wenmistry
Bio
5 - Masterpiece (10/10)
4.5 - Almost perfect (9/10)
4 - Amazing (7-8/10)
3.5 - Really good (6/10)
3 - Good (5/10)
2.5 - Decent (4/10)
2 - Bad (3/10)
1.5 - Really bad (2/10)
1 - Downright awful (1/10)
0.5 - Zero redeeming qualities (0/10)
5 - Masterpiece (10/10)
4.5 - Almost perfect (9/10)
4 - Amazing (7-8/10)
3.5 - Really good (6/10)
3 - Good (5/10)
2.5 - Decent (4/10)
2 - Bad (3/10)
1.5 - Really bad (2/10)
1 - Downright awful (1/10)
0.5 - Zero redeeming qualities (0/10)
Badges
Full-Time
Journaled games once a day for a month straight
Busy Day
Journaled 5+ games in a single day
Best Friends
Become mutual friends with at least 3 others
On Schedule
Journaled games once a day for a week straight
Listed
Created 10+ public lists
GOTY '23
Participated in the 2023 Game of the Year Event
1 Years of Service
Being part of the Backloggd community for 1 year
Early Access
Submitted feedback for a beta feature
N00b
Played 100+ games
Roadtrip
Voted for at least 3 features on the roadmap
Noticed
Gained 3+ followers
Liked
Gained 10+ total review likes
Gone Gold
Received 5+ likes on a review while featured on the front page
Favorite Games
181
Total Games Played
037
Played in 2024
106
Games Backloggd
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Jumping off the back of my DREDGE playthrough, I decided to pick up another aquatic adventure – this time, one a bit more calming than a horror title. I’d heard nothing but good things about Dave the Diver since its launch but kept away from spoilers (or any content at all, really, as I didn't even watch the trailers) so I could go in blind when the time came to play it myself. This turned out to be a great call, as I could never have expected what I thought to be a simple restaurant management game with a deep-sea twist to instead centre itself on a quest to locate and save an ancient race of seafolk... a revelation which happens pretty much right at the beginning!
This is a game so packed full of content I’m not even sure where to begin. The gameplay loop is satisfying and fun, if a little infuriating at times – I’ve been locked in a corner and mauled by a shark more times than I can count. Aside from the occasional unfair game over, I thoroughly enjoyed my time in the Giant Blue Hole. There’s an incredible density of content, ranging from simple upgrades to creature collecting, to farm management, to a range of minigames – including a Tamagotchi and a rhythm game! It may seem overwhelming at first glance, especially looking at the game from afar, but it’s all introduced at a very fair pace, with ample time for the player to get used to new mechanics before the next one is introduced. The pacing of the story is also well thought-out, as VIP customers and party events encourage you to spend time away from the main story to collect ingredients off the beaten path. This simulates a much greater passage of time than if one were to ignore all these incredibly lucrative events and blaze through the main storyline with reckless abandon. I took noticeably longer to beat this game than most, as my avid completionist mindset led me to completing as much side content as I possibly could before progressing the main story (my hubris, which naturally leads me to complete games slower than a monkey on a typewriter). I rolled the credits at around 33 hours, with 35/48 achievements under my belt. I decided to write this review prior to achieving 100%, as I didn’t want the tedium of grinding optional achievements to lower my rating of an otherwise wonderful game.
On the subject of achievements, most are easily attainable if you take your time. The grinding only comes into play for a select few: Strange Fish (at least 5 in-game weeks after unlocking FishMon), GYAO! Master (Several in-game weeks after unlocking GYAO!), and Catman (20 in-game days, provided you have the required items). Arguably the restaurant-related achievements could be considered grindy as well if you’re delegating your funds to other things, like iDiver or the farm. All they really require is money, which isn’t difficult to get – especially when you’ve finished the game and have enough ingredients stocked up to justify skipping to the evening for a few days straight. This is all to say that, while there is some grinding required for 100%, Dave the Diver does have mercy on the player. There is no achievement attached to catching every possible fish (boss fish aside), nor is there an achievement for winning every seahorse race. These would be welcome achievements for try-hard completionists like me, but to the average player they would just end up being a nuisance.
The graphics are absolutely gorgeous. I’ve always been a fan of pixel art, being an occasional pixel artist myself, but this game takes it to a whole new level. It’s a unique art style I’ve not seen anywhere else, and the intricately animated and dynamic cutscenes are always a joy to watch; the semi-realistic art style and minimalist shading really cements the style as unique and expressive, while (hopefully) not making it too arduous a process for the animators. I adore the practically seamless combination of 2D sprites with 3D environments and entities (eg. larger fish like sharks). The subtle chromatic aberration underwater definitely adds to this effect, and makes the environment seem all that more unusual and intriguing. Fantastic art direction – I genuinely can’t get enough of it!
In conclusion, Dave the Diver is a fantastic casual game with stunning pixel graphics, and bucketloads of love poured into it by the developers. The gameplay loop is simple and satisfying, and it never gets boring thanks to the side content spicing it up at every turn. I had a blast playing through it, and though I don’t see myself restarting from scratch anytime soon, I absolutely anticipate returning to the game to chase my last few missing achievements. Despite its minor controversies last year, it holds up as a fab title I would definitely recommend trying out. 8/10.
This is a game so packed full of content I’m not even sure where to begin. The gameplay loop is satisfying and fun, if a little infuriating at times – I’ve been locked in a corner and mauled by a shark more times than I can count. Aside from the occasional unfair game over, I thoroughly enjoyed my time in the Giant Blue Hole. There’s an incredible density of content, ranging from simple upgrades to creature collecting, to farm management, to a range of minigames – including a Tamagotchi and a rhythm game! It may seem overwhelming at first glance, especially looking at the game from afar, but it’s all introduced at a very fair pace, with ample time for the player to get used to new mechanics before the next one is introduced. The pacing of the story is also well thought-out, as VIP customers and party events encourage you to spend time away from the main story to collect ingredients off the beaten path. This simulates a much greater passage of time than if one were to ignore all these incredibly lucrative events and blaze through the main storyline with reckless abandon. I took noticeably longer to beat this game than most, as my avid completionist mindset led me to completing as much side content as I possibly could before progressing the main story (my hubris, which naturally leads me to complete games slower than a monkey on a typewriter). I rolled the credits at around 33 hours, with 35/48 achievements under my belt. I decided to write this review prior to achieving 100%, as I didn’t want the tedium of grinding optional achievements to lower my rating of an otherwise wonderful game.
On the subject of achievements, most are easily attainable if you take your time. The grinding only comes into play for a select few: Strange Fish (at least 5 in-game weeks after unlocking FishMon), GYAO! Master (Several in-game weeks after unlocking GYAO!), and Catman (20 in-game days, provided you have the required items). Arguably the restaurant-related achievements could be considered grindy as well if you’re delegating your funds to other things, like iDiver or the farm. All they really require is money, which isn’t difficult to get – especially when you’ve finished the game and have enough ingredients stocked up to justify skipping to the evening for a few days straight. This is all to say that, while there is some grinding required for 100%, Dave the Diver does have mercy on the player. There is no achievement attached to catching every possible fish (boss fish aside), nor is there an achievement for winning every seahorse race. These would be welcome achievements for try-hard completionists like me, but to the average player they would just end up being a nuisance.
The graphics are absolutely gorgeous. I’ve always been a fan of pixel art, being an occasional pixel artist myself, but this game takes it to a whole new level. It’s a unique art style I’ve not seen anywhere else, and the intricately animated and dynamic cutscenes are always a joy to watch; the semi-realistic art style and minimalist shading really cements the style as unique and expressive, while (hopefully) not making it too arduous a process for the animators. I adore the practically seamless combination of 2D sprites with 3D environments and entities (eg. larger fish like sharks). The subtle chromatic aberration underwater definitely adds to this effect, and makes the environment seem all that more unusual and intriguing. Fantastic art direction – I genuinely can’t get enough of it!
In conclusion, Dave the Diver is a fantastic casual game with stunning pixel graphics, and bucketloads of love poured into it by the developers. The gameplay loop is simple and satisfying, and it never gets boring thanks to the side content spicing it up at every turn. I had a blast playing through it, and though I don’t see myself restarting from scratch anytime soon, I absolutely anticipate returning to the game to chase my last few missing achievements. Despite its minor controversies last year, it holds up as a fab title I would definitely recommend trying out. 8/10.
This review contains spoilers
An absolutely incredible experience, start to finish. I didn't expect to rate another game 5 stars so soon, but god damn was this game amazing. I've never liked horror games – I'm too skittish to enjoy jumpscares and I've always been a bit squeamish about gore unless I'm the one creating it. Eldritch horror, however, is exactly my cup of tea. Combine that with my paralysing fear of the ocean, and this game was the best horror experience I have ever had by far.
The mechanics of the game are top-notch and only really got boring towards the end when I was trying to fill out my encyclopaedia. The layout of the map and placement of quests is intuitive; it was refreshing to go through the entire main story of a game without needing a guide. Speaking of the story, it's absolutely fascinating. The lore of this world is incredibly deep, but we only see the tip of it. A lot of left open and ambiguous and there's a lot we'll never know, but I like that. Not knowing everything makes the things we do know hit so much harder. I could gush about the way this story is told for days, but if I tried to write all of my thoughts out, I'd never end up posting this review at all.
I think this game is exactly the right length. It's not too short to leave you wanting, but not too long that it overstays its welcome. The fear factor wears off once your boat gets faster and you get used to the threats, so the length of the game works in its favour. You can go through the relatively short main story and really feel unnerved by it all, and then once you've finished it, you're free to go back and tie up loose ends with a quicker boat and a lot less to worry about. That's impeccable game design, especially for a horror title with a lot of side content.
I rarely ever give out 5-star reviews. I said it before in my review of Spiritfarer, but that status is reserved for games that really have an impact on me. This game is unforgettable. I'll forever cherish that sinking feeling I got when I caught my first aberrant, or when I first saw the phrase 'Something slithered into your cargo hold...'
That first journey to Gale Cliffs – panic meter dangerously high, sea monster tailing behind, engine running hot... that experience will stay with me for a long while. That is what this game is about. 10/10.
The mechanics of the game are top-notch and only really got boring towards the end when I was trying to fill out my encyclopaedia. The layout of the map and placement of quests is intuitive; it was refreshing to go through the entire main story of a game without needing a guide. Speaking of the story, it's absolutely fascinating. The lore of this world is incredibly deep, but we only see the tip of it. A lot of left open and ambiguous and there's a lot we'll never know, but I like that. Not knowing everything makes the things we do know hit so much harder. I could gush about the way this story is told for days, but if I tried to write all of my thoughts out, I'd never end up posting this review at all.
I think this game is exactly the right length. It's not too short to leave you wanting, but not too long that it overstays its welcome. The fear factor wears off once your boat gets faster and you get used to the threats, so the length of the game works in its favour. You can go through the relatively short main story and really feel unnerved by it all, and then once you've finished it, you're free to go back and tie up loose ends with a quicker boat and a lot less to worry about. That's impeccable game design, especially for a horror title with a lot of side content.
I rarely ever give out 5-star reviews. I said it before in my review of Spiritfarer, but that status is reserved for games that really have an impact on me. This game is unforgettable. I'll forever cherish that sinking feeling I got when I caught my first aberrant, or when I first saw the phrase 'Something slithered into your cargo hold...'
That first journey to Gale Cliffs – panic meter dangerously high, sea monster tailing behind, engine running hot... that experience will stay with me for a long while. That is what this game is about. 10/10.
This review contains spoilers
An absolutely beautiful game in both visuals and story. I was enthralled by the world as I explored it, and felt some really intense emotions throughout. I aimed for 100% on my first playthrough, going out of my way to complete every side quest and learn the stories of the people around me. The world-building in this game is so deeply interesting to me, mainly because of the way it's presented. I cannot describe the emotions I felt when I discovered my first vantage point and realised what the true history of the world was, in complete contrast to the teachings of the Matriarchs. Vantage points continued to be a place of deep reflection and mourning as I listened to the story of a long-dead man while gazing at the sight of what the world used to be. It was heartbreaking and moving and everything I could wish for in a story-driven game... and it wasn't even in a cutscene! This is pure environmental storytelling done in a way that could easily be missed by someone not looking to get completion. Two people playing the game with different mindsets may experience this revelation at very different points in the game, and that fascinates me. It's storytelling done incredibly well. For the story alone and the way it's presented to the player, I'd give this game 5 stars—11/10. Unfortunately, one major flaw I encountered bumped my rating down a fair bit.
To put it simply, the final boss was incredibly underwhelming. I felt no real challenge fighting it on my first playthrough, and even on my NG+ Ultra Hard run it still felt like a bit of a cop-out. I climbed that hill expecting to face a brand new enemy I'd never seen before—perhaps even one of those gargantuan Metal Devils you can see from the map—but instead I was met with an enemy I'd fought at least three times at that point. I didn't even realise I was fighting the final boss until the end cutscene played. All that build-up for such an underwhelming climax left me slightly disappointed, and I can't help but mourn what could have been if they'd given HADES a unique model. However, I'm yet to play Forbidden West as I don't own a PS5, and the ending cinematic gave me some hope that I might finally get to see the Metal Devils in action when the game eventually comes to PC.
Speaking of the ending cinematic, it completely wiped all disappointment from my mind by hitting me with an absolute tsunami of emotions right when I needed it. A game that can bring tears to my eyes is an amazing one, and I have to say that this is the most emotional I've ever felt while playing a story-driven game.
Overall, Horizon Zero Dawn was an experience I'll never forget, and I'm endlessly excited to one day play the sequel and see more of what the world has to offer. Though the final boss was a letdown, it doesn't make the impact of the story up to that point any less meaningful. 8.5/10.
To put it simply, the final boss was incredibly underwhelming. I felt no real challenge fighting it on my first playthrough, and even on my NG+ Ultra Hard run it still felt like a bit of a cop-out. I climbed that hill expecting to face a brand new enemy I'd never seen before—perhaps even one of those gargantuan Metal Devils you can see from the map—but instead I was met with an enemy I'd fought at least three times at that point. I didn't even realise I was fighting the final boss until the end cutscene played. All that build-up for such an underwhelming climax left me slightly disappointed, and I can't help but mourn what could have been if they'd given HADES a unique model. However, I'm yet to play Forbidden West as I don't own a PS5, and the ending cinematic gave me some hope that I might finally get to see the Metal Devils in action when the game eventually comes to PC.
Speaking of the ending cinematic, it completely wiped all disappointment from my mind by hitting me with an absolute tsunami of emotions right when I needed it. A game that can bring tears to my eyes is an amazing one, and I have to say that this is the most emotional I've ever felt while playing a story-driven game.
Overall, Horizon Zero Dawn was an experience I'll never forget, and I'm endlessly excited to one day play the sequel and see more of what the world has to offer. Though the final boss was a letdown, it doesn't make the impact of the story up to that point any less meaningful. 8.5/10.