Octodad: Dadliest Catch Review (iOS)

Have you ever had a dream, a dream that was just filled with random moments, characters, places and events that didn’t quite make sense? As if this dream was some kind of whacked out acid trip? Now imagine playing that acid trip on your iOS device. Insert Octodad: Dadliest Catch.

Octodad: Dadliest Catch is an independent game from publisher and developer Young Horses Inc. You play as protagonist Octodad, who is tasked with completing daily tasks in the life of a typical, mundane suburbia father. However, Octodad comes with a bit of a twist: nobody knows he is an octopus.

In regards to Octodad: Dadliest Catch’s story, there is absolutely no reason to beat around the bush, it is odd. You are playing as an obviously disguised octopus, doing human tasks, convincing people that you’re well, a person. The nature of the story is entirely baffling, ridiculous and yet, charming. No, the story fundamentally doesn’t make sense but its oddball humor and quirky moments make it memorable. Think Goat Simulator with more of a story.

The game play is quite interesting here. Octodad: Dadliest Catch has to pretend to be a regular, everyday, boring Dad and in doing so, has to complete tasks we all take for granted. Seems simple enough, right? Unfortunately, for an octopus, not so much and this adds to the quirky, slapstick humor elements. Simply getting dressed or gliding your way around a room can end in the environment being trashed. However, you cannot simply glide around, destroying a room gleefully, you are still technically ‘undercover’ and must maintain some order. Simply knocking things over can lead to unwarranted attention. This can prove to be difficult at times.

This leads to perhaps one of the weaker elements of Octodad: Dadliest Catch: the controls. The game’s initial development was for PC, which was the origin of its success. Here, the control scheme might make sense with a keyboard and mouse. Unfortunately, even with the iPad’s very accurate screen, movements are clunky and at times, quite inaccurate. After a while, one can be a bit more accurate with Octodad’s body movements but that is after a pretty steep learning curve.

Aesthetically speaking, one will find much better looking iOS games. Despite the benchmark performance the iPad can sustain, it never feels fully fleshed out here. While never stumbling, the graphics are pedestrian at best. Sure, there is a charming, almost intentional art style here but one that is not highlighted well under the iPad’s beautiful retina display. Colors are a bit washed, textures are lifeless and the resolution is squandered.

All this being said, while Octodad: Dadliest Catch is an odd game, there is fun to be had here. Sure, at its price point, the weird story might drive away potential buyers but it really shouldn’t. Its difficult control structure can eventually be mastered, and even still, is hilarious to both watch and maneuver. Not only that, but the game is just plain fun, not once making an excuse for what it is.

You can purchase Octodad: Dadliest Catch now at the App Store!