Metascore
88

Generally favorable reviews - based on 20 Critic Reviews

Critic score distribution:
  1. Positive: 19 out of 20
  2. Negative: 0 out of 20
  1. Oct 31, 2023
    98
    I wish I didn’t have to review Dave the Diver because of how much I worry about letting too much of its best parts slip. It’s a fantastic title that’s worth “going in blind” simply because of how it continuously surprises players, including me. Its Switch port maintains its greatness, barring some slight visibility issues of the smaller fishies and the loading screens, so it’s hard for me to recommend the Switch version if you’re deciding on which platform to purchase Dave the Diver. However, one thing is certain: You should not miss out on Dave the Diver this holiday season. It’s a pearl in an ocean of other holiday AAA titles vying for your attention.
  2. Oct 26, 2023
    95
    Dave the Diver is an unique experience that constantly throws something interesting and fun, even when you are 30-40 hours into the adventure. Is a game that made us smile from the moment it begins until the end, and the diversity of the gameplay is fantastic and fascinating.
  3. Jan 2, 2024
    92
    Dave the Diver is a massive game but looks like it isn't. Its campaign takes well over 20 hours with an addicting gameplay mix of action, RPG, and restaurant management while constantly introducing new and fun gameplay mechanics. It keeps switching things up and always gives you exciting activities to engage in while delivering a gripping story. Get this title on your radar because Dave the Diver is a delight to play.
  4. Dec 20, 2023
    91
    There is so much meat in Dave the Diver that no number of shark bites can truly size it down. Even when the button prompts fail to properly load during a cooking competition, said competition is followed by a scene providing additional character lore and growth, ensuring you don’t stay disappointed for long. It’s very, very hard to overlook such a major, literally gamebreaking factor as crashes, but there’s just so much more to see instead: a music concert mini-game in a literal fever dream; minor characters with major emotional beats in their sidequests; plentiful boss battles against epic deep sea creatures; and still so much more. Just as we haven’t mapped even a fourth of the earth’s seafloor, there is so much more to Dave the Diver than first meets the eye. It’s surprising, it’s expansive, and each of its many segments is equally memorable. Dave the Diver is a game that shines brilliantly, even brighter than the most elusive pearls.
  5. Oct 25, 2023
    91
    Dave the Diver is one of the best indie games of 2023, simple as that. Not only is it tremendously fun and original, but it is also long, it also is very impressive in audiovisual side, and the developers keep adding new content. And, on top of that, it exudes a sympathy that is hard to see nowadays.
  6. Dec 4, 2023
    90
    Dave the Diver is successfully combines two very different genres. The deep-sea diving is action packed, full of exploration and a great soundtrack. The restaurant-sim side is put together in a way that’s challenging without being overwhelming. I highly recommend this title!
  7. Oct 30, 2023
    90
    There is a little bit of everything for everyone in this innovative and entertaining game. It’s been acclaimed as one of the best games of the year, and it certainly lived up to my expectations.
  8. Oct 30, 2023
    90
    Dave the Diver was a big hit when its 1.0 version hit PC earlier this year, and it manages to remain a standout experience now that it has launched on the Switch as well.
  9. Oct 27, 2023
    90
    Dave the Diver is an amazing game. I’m shocked at how well it keeps up its pacing of unlocks and new missions throughout its two dozen or so hours of runtime, and there’s just so much to do. I never got tired of playing it, but I hope future patches can address the long load times on Switch. Barring that, Dave the Diver is top tier, and essential for Nintendo Switch. Just download the demo right now. Don’t waste time.
  10. Oct 27, 2023
    90
    In a year dominated by titanic, big-budget releases like Tears of the Kingdom and Mario Wonder, Dave the Diver steps up to the plate and knocks the ball clear of the park with a heaving swing. Its charming animations and writing supplement a mechanically dense experience that never stops dangling a new carrot to chase. It's one of the few games to come out this year that rivals Mario Wonder's all-out density and charm while doing something almost completely new. You owe it to yourself to pick up this outstandingly funny, enthralling, and weird gem.
  11. Oct 26, 2023
    90
    You can simply dive into the game wherever, especially away from your stuffy computer. And that, is already enough reason for purchasing NSW version of 'Dave the Diver'. Every contents have seamlessly adapted for the portable device, deliver same feel as they were originally meant to be. But, you might have to be patient more since the loading time is slightly longer.
  12. Oct 25, 2023
    90
    If you didn't try this game a few months ago, I think it would be the right time to do so, especially because of the portable theme that makes it a relaxing experience to take on trips and distract yourself for a while.
  13. Oct 25, 2023
    90
    Truthfully, it's the kind of weird, wonderful game that should just be experienced with as little knowledge about it as possible, so, in summary: Dave the Diver is a great Switch port. You should play it on Nintendo's handheld or on PC, but you should play it all the same.
  14. Oct 25, 2023
    90
    Dave the Diver on Nintendo Switch is a game that thoroughly deserves your attention, even in an already packed year of classics.
  15. 85
    Even during dives where the game wasn’t giving me proper direction, I still was enthralled by the experience and wanted to plunge back into the game again and again. I’ll never forget the moments where I was clinging on by single digits on the oxygen tanks and barely made it out alive, over encumbered with fish, or the moments where I was suddenly jumped by a predator and had to evasively dive away and shoot my gun in blind panic. Dave the Diver keeps you on your toes, but the rewards after a successful dive always make me want to play “just one more round.” My sushi restaurant is currently thriving, and I am still looking forward to jumping back in many more times after this review is published.
  16. Nov 13, 2023
    84
    If going under the depths of the ocean and experiencing a buried treasure is your kind of thing, then Dave The Diver delivers the goods.
  17. Nov 10, 2023
    80
    The base gameplay of Dave the Diver is so engaging and addictive that Mintrocket really did not need to go the extra mile by crafting such a diverse and creative adventure, but doing so takes Dave the Diver from being a great game to a wonderful and memorable underwater adventure.
  18. Nov 8, 2023
    80
    DAVE THE DIVER is a lovely little game that blends serving food, fishing, mini-games, and fun dialogue into one immersive package.
  19. Oct 26, 2023
    80
    Dave The Diver has obviously had to make a few concessions to make it onto the Switch, but for the most part it swims along beautifully. Loading screens are a little longer, and there’s the occasional framerate dip, but this is a fantastic way to play one of the year’s very best games. The game’s central loop of exploration and fishing in the day followed by an evening of restauranteering makes it perfectly suited to Nintendo’s handheld as a cosy pick-up-and-play game. A definite must-play, which is really saying something given how many must-plays we’ve already had this year.
  20. Nov 3, 2023
    70
    Dave the Diver is a bountiful feast of sushi prep, fish hunting, and store management. The Nintendo Switch version, however, hampers what would otherwise be the most rewarding and feature-rich management game of the year.