Dave the Diver does something rare: it combines two very different gameplay loops and makes both equally enjoyable.

The community profile is unambiguous on two points. Immediate fun and addictiveness both rank ahead of 100% of games. Those are the highest scores possible. Emotional connection and gameplay follow close behind, both ahead of 94% of titles. The desire to rediscover the experience for the first time ranks ahead of 99% of games, which says a lot about what players take away from it. Where it's more modest is narrative (above average but ahead of only 70%) and world-building (ahead of 75%). That's not really what you come here for.

For a hybrid game mixing management and exploration, this is an unusual result. Most games in this category struggle with addictiveness. Dave the Diver leads the pack on that front.

If you're looking for a game that will eat your evenings without warning, this is it. If you primarily want a strong story or a deep world to get lost in, you might come away a little unsatisfied.