Dave the Diver plunges into PlayStation Plus Game Catalog April 16

blog.playstation.com:

Greetings. I’m Jaeho Hwang, the director and game designer behind Dave the Diver. I’m excited to bring Dave the Diver to PlayStation 5 on April 16, expanding the game’s horizons and inviting more players through the PlayStation Plus Game Catalog. 

Dave the Diver is a unique hybrid ocean adventure that combines ocean exploration with sushi restaurant management. At the heart of the game lies the core gameplay loop, narrative, characters, and captivating mini-games. 

Our journey kicked off with a simple concept: a diving game in which a deep Blue Hole serves as a mystical dungeon populated by fish that double as enemies and items to loot. In the early days of the prototype, the gameplay revolved primarily around catching fish and trading them for currency, but we soon felt that we could do more with these aquatic creatures. 

This led to the introduction of a sushi restaurant mechanic that allowed players to prepare culinary delights from their underwater catch. Of course, this was enough to make for good gameplay, and as the lynchpin of our gameplay loop, this addition was praised in internal reviews. However, in an effort to spice things up and prevent monotony, we focused on our unique characters to create compelling and fun side content which ended up adding a dash of individuality to the experience. 

While the initial gameplay focuses on preparing the menu and serving delectable dishes in the bustling sushi restaurant, players will later find themselves entangled in the culinary excitement of a cooking contest. This addition elevates the gameplay beyond just serving food and immerses players in a new cook-off experience that complements the game’s overarching theme. 

Halfway through the game, players will stumble upon a new deep-sea mini-game allowing them to send seahorses to race through the village. With a variety of seahorses sporting unique stats scattered throughout the Blue Hole, the feat of collecting and racing these creatures adds a thrilling element to