![]() ![]() The silliness is conveyed well through the graphics and sound as well. Some of the off-hand remarks and terrible marine biology puns are worthy of a few laughs, but the general absurdity of the situation in its entirety is the biggest source of humor throughout the game. Truly, Dadliest Catch realizes how silly its concept is, and never takes itself too seriously. Of course, how he and Scarlett managed to have two human children is jokingly brought up but never seriously addressed. Revealed over the course of the campaign are how Octodad and his wife Scarlett met, when he decided to start masquerading as a human, and why the neighborhood sushi chef wants to kill him so badly. Where the previous title was more of a proof of concept on the control scheme, Dadliest Catch delves a bit more deeply into Octodad lore. Young Horses built this awkward, difficult control scheme, and then crafted environments that take full advantage of its physics. By the end, players should be able to walk competently without knocking things over or punching kids in the face too often.īeing an octopus also affords Octodad some benefits that humans cannot reap, like the ability to squeeze into tight spots or to stretch out over large gaps. For some, it may be frustrating, but for those willing to put in the effort, it is ultimately rewarding to learn how to function as an octopus in society. In any other game, these would be complaints, but Octodad is specifically about being uncomfortable and learning how to function in a body that is almost alien. It takes a certain amount of brain rewiring to be able to make Octodad move as intended, even when the necessary sequence of actions is cognitively clear. The result is almost like handing a non-gamer a controller and putting him in the thick of a first-person shooter there is a lot of flailing around and looking at the ground. The kicker is that each limb is generally controlled one at a time, and they are all held together with an elasticity that often sends them off in unintended directions. By manipulating their positions in space, Octodad can walk, run, climb, grab objects, and do all of the things a normal human being does. By default, players control three of Octodad’s limbs: two legs and one arm. I ended up preferring playing with a controller, but both work on the same principles. In addition to mouse and keyboard control, full gamepad support is in place. ![]() Dressed in his snazzy suit, most people are none the wiser about his true identity, but suspicions rise when he is spotted acting strange. Octodad is just a typical guy, trying to make his way through life with his wife and two children, except that he is an octopus and he has the additional burden of keeping that a secret. Rig: AMD Phenom II X2 555 3.2 GHz, with 4GB of RAM, ATI Radeon HD 5700, Windows 7 64-bit Release: Janu(Linux, Mac, PC), March 2014 (PlayStation 4) Octodad: Dadliest Catch (Linux, Mac, PC, PlayStation 4 ) By requiring a certain amount of care and effort, things like mowing the lawn or visiting the grocery store are made fun, though they can dip into the realm of frustration at times. While the tasks in Octodad would be mundane in almost any other setting with a typical control scheme, they can be challenging or thought-provoking to an octopus dressed up as a human. Octodad: Dadliest Catch challenges that idea, making awkward control central to the gameplay. One such assumption that most make is that control should feel natural and unobtrusive as the player’s interface with the game. ![]() I'd recommend this game to fans of physics games, parents, and people who occasionally want a break from 'heavier' games.An interesting exercise in game design is to identify assumptions about the genre or medium in general, then question those assumptions. It isn't a great game, and it certainly won't make an appearance on a list of my favourite games, but 'Octodad' certainly makes for a pleasant experience. ![]() At times I found this game more challenging than I'd expected, and I was in a constant state of surprise at how amusing I found it. Unlike 'Goat Simulator' and other similar games, 'Octodad' actually provides a ludicrously funny context your floppy misadventures through a church, supermarket and fishing boat (amongst other things) are, believe it or not, plot-related. I was wrong: it's a fun way of passing dozens of hours. I decided to install 'Octodad', thinking that it may be a fun way to pass half an hour. A few months later, though, I completed whichever game I happened to be working my way through, and found myself browsing my Steam library for a new one to try. It was greatly reduced in price, and when I purchased it I admit not having much interest in playing it. I bought 'Octodad: Dadliest Catch' in the Steam sales a while back. ![]()
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