Dave the Diver demo is a no-nonsense pixel art adventure. The no-frills title alone grabbed my attention, as did the gorgeous pixel art cinematics seen in the trailer. This was going to be a post about ‘coming soon to Steam Next Fest’, but it looked that good, I downloaded the demo.
It’s no surprise that you play the titular character. Sunning it with a beer in hand, this chap is already a character you can root for – even his rotund appearance was a winner. In case you hadn’t guessed it, Dave is a diver, and you’ll get to do lots of it in this demo from Mintrocket.
Dave the diver was actually on vacation, but he receives a phone call from the dubious Cobra and his banana-infused Hawaiian shirt, informing him that a giant blue hole has appeared, and he (Cobra) sees this as an incredible business opportunity. Y’see, Dave dives by day and works in a sushi restaurant by night.
Dave the Diver looks and feels like a pixel art ABZU, but instead of harmony, you’re dashing about with a dagger and harpoon in hand. If you’ve already seen the trailer, you’ll know what to expect in the deep blue… This giant blue hole is as vibrant as the tropical islands above it. The colours are wonderful, as is the marine life.
As a fishkeeper (see Aquarium Designer…), I got all smug as I caught numerous fish underwater to be sold in the sushi bar above, knowing full well the species names, having kept a few back in my brief days of having a marine tank. But that’s all irrelevant. I’m just sharing my experience of why I LOVE this so much.
Dave the Diver is a great character. He’s certainly no action hero and perhaps a little too naive as Cobra manages to get him to work as a diver and source products on the cheap, but he’s just so likeable. It’s not just Cobra pulling the strings but the kimono-wearing Bancho – the sushi chef – who dictates what’s required for the running of the restaurant. Which, I hasten to add, only opens at night.
Back to the sea, you have to explore looking for ingredients. Your tool of choice is a harpoon which will reel in small fish as long as you aim correctly. You can even electrocute fish, too. For the larger, stronger fish, you might have to attempt a couple of times before mashing the A button (if on a controller) to collect it. Fish are ranked, and based on their status; you’ll earn more money.
In addition to the fish, there will be predators and general nasties that you can’t catch but will have to fight off with your dagger, katana – whatever comes to hand. There are other items you can loot from treasure chests, but the dagger was 100% better than the toy mallet I found. Dave the diver, like most hoomans, will run out of air eventually, so you have to plan your exploration so you can source enough oxygen scattered on the sea bed, or locate one of the escape pods before running out of air because you’re carrying too much.
There are only two points in the day that you can dive: morning and afternoon; then, in the evening, it’s time to put on your apron as Dave the Waiter, not Dave the Diver. This is an entirely different style of play as you have to add the ingredients you caught to the menu, and then manually deliver them to the customers. It’s a bit like Overcooked, to some degree. You also have to pour drinks for the customers, using just the right amount of fluid for a perfect score. You even have to clean up while the punters are in. Yikes!
What can I say? I adore Dave the Diver. What a great little title. From the flashy visuals to the feel-good music, more importantly, the fun of exploring the deep. Alas, a release date hasn’t been set, which could mean it’s a 2023 game, but it’ll be worth it.
Join my pact and wishlist Dave the Diver now. Oh, perhaps you want to play it first? The demo is available now on Steam and during the Steam Next Fest.
Member discussion