Octodad:
Dadliest Catch

Octodad: Dadliest Catch (2014) is a traversal game where you try and control an octopus masquerading as a human as he goes about his day-to-day life. Using a combination of sticks and buttons, it creates an awkward, stomach-churning feeling of having too many limbs that you can’t directly control. It stands out for how it makes even the most basic tasks into a complex challenge, balancing (intentional) frustration with lighthearted fun and (eventually) immense satisfaction.

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You play the titular Octodad as he goes about his life disguised as a human navigating a troubled marriage and a long series of bizarre and unfortunate scenarios. You move through the stages, from a suburban garden to a supermarket to a huge aquarium, and must make it to the end of each to proceed.

Play involves using a combination of sticks and buttons to control each of your eight legs individually. many of the things you touch stick to you instantly, and just navigating through a small room or opening a cupboard door quickly becomes brain-achingly tricky, yet still comedic and lighthearted as chaos ensues from your failure. It’s the kind of peculiar difficulty that quickly results in a heady mix of frustration and hilarity as you blunder your way through each level, limbs flailing and furniture flying, to the gleeful screams of others in the room.

The result is a game where the fun stems from the challenge of overcoming the physics-based direct-limb control and interactions with the world. The absurdist nature of the game, paired with the satisfaction of finally overcoming a seemingly innocuous obstacle makes for an entertaining and rewarding yet still lighthearted experience.

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Our examiner, Jo Robertson, first checked Octodad: Dadliest Catch 5 years ago. It was re-examined by Thom Robertson and updated 4 months ago.