WARDOGS
WARDOGS
Game
Game2023
DAVE THE DIVER
Developer MINTROCKET
Dave the Diver is a 2023 video game developed and published by Mintrocket. The game combines both action-adventure and management gameplay styles as players explore deep sea environments to gather ingredients for a sushi restaurant. It was released for macOS and Windows in June 2023 following an early access release in October 2022. A Nintendo Switch version was released in October 2023. From Wikipedia (CC BY-SA 4.0)
693 reactions from 4 sources (Steam reviews, Bluesky, Mastodon, Lemmy) · newest Nov 5, 2026 · last updated Nov 5, 2026 · How this works
Audience score
90
LovedLoved
464 positive · 52 negative
95% range 87–92%
| Source | + | − | = |
|---|---|---|---|
| Steam reviews | 464 | 52 | 0 |
| Bluesky * | 40 | 11 | 91 |
| Mastodon * | 7 | 0 | 21 |
| Lemmy * | 1 | 1 | 5 |
* shown, not counted in the score (label accuracy below our 85% bar or not yet audited).
Steam's own rating
Overwhelmingly Positive
54,874 of 56,913 reviews positive (all languages, per Valve)
What players are saying
88% recommend · 269 yes, 35 no
Counted from the reviewers’ own thumbs up/down on the 304 English Steam reviews we collected, not by the AI. Valve’s all-language rating: Overwhelmingly Positive (157,862 of 163,631 positive).
Players praise the game's charming art, engaging gameplay loop, and surprising variety. [1][2][3] Some reviewers find the constant introduction of new mechanics overwhelming and tedious. [4][5][6] A few posters debate whether the game qualifies as an indie title. [7][8][9]
Liked
Representative posts
- [5]
I played a lot of this game, but I don't recommend it. First 5-10 hours were fun, getting into the loops and finding new fish and places to explore. After that it gets kinda tedious and they throw way too much disparate stuff at the wall. Why is a whole part of the seapeople story just bad balatro? The shoehorned in content with mxmtoon didn't add anything to the game, comes out of nowhere and doesn't make sense. …
- [1]
I'm an older former spear fisherman. Due to injuries unable to dive anymore. This beautiful game has taken me back in time and has given me hours of fun and relaxation,
- [2]
Dave the Diver is one of those rare games that just gets it. You start playing “just to try it out” and suddenly it’s 3 AM, you’re running a sushi bar, hunting sharks, managing employees, saving the ocean, and vibing to one of the best soundtracks in recent memory. The visuals are gorgeous. The pixel-art animations are insanely smooth and full of personality. Every character is charming, weird, and memorable in the …
- [3]
The amount of love that is displayed in this game is something that deserves respect. I honestly didn't had much expectations other than sort of a cozy game with an interesting 2.5D pixel art .. but boy oh boy... what an experience.- From the game mechanics itself, to the whole story, the sushi bar gameplay, the animations, everything, its just excellent. Not only its a beautiful game, but it feels like a tribute to …
- [4]
I really like Dave the Diver, but I do think it's suffering a bit from feature creep. Does the game really need that many systems and side activities that bogs down the main gameplay loop?
Summarised from 34 of the 460 public posts collected about this game; every point cites the posts behind it ([n] opens the post) and the split is counted from the posts’ own ratings. Updated Oct 11, 2026. How summaries are made
RottenBot@rottenbot · automated account
Players who liked DAVE THE DIVER talk about charming pixel art and smooth animations; those who didn't talk about too many mechanics and side activities. Which matters more to you?
Critics, per Wikipedia
Dave the Diver received "universal acclaim" based on 44 critic reviews according to review aggregator website Metacritic. In Japan, four critics from Famitsu gave the game a total score of 36 out of 40, with one critic awarding the game a perfect 10. Praising the game's complexity, yet calling it "utterly relaxing", PC Gamer's reviewer said it already made his shortlist for game of the year as of June 2023. Destructoid called the gameplay "engaging", and said the story was "silly, yet endearing". IGN labeled it as an editors' choice and said it is "wholesome, wonderfully complex, and delightfully hard to put down". Eurogamer said it was "wholesome, harmonious, and completely unwilling to…
From the “Reception” section of Wikipedia, CC BY-SA 4.0. Critic context only — not part of the audience score.
Reactions
60 of 693 · most liked firstI'm an older former spear fisherman. Due to injuries unable to dive anymore. This beautiful game has taken me back in time and has given me hours of fun and relaxation,
positive · reviewer's own thumbsView post →BALDUR'S GATE 3 IS NOT AN INDIE. EXPEDITION 33 IS NOT AN INDIE. DAVE THE DIVER IS NOT AN INDIE. If you're making an Indie game of the year list, PLEASE consider the scope, funding, team, publisher, and contractors involved. Rant over.
neutral · AI labelView post →THIS GAME IS great and iam only 7 years old so its good for young kids and my dad plays to so its good for adolts
positive · reviewer's own thumbsView post →---{ Graphics }--- ☐ You forget what reality is ☐ Beautiful ☑ Good ☐ Decent ☐ Bad ☐ Don‘t look too long at it ☐ MS-DOS ---{ Gameplay }--- ☑ Very good ☐ Good ☐ It's just gameplay ☐ Mehh ☐ Watch paint dry instead ☐ Just don't ---{ Audio }--- ☑ Eargasm ☐ Very good ☐ Good ☐ Not too bad ☐ Bad ☐ I'm now deaf ---{ Audience }--- ☑ Kids ☑ Teens ☑ Adults ☑ Grandma ---{ PC Requirements }--- ☑ Check if you can run paint ☐ Potato ☐ Decent ☐ Fast ☐ Rich boi ☐ Ask NASA if they have a spare computer ---{…
positive · reviewer's own thumbsView post →Dave the Diver is an ugly looking game and I'm sick of seeing it
negative · AI labelView post →Dave The Diver Mintrocket Steam disclosure. Recently used Gen AI to "assist" with localizations and translations. store.steampowered.com/app/1868140/... -E
neutral · AI labelView post →W for Bancho. Mf carried the entire restaurant with pure aura and cooking skills.
positive · reviewer's own thumbsView post →This game is an ADHD Gamers Dream. So much variety and tributes to all types of game genres
positive · reviewer's own thumbsView post →🔰SHREDVIEW🔰 - From someone who actually plays and finishes the games before reviewing. 🔷 ABOUT THE GAME & LORE 🔷 Now this one I bought because of the fuss around it, and I was honestly not disappointed! “Dave the Diver” looks goofy at first glance, and that’s exactly how it gets you. You play as Dave, a chunky, tired, very human dude who dives into the mysterious Blue Hole by day and runs a sushi restaurant by night, already fun isn’t it? What starts as a simple fishing loop slowly…
positive · reviewer's own thumbsView post →first game that actually cured, well not really cured, but got me away from league of legends for a while
positive · reviewer's own thumbsView post →I played a lot of this game, but I don't recommend it. First 5-10 hours were fun, getting into the loops and finding new fish and places to explore. After that it gets kinda tedious and they throw way too much disparate stuff at the wall. Why is a whole part of the seapeople story just bad balatro? The shoehorned in content with mxmtoon didn't add anything to the game, comes out of nowhere and doesn't make sense. Later game boss battles get extremely difficult, but don't add new fun…
negative · reviewer's own thumbsView post →Dave the Diver is one of those rare games that just gets it. You start playing “just to try it out” and suddenly it’s 3 AM, you’re running a sushi bar, hunting sharks, managing employees, saving the ocean, and vibing to one of the best soundtracks in recent memory. The visuals are gorgeous. The pixel-art animations are insanely smooth and full of personality. Every character is charming, weird, and memorable in the best way possible. The story is surprisingly good and keeps unfolding naturally…
positive · reviewer's own thumbsView post →Dave the Diver✅ Absolutely incredible game. I loved every single second of this game. The fishing, exploration, story, restaurant management, art style and story were all absolutely incredible. Balances being cozy and engaging perfectly imo. One of the GOATS imo. 9.9/10
positive · AI labelView post →I dread when day yields to night. i become a different person. a terrified employee who lives to serve master dave. i have never worked harder for a fictional man in my life. im sorry for every unhappy customer, dave. nobody can hate me more than i do myself. pls dont fire me. 10/10 game play
positive · reviewer's own thumbsView post →Jaeho Hwang the director of 'Dave the Diver' said they didn’t apply for the Indie Game Award at the Keighleys in 2023. “we’re making a game at Nexon, so there’s nothing indie about it." www.videogameschronicle.com/news/dave-th...
neutral · AI labelView post →Said I was playing Dave The Diver as my “side game” what the fuck happened?! 🤣👀😂💀
positive · AI labelView post →Dave The Diver is a beautiful game 😍
positive · AI labelView post →Dave the Diver, a game that was on my wishlist, used generative ai "for localization." And... shame! Shame that's not something I'm ever going to spend money on now!
negative · AI labelView post →I was making a normal review but then I thought "hey, this game is weird and loves to mix so many different things, let's make a weird review too." And so I will tell you the story of a cheerful overweight guy and the majestic aquatic adventures he reluctantly accepts to help his friends, in a colorful, bombastic and hyper diversified lagoon, where he happens to fish, help in a sushi restaurant, hunt, kill, being a spy, risking his neck every day.. it's the high price of coziness: this game was…
positive · reviewer's own thumbsView post →Dave the Diver presents itself to you firstly by just its simple title which is very giving. You play as..Dave, who, you guessed it, is a diver. But it's not as simple as that, even though at times I really wished it was. The game is slowly paced at the beginning of it; it tries to make you as comfortable as it can with its controls, its visuals and its gameplay. I would say it does a great job, but unfortunately there are times when you feel like the game has been designed against you or,…
positive · reviewer's own thumbsView post →The director of Dave the Diver has spoken about the controversy surrounding its Game Awards 2023 nomination for Best Indie Game. Jaeho Hwang says there's "nothing indie about it", and the nomination was nothing to do with his studio. www.videogameschronicle.com/news/dave-th...
neutral · AI labelView post →This game made me search ''Games like Dave The Diver'' on the internet just to find anything remotely like it to scratch that itch. Would reccomend to everyone. 10/10
positive · reviewer's own thumbsView post →I also just remembered the controversy last year with Dave the Diver literally not being an indie game but a small project from a major studio, but because it looked like a pixel art game Keighley decided "it must be an indie game right" and ignored all criticism.
neutral · AI labelView post →I really like Dave the Diver, but I do think it's suffering a bit from feature creep. Does the game really need that many systems and side activities that bogs down the main gameplay loop?
positive · reviewer's own thumbsView post →Stellar Blade Director Kim Hyung Tae and Dave the Diver Director Jaeho Hwang both say the game series that most inspired them is the Yakuza / Like A Dragon series! The two got together to have a long conversation about their love for the series! m.thisisgame.com/webzine/specia…
neutral · AI labelView post →I started Dave The Diver tonight and this will definitely be my chill side game. This game is addicting as fuck. Swim and catch ocean life by day and run a sushi shop by night. It’s ridiculous how good this game really is. 🍣🍱🚤🎣🐠🐟 Catch me out on the ocean 🌊☀️
positive · AI labelView post →The amount of love that is displayed in this game is something that deserves respect. I honestly didn't had much expectations other than sort of a cozy game with an interesting 2.5D pixel art .. but boy oh boy... what an experience.- From the game mechanics itself, to the whole story, the sushi bar gameplay, the animations, everything, its just excellent. Not only its a beautiful game, but it feels like a tribute to gamers. 10/10
positive · reviewer's own thumbsView post →I understand a lot of the appeal for this game: the artwork is nice, every character is brimming with personality etc... but I have put 30 hours into this game and I am beyond frustrated with the gameplay loop. Or rather that the game wont leave me alone so that I can just play the ♥♥♥♥♥♥♥ game. After every single single dive there will be a brand new thing to learn or person to meet or minigame shoved in your face that is not skippable. It has been 30 hours of non-stop tutorials. I just want…
negative · reviewer's own thumbsView post →This looks dope as hell. Dave the Diver is an excellent game and actual high quality cooking sims are rare. The art, animation and atmosphere seem top tier. store.steampowered.com/app/3596430/...
positive · AI labelView post →It's not bad, but it has many issues that aren't reflected in an "Overwhelmingly Positive" consensus. It's marketed as a fishing/restaurant management game. But it's not really that. The fishing/restaurant management aspects feel like more of a backdrop or a vehicle for an extremely basic puzzle game with various homages to a whole bunch of other games. For example, halfway through the game you have to play a Temu version of Balatro to continue. I love Balatro. I have Balatro. I can play it…
negative · reviewer's own thumbsView post →Call for co-streamers! The Triple-i Initiative showcase returns 8th October, with announcements from Dave the Diver, Risk of Rain 2, Windrose, Brotato, Among Us Story, Militsioner, Outward 2 & more, PLUS eight new game reveals! Sign up here: forms.gle/6Vjwh4PTYss5...
neutral · AI labelView post →I enjoyed a lot of my time with dave the diver, but the game didn’t fully resonate with me. while cute and charming at first, the consecutive introduction of new mechanics and mini-games distracted from key objectives without always directly supporting the main progression – or so it felt. it tries too much to be everything all at once, and whether intentional or not, it wasn’t for me. the game is clearly made with a lot of heart and passion, which I really appreciate. ultimately it comes…
positive · reviewer's own thumbsView post →Where have you been all my life? I do not have words to describe this feeling. This might just be the coolest game I have ever played outside of an mmo. They thought of everything exciting to throw at you through every turning corner of your progressive journey. Escape from Ever After had taken my number one spot until I played Dave the Diver. If it was not for watching Cohh Carnage I do not think I'd have even gave this game a chance. It took about 45 minutes to get in to the rhythm for me…
positive · reviewer's own thumbsView post →I bought Dave the Diver as the first recommendation for my shiny new Steam Deck and wow this game fits the Deck so perfectly it might as well have been preinstalled. The whole loop of diving with a harpoon during the day and running a sushi restaurant at night is genuinely brilliant but somewhere along the journey the developers must have formed a secret cult dedicated to adding more mechanics just to see how many they could dump in before someone snapped. I was peacefully catching fish and…
positive · reviewer's own thumbsView post →After finishing and getting the platinum for Dave The Diver it ended up being one of the most charming and genuinely fun games I’ve played in a long time. The game never takes itself too seriously, and that’s honestly its biggest strength, just when you settle into the gameplay loop, it throws some absurdly hilarious cutscene, random mini game, or over the top moment at you that somehow only makes the experience better. What surprised me most is how flexible the game is: you can focus almost…
positive · reviewer's own thumbsView post →The story is great. The gameplay is very engaging. I really regret not playing it sooner.
positive · reviewer's own thumbsView post →In light of the Dave the Diver/ Game Awards/ what IS indie?? conversation YET AGAIN, this remains the go-to yardstick for me:
neutral · AI labelView post →This is one of my favorite games to play on the steam deck. Absolutely rad 2d game with retro mini games all the way through. As soon as you think you know how to play, a new mini game comes along. The story is simple, but fun. The combat is also pretty simple but also very fun. Get the extra version just to give the devs more money, seriously. I have almost 80 hours in it and who knows how many unreported due to playing off line on the deck on flights. I need to hook that thing to…
positive · reviewer's own thumbsView post →The Godzilla DLC for 'Dave the Diver' gets delisted in 2 days on November 23rd! You can claim it for free (without owning the main game) on PlayStation and Switch. On Steam you need to own the main game.
neutral · AI labelView post →Ignored this game for a long time — I kept thinking, what could possibly be interesting about catching fish and working as a waiter? Now it’s the opposite: I get annoyed when the game distracts me from fishing with things like farming and chicken coops. 10 sushi rolls out of 10. P.S. Great game for Steam Deck
positive · reviewer's own thumbsView post →This game is pretty amazing and i absolutely loved the concept of this game ,the gameplay loop is fun but feels repetitive at times yet addictive. the characters are very well written and goofy which I absolutely adore, the story was engaging too. The Exploration is very rewarding in this game and i loved the fact that they added a farm and a fish farm which makes the game even better but it unlocks pretty late which I don't mind cause the game keeps you hooked! Overall my experience with…
positive · reviewer's own thumbsView post →Short review: BUY IT!! LOVE IT! Dave the Diver actually encouraged me to get a job at a sushi restaurant. And I mentioned it in my interview. Still short but longer review: Dave the Diver will bring a smile to your face every time you launch it. It is a masterfully made game that most importantly- doesn’t take itself too seriously. And this is actually its strong point. You’ll be flying through the story when all of a sudden, you’re hit with the most odd, hilarious cutscene or mini game.…
positive · reviewer's own thumbsView post →No focus group could have given me my favorite game last year, which was Dave the Diver
positive · AI labelView post →Started playing Balatro after playing the mini game in Dave the Diver and I have never been so compelled to play a game I keep losing at 🤔
neutral · AI labelView post →100% Recommended. This is my first Perfect Game on Steam, it absolutely deserves it. if you love pixel art, the ocean, sea creatures, and Japanese food, this game is 100% worth buying. my detailed review i became completely obsessed with this game for the past two weeks. i have almost 100 hours and i enjoyed every single min i spent playing it, and by the end, had collected every fish, every figure, completed every mission, hired every employee, upgraded everything and experienced pretty much…
positive · reviewer's own thumbsView post →one minute I’m catching tuna, the next I’m stressing over sushi customers like Gordon Ramsay is about to fire me. somehow, it’s weird, addictive, and I can’t stop helping dave achieve his goals!
positive · reviewer's own thumbsView post →Really looking forward to jumping back into Dave the Diver… Not every expansion needs to be a $30+ event. Sometimes I just want a low cost excuse to revisit a game you love.
positive · AI labelView post →I'm really irritated to learn that I game I liked, Dave the Diver, has a generative AI disclosure on steam. like wtf are we doing here? It's beyond disappointing. I hate that developers are using the slop machine to translate. I don't want any gen AI in anything.
negative · AI labelView post →examples No More Heroes 1 + 3: The Chores 🔥🔥 Dave The Diver : self explanatory, minigames are required to complete the game Kingdom Hearts 2: same as Dave The Diver kinda Yakuza 5: ramen minigame you just sorta stumble upon Danganronpa: hangmans gambit sucks but its funny so it gets a pass
neutral · AI labelView post →I’d like to thank video games for my last scraps of mental health. Thanks, Dave the Diver. Thank you, Suika Game
positive · AI labelView post →Me: I'll just do one quick dive. Game: Here, fight a shark, catch 37 fish, discover an ancient civilization and run a sushi restaurant.
positive · reviewer's own thumbsView post →Finally got around to playing through Dave the Diver this past week. Such a great game with a lot of heart put into it.
positive · AI labelView post →Harpooning adorable fish by day, serving them as high-class nigiri by night. One moment you are battling a megalodon, and the next you are sweating profusely while trying to grate wasabi. If you’re looking for underwater adventures and delicious management, this is your game! Caution: This game may cause an uncontrollable, immediate craving for sushi
positive · reviewer's own thumbsView post →Played two awesome video games, DAVE THE DIVER and BALATRO that got me thinking about core mechanics versus variation and the feat and famine within. Enjoy! www.patreon.com/posts/gabbin...
positive · AI labelView post →Just started playing Dave the Diver... This game is GOALS for me as a dev, holy crap it's so good 🤩
positive · AI labelView post →Dave The Diver is not an indie game
neutral · AI labelView post →This game overrated as hell. It started out really fun, you hunt for fish during the day and run a sushi restaurant at night but very quickly the game just starts throwing random task and sidequest at you to a point it's overwhelming. Navigation sucks, you never get clear direction to where to go. Tons of backtracking and fetch quests. It's just stop being fun after the 30th "new" idea they tried to throw your way, I really want to just keep progressing and see more of the story, too bad the…
negative · reviewer's own thumbsView post →Rarely have I had to think this long about whether to give a game a thumbs up or a thumbs down like I did with Dave the Diver. I also talked a lot about it with a very good friend who absolutely loves the game. Shoutout to you, Felix! :) The game itself is a strange mix of a diving roguelike, a restaurant sim, collect everything gameplay, action, and even some stealth sections. And I probably forgot something. Because of this variety, everything stays rather simple. Nothing really goes very…
positive · reviewer's own thumbsView post →I thought this would be a fun cozy game, but it just feels like a more polished mobile game. There are a million game mechanics that aren't fun, and the game won't stop to let you breath. It is a mile wide and an inch deep. I just wasn't having any fun with the core loop, and it felt like a chore more than anything. Also, Everyone is so mean to Dave and I'm not here for that.
negative · reviewer's own thumbsView post →Pretty much agree with everything else people have said. My only gripe is that it is constantly throwing new mechanics at you, so it can feel like you don't actually get time to enjoy the ones you've learned.
positive · reviewer's own thumbsView post →
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