Rewind Review: Octodad: Dadliest Catch

Coming into the series with no previous Octodad experience, apart from what I had seen before the games’ release, I was unsure about what I’d make of the game, however I was soon drawn in.



Indie developers Young Horses have succeeded in making one of the funniest, quirkiest games I have played to date; I mean you’re an octopus in a suit! What’s not to like?

Octodad: Dadliest Catch is the sequel to the splash hit, Octodad! This time, our cephaloprotagonist has gotten himself in a bind between his wife’s mounting mistrust, and a disastrous trip to the local aquarium! Are you dad enough to control the titular octopus father as he strives to hide his nautical nature from his family while keeping his tangled tentacles intact? - Young Horses

The game plays like a slapstick comedy and I love it. 

The legend of Octodad

The plot of the story is that basically you’re an octopus, and a father, but your family can never know the truth for the fear that they might reject you.

Not your average family. 

The game opens with Octodad getting ready for his wedding whilst trying to hide the fact that he is in fact an octopus from his guests. This acts as the tutorial and gets you familiar with the controls, and then allows you to jet off into the wonderful world of fatherhood, and all of the added problems that come with being a cephalopod.

“Octodad might just be gaming’s first slapstick comedy. You can’t help but smile as you watch your fish-man stumble around a chapel as he tries to remain inconspicuous during his own wedding.” (Marty Silva – 1UP.com)

Dadliest Gameplay

As soon as you load up you know what to do, and by that I mean cause as much disorder with your flailing tentacles as possible. The left and right sticks move his arms; R1 (on PS4) grabs, L2 lifts his left leg and R2 lifts his right in order to move.

The general gameplay is chaotic. You’re charged with doing tasks like mowing the lawn and getting groceries, simple tasks that would be easy for humans but make for a very amusing few hours as you playfully struggle at everything you do as an octopus, while also making sure that you stay well away from sushi chefs and marine specialists, who can smell a fish a mile away.

Octodad: Dadliest Catch Overall

The only criticism I have of the game is that it is quite short and can be completed in a few hours, however the game is not full price and is, in my opinion great value for what you get.

To summarise, if you want to be entertained by a simple yet fun story or just want something for the kids to do, then look no further than Octodad: Dadliest Catch!

Octodad: Dadliest Catch is available now on PlayStation, Xbox, Steam, iOS, and now also the Nintendo Switch.