Well here it goes… the first review of 2014. It has been exactly 2 months since my last post right here on the Steam of Consciousness blog. Between school, work, and being lazy, I haven’t taken the time to review Steam games… and I really missed it. So, with that being said, let’s start fresh and let the reviews begin! I thought the best way to kick off my game reviews for 2014 is with a game so wild, weird, and conceptually fresh that it’s hard to recall any game quite like it. Its name is Octodad: Dadliest Catch and it’s currently offered up on Steam for $14.99 USD. This game reminds me of other wildly hilarious games like Katamari Damacy, Sumotori Dreams, and QWOP and, like QWOP or Sumotori, features a protagonist whose main challenge is trying to mimick human movement despite a lack of bone structure.
Octodad’s plot is simply this: you are an octopus who dresses, acts, and has a family like a normal human father and must convince everyone else that you are, in fact, a regular human dad. Despite your wife and kids who are hilariously blind to you being an Octopus, there is an angry Sushi Chef who is out to turn the beloved Octodad into “moderately priced sushi” as he follows you through the different areas in the game. In order to perpetuate the idea that he is a human father, Octodad must attend his own wedding, attend to his domestic affairs, go grocery shopping, and visit the dreaded aquarium before the story reaches its conclusion. The scenarios are hilarious and the difficulty Octodad finds getting by in day-to-day situations makes for an interesting tale worthy of a primetime sitcom. The voice acting is a nice touch to the story and really keeps with the pacing as people react to the different things you do in the game.
But Octodad’s story isn’t the selling point of this game- everything about the game centers around its movement mechanic. Without the hilariously difficult controls that move Octodad’s hands and feet (er, tentacles), this game would not exist. Octodad can only control one limb at any time and alternating between both of his legs and his hands is a joy to watch- he practically destroys everything in his path when trying to walk! The game becomes challenging with the addition of a ‘suspicion meter’ at the bottom of the screen- suspicion is triggered when human beings see you knocking everything down in your path or when you accidentally smack them with one of your tentacles. The suspicion element progresses and becomes somewhat difficult toward the end when you run into marine biologists at the aquarium who know an octopus when they see one. Although the controls make it somewhat difficult to maneuver around the different stages, the controls are well thought out and, when mastered, can be a breeze to handle when doing simple tasks.
The first Octodad was a freeware game that featured similar gameplay elements, but only allowed one player to use a keyboard and mouse to control the octopus. Fortunately, this time around, players have the option to use keyboard and mouse or a gamepad and both work great. Along with this, two to four players can be invited along to play the local co-op mode where one player takes the keyboard and mouse and controls either the arms or legs, and the other players take a gamepad and choose to control the other arms or the legs. Another option is available that allows the cooperative teammates to play roulette with the tentacles: after a task is completed, random tentacles are assigned to the player – so I could be controlling the right hand and right leg while the second player could only be controlling the left leg… once a task is done, I could end up controlling the left hand while the second player takes control of the left and right legs. Co-op adds a lot of replay value to this game- after beating story mode, I was able to go back with my friend and share some new laughs as we tried to get Octodad to move in the same direction. There is a lot of value in playing with friends- it’s great to show to a buddy who has never seen or heard of Octodad and say “hey, want to play a really strange video game?” and see the pleasantly surprised look on their face when they see that we’re an Octopus trying to moonlight as a human dad.
The only big thing I have found disappointing about Octodad: Dadliest Catch is its length. I was able to complete the story in somewhere around 3 hours for my first playthrough- this includes me messing around, trying to get a handle on the game mechanics, and exploring some of the levels for secrets or pop culture references. And while it did end in around 3 hours, every minute of the game was totally worth it- I had a great time as it never got old. There is incentive to replay the story after beating it, too, there are 3 ties hidden in every stage (and are a bitch to get a hold of) and there are several fun achievements that make it worth going back and experiencing again. The games developer, Young Horses, have also added a level editor and Steam Workshop support. I was able to download some neat user-created maps for Octodad and it has really contributed to the game’s replayability. The camera that follows you in the game would be my only other complaint- for the most part, it behaves itself and follows you around well, but there are times when it becomes inconvenient and only gives you one perspective in a stage where it would be useful to get another angle and see your character hiding behind in-game elements. While $14.99 may be a bit high for the game’s length alone, the asking price can be justified in that Octodad is a hilairous romp, oozing with charm and personality and offers more than just a story mode… PLUS the game has an awesome theme song, and who can put a price on having a great theme? But seriously, let’s face it- at the end of the day, what gamer wouldn’t like to be under the sea in an Octodad’s garden, in the shade?
Steam Recommendation:
Definitely buy it, but you can wait for a Steam sale
+Great sense of humor
+Hard, but rewarding controls
+Steam workshop and Local Co-Op
-Short Story Mode
-Camera can be iffy at times
+You play as an Octopus Dad… ’nuff said
Steam of Consciousness 