the fishing adventure, including various weapons and random items. Each time I dive into the ocean, it feels like a rogue-like game. The changeable terrain and sea life constantly provide challenges. So I have to take measures to improve my combat effectiveness, including enlarge my oxygen tank, upgrade weapons and refine swimsuit. All the resources used for uprades come from the sushi bar's profits. After a whole day fishing, I go back to Bancho Sushi with tons of sea food and dressings, which provides me with financial support.


Distinguished from leisure simulation games, it may push you into a combat with a wried creature when you are enjoying capturing small fish, or you may find yourself trapped in a well-designed maze just because you make a promise to the merpeople. Those thrilling challenges always kept me up late into the night.

Pixel Artstyle

When I was buried in the Blue Hole, it was also hard to move my eyes from the stunning sceneview. Dave the Diver can be one of the most beautiful pixel games I've ever played. It's not simply about the colors or animations, but the funny ideas within those cutscenes and characters. Dave's friends are so obsessed with Japanese stuff, like sushi, kimono and manga. And the cutscenes look like parts of a Japanese animation series in pixel style.

Whole Story

The plot line is longer than I initially thought when I met the first merpeople in the ocean. The Blue Hole is a peaceful place for Dave and his friends, then I found another undisturbed town inside the fairy tale. The narrative elements are baked into the fishing experience perfectly. When I am busy catching fish for my sushi bar, I can also collect ingredients needed for my merpeople friends. As I solved more puzzles for them, they would show me more undiscovered areas and new species of fish.

Conclusion

It was an amazing experience to enjoy another different life in the Blue Hole, diving, fighting, and becoming a resturant manager. It provides me with numbers of minigames and an appealing story. I am so happy to see such an interesting game, funny but also heart-warming.