SHRIMPLY THE BEST

DAVE THE DIVER is packed with charm, surprises, and fish

-  Christopher Livingston

How it started: Oh, this looks like a cute, simple little fishing and restaurant management game. I bet it'll be great on my Steam Deck. How it's going: Oh, this is easily the best game of 2023. I'm routinely up playing until 2am, even after 30 hours it's still throwing fun and creative new systems at me, and every time I play I'm delighted, surprised and utterly charmed. And, yes, it is great on my Steam Deck.

In 2D pixel adventure Dave the Diver, you split your time between spearfishing in a colourful patch of ocean and using the fish you catch in the sushi restaurant you manage. It's simple at first: Each day you swim around impaling fish with a harpoon and collecting crafting resources and other ingredients like seaweed from the reef. The diving is a delight, mostly a chill and soothing experience with colourful fish darting here and there and kelp gently swaying in the ocean currents - though that relaxing vibe can abruptly turn into a frenzied panic as a sawtooth shark tries to cut you in half or a pelican eel tries to swallow you whole before you escape to surface with your precious haul.