Dave the Diver provides an engaging and creative underwater experience to remind players of the wonders of the deep blue. But there are quite a few other games also exploring the wonders of the world beneath the waves, so here are six games like Dave the Diver to make you feel like you’re on an underwater expedition all over again.
I love the ocean, as you’d expect of a manatee. As someone who endlessly mourns the lack of porting for the Endless Ocean series, each and every new game capturing the ocean’s infinite beauty immediately gets my attention. Hopefully, they’ll catch yours as well.
Six games like Dave the Diver: 1. Under the Waves
Under the Waves is a narrative-driven game, more dramatic and serious in tone compared to Dave the Diver’s all-over-the-place wacky plot. You play as a professional diver (again), but unlike our go-with-the-flow Dave he’s struggling with quite a lot. On top of that, he’s working with an oil company. The ocean exploration is still quite breathtaking in this game and on top of that it’s got a very clear environmentalist message. Give it a swim if you want serious ocean narratives.
2. Subnautica
Subnautica and its sequel Below Zero I consider to be some of the best of the survive and craft genre. Subnautica takes you out of the familiarity of our blue world and plunges you into being the survivor of a spaceship crash into an alien ocean. With only your advanced technology and natural resources, you must brave alien horrors in the deep to find your way off. The best part? You can build an aquarium and create a home of alien fish.
3. ABZÛ
If you really enjoy the beautiful ocean exploration part of Dave the Diver or happen to be mourning Endless Ocean like me, ABZÛ is both of those things but turned up to eleven and less crazy than Dave the Diver. This is the game in the list I can point to most and say this is how you capture the feeling of the beauty of ocean exploration. Seriously, look at the screencaps on the site. Need I say more?
4. Iron Lung
If you’re in the mood for something less relaxing and more one of the most terrifying half hours of your life, the one game that captures the horror of the deep about as well as Subnautica is Iron Lung. Set in a more completely fantastical premise of a run-down submarine exploring and photographing an ocean of blood on a moon, Iron Lung reminds the player how helpless you really are against a force as powerful as the ocean red. Plus, it’s getting a movie adaptation!
Six games like Dave the Diver: 5. Mythic Ocean
Mythic Ocean is a cute and magical take on a game taking place under the sea. You befriend ocean gods and give them free therapy in order to decide the course of the universe. If you enjoyed Dave the Diver’s zany tone, this is another ocean game that’s not afraid to be out there and do whatever it feels like.
6. Song of the Deep
Song of the Deep is another under the sea metroidvania about exploring the ocean. This time you’re a girl who crafts her own makeshift submarine to find her missing father. Like Dave the Diver, there can be a lot going on at once, and even more scary sea monster boss fights and varied obstacles to overcome. While you are in a submarine, there are also diving sections as well. If you loved the gameplay of Dave the Diver, this is about as close to it as you can get.
These six games like Dave the Diver are just a small fraction of what’s out there. The beauty of the ocean captures endless potential for games under the ocean of all kinds. Dave the Diver is just the tip of the iceberg, but you’ll have to dive to see more of it.
