Dave the Diver took 2023 by storm, offering a genre-bending indie title that combines deep-sea exploration with sushi restaurant management that's packed with weird and wacky mini-games from aquatic photography to raising a tamagotchi-style pet. Its delightfully goofy narrative and addictively satisfying gameplay loop will have you saying "just one more dive" every time. What's more, it's currently 40% off over at Humble, so get it for your Steam Deck while it's cheap.
I'd place Dave the Diver, along with Stardew Valley, as one of the best indie games out there, and that says a lot because usually I don't like fishing games. (Honestly, any fishing mechanic usually makes me angry. Why is there a fishing game in Link's Awakening?) But, as someone who has no desire to go diving in real life, I can vicariously live through Dave as he explores the "Blue Hole," an underwater strip that magically regenerates.
I love games that mash up genres with simulation elements. Another game that does this is Cult of the Lamb, and I adore that too. But Dave the Diver takes it one step further by adding complicated characters to the mix, bringing both heart and charm. I love Momo the cat and his interactions with Dave, it's so heartwarming.
Diving gives you opportunities to acquire fish for the restaurant, fight off bosses, and encounter wild and wonderful things like merfolk and lost ruins with puzzles. You'll use harpoons, nets, and guns, yes, guns, to catch the fish. However, you are rewarded for using nets and tranquilizer darts, which keep the fish alive because no customer wants shrapnel in their sashimi.
You'll face off against a variety of bosses, from the perpetually furious John Watson to the quite scary-looking Goblin Shark. These bosses are relatively easy, offering a classic three-hit-and-you're-done system, but they offer up variation so fish catching doesn't feel like a grind.
You can upgrade your gear to make dives more productive and profitable. Expand your cargo box so you can bring more fishies back, or make your oxygen tank bigger so you can dive for longer. You can also upgrade weapons. All of these upgrades demand growing amounts of resources, which you'll earn through the fish you catch and your sushi biz. You can even customize your boat with skins, which you collect by completing specific tasks. I love the Godzilla skin.
The sim side of Dave the Diver is surprisingly deep. You'll manage your sushi restaurant by crafting recipes, cooking dishes, training staff, and handling picky customers. Beyond the kitchen, you'll gather materials, hire and level up employees, dabble in nature-based farming, and run a fish farm to keep ingredients flowing. As you learn new recipes and upgrade your menu, your sales climb, offering a genuine sense of accomplishment.
You've got until September 3rd, 2025, to catch Dave the Diver in your net for the cheap price of $11.99/£10.19 over at Humble.
If you're in the market to build your Steam library, check out our guides on the best RPGs and best Steam Deck games. There are so many amazing games out there, I wish I had infinite time to play them all.