Dave the Diver Review: Sushi Delight

Dave the Diver is that rare and beautiful thing: a game that comes out of nowhere and absolutely blows you away with, well, just about every aspect. It looks gorgeous, its gameplay is surprising and fulfilling, and we’ve found it difficult to pull ourselves away from it. The trifecta of perfection? Well, close enough.

Perhaps the only thing you can ascertain from Dave the Diver’s rather mundane title – the one sub-par thing about the game – is that you take on the role of Dave who is, in fact, a diver. But he’s not just a diver. Sure, by day Dave finds himself delving into the depths of the Big Blue, hunting for fish. But by night he’s suddenly become the manager of a sushi restaurant. And so, playing your way through Dave the Diver becomes a balance of exploring the ocean, gathering fish, and ensuring your sushi restaurant keeps running swimmingly.

You might not like the idea of hunting down rare fish from the wild to serve ’em up in fancy sushi dishes. Fair. And we’re not exactly condoning heading to your nearest ocean and acting out Dave the Diver IRL. But gathering fishies in-game is actually rather satisfying. To start out with, you’ll have just two basic weapons: a tiny combat knife and a harpoon. Your harpoon will probably get the most use, and smaller fish closer to the surface can be grabbed with ease. As you make your way further into the ocean depths, however, you’ll need to be better prepared. More powerful tools can be found on each exploration, and permanent upgrades to your loadout can be bought as you progress. Soon enough, you’ll have an arsenal of guns at your disposal. Yes, it’s not exactly the most ideal way of fishing, but it works for Dave.

When it comes to keeping your restaurant running, you’ll need to pull off nightly shifts. Thankfully, cooking is covered by your chef, but you’ll need to ensure everyone gets their dish in a timely manner. The night’s menu is set by you, dependent on what you’ve caught recently, and you’ll need to keep an eye on dishes selling out, updating the menu accordingly. Diner Dash-style, you’ll be running up and down the bar, taking people their correct orders, pouring drinks, keeping the wasabi topped up and the tabletops clean. It’s busy work, and it’s easy to get overwhelmed. Thankfully, it won’t be long until you can hire a member of staff or two to help you out.

With another server (or two) by your side, running your sushi restaurant becomes much more manageable. We soon got to the point where our co-workers dealt with food orders and we could just focus on pouring the drinks: a much less stressful shift indeed. There’s been times we’ve enjoyed serving in the restaurant so much that we’ve cursed when our shift has come to an end. Alas, Dave needs to keep the fish stocked up, and that means another day out dredging the depths.

There’s more than just fishing to be done when Dave is underwater, however. A large part of the story revolves around you discovering an ancient civilisation of underwater people, which proves fascinating. There’s also a pair of dolphins you’ll continuously help out, large sharks and other aquatic predators to protect yourself from, and rival underwater hunters to fend off. You’ll also get various missions that task you with collecting certain items, be it shells or specific creatures. Being able to upgrade your weapons and equipment also means having a good store of materials, too, which need to be found underwater.

There’s a lot to do in Dave the Diver, then, and it’s the type of game where your work never feels done. But really, that’s the joy here. Whether you’re serving up sushi, catching fish, or exploring to discover a hidden cave, every element of the game is so enjoyable that you’re always raring to get to the next thing that comes your way.

It’s all helped by the fact that this is an absolutely stunning-looking game. Dave the Diver’s pixelated world – especially when underwater – has been created with such gorgeous, sublime detail that we just can’t get enough of it. Its animated cutscenes are absolutely wonderful too, showcasing just how much personality and talent the development team at Mintrocket have.

A triumph in just about every way, Dave the Diver is undoubtedly going to be one of 2023’s biggest success stories. This gorgeous adventure keeps you hooked no matter what you’re doing. Whether you’re serving up sushi, catching fish or exploring the depths of the oceans for long-lost secrets, you’ll struggle to pull yourself away. We just love it. Even if it does leave us craving sushi – but it’s a small price to pay.