I honestly was having a hard time figuring out what my first post on here should be about. I started by writing down a few games I knew I was truly passionate about, and Octodad: Dadliest Catch was the one that really stood out. So here we are! This is why I believe that every gamer should play Octodad: Dadliest Catch.
A Brief History
Octodad: Dadliest Catch was released on January 30, 2014 after being developed and published by Young Horses. Believe it or not, this game is actually a sequel.
The original Octodad was released in 2010 as a small college project, where it went on to win in the 2011 Independent Games Festival. After Octodad’s success, the students came together to become Young Horses and began a kickstarter for the sequel.
In August 2011, Young Horses raised over $24,000 dollars for Octodad 2, and about 2.5 years later, Octodad: Dadliest Catch was released.
What’s It About?
A large part of the charm of this game is the fact that the plot is so obscure and strange that it might seem surprising that it’s as popular as it is. Or was. Octodad: Dadliest Catch hit its peak in popularity around its release in 2014, with huge YouTubers like jacksepticeye, DanTDM, and Markiplier uploading their Let’s Plays. But that sure doesn’t mean it doesn’t deserve recognition even 10 years later!
So, what is the plot? To put it simply, you play as an octopus. But not an octopus that lives in the ocean and does, well, normal octopus stuff. Yes, he’s got eight tentacles, and yes, he’s got suckers, but he lives on land.
He managed to get married, buy a house and have children, all while being an octopus. And nobody knows, everyone (somehow, stick with me) believes he is a human. A normal dad.
So now it’s up to you to keep the secret and not do anything that would insinuate his true identity. High stakes!
Why It’s Special
I’ve played a lot of different video games, and I can safely say that Octodad: Dadliest Catch is the most unique of them all. From the controls and mechanics to the storyline and humor, this game is a must-play.
The Controls
You won’t know exactly what it’s like to control Octodad until you open up the game for yourself, but I’ll try my best to describe it.
Forget WASD, because you won’t be using the keyboard at all when controlling Octodad. You will be using your mouse only.
You move his legs and arms by right clicking or left clicking, then dragging the entire mouse forward or backward. The right mouse click is for the right side of his body, and the left mouse click is for the left side. You switch between controlling his legs and arms by clicking the middle mouse button.
Frequently while playing this game, I had to stretch my arm out really far across my desk, sometimes off of it entirely, to scale complicated obstacles. There’s really nothing like it.
This truly unique set of controls makes this game irreplaceable, and every gamer should experience it for themselves!
The Soundtrack
The music in this game is top-notch (I may have saved the opening theme song to a couple of my Spotify playlists). From upbeat tunes with unusual percussion elements to deeply alluring and mysterious melodies that make you feel like you’re in the deep ocean, even the background soundscape will never disappoint.
The Story
There’s a lot of quirky games out there, but Octodad: Dadliest Catch definitely stands out. It’s incredible because its humor is unexpected and brilliant, yet a game about an octopus on land can somehow be serious too.
Something that never failed to make me laugh is the background dialogue of the game. Yes, Octodad with his non-coherent blubbering can be quite funny, but it’s really what his kids say in the living room behind him that’s totally awesome. The civilians just living their lives in the background also produce some fantastic comedy.
Yet, the climax of the story somehow creates deep feelings of loneliness and emotional confusion. As you live out Octodad’s life, you encounter moments in which you find yourself relating to a fictional octopus. It is totally genius.
Conclusion
I rate Octodad a 9/10, and I expect that you’ll give it a good score too. Give it a shot! It’s on sale for only $2.99 right now on Steam until 10/13/24. There isn’t a better time to experience this one-of-a-kind masterpiece.
It’s also available to play on PS4, Xbox One, Nintendo Switch, and even mobile on both Android and iOS. Read more about it on the official Octodad website!
What Do You Think?
Have you played Octodad: Dadliest Catch before? Let me know your experience in the comments!
Thanks For Reading
As mentioned earlier, this is my very first blog post, so I so appreciate you taking the time to read it. Stay tuned for much more gaming content soon to come! I’ll be posting every other day.
Want to watch me play live? Come say hi on my Twitch channel!
