Octodad (2010)
This is already breaking new ground here. This is among my first freeware game reviews I ever done. But also developed in an university by a lot of students. A slight different method to get the game on Steam or GOG. On Steam you can get it free while you have to buy the sequel on GOG. But usually GOG packs in some nice surprises.
I won't be too harsh on this game due to obviously being an low budget game. It's kinda impressive what they were able to pull off. You play as Octodad whose an octopus disguised as a human that does stuff for his human family. Surprisingly it works way better than you expect it to. Yes this is a notably short game with parts of the controls taking a little longer to get use to.
I did like the animated drawn cutscenes. The only weird thing is Octodad wearing a black suit. But in those cut scenes he's wearing a blue suit like in the sequel. Your home is the main hub section of the game. I do like you get a choice what you wanna do first. Just know you can't do the mannequin building until the other three levels are done.
You do run into an chef at times. They kept things small, simple and to the point as possible. It's a rather unique experience to control Octodad. I also liked the difficulty doesn't go too hard either. Not exactly quite right either but it's doable. I'm amazed they pulled off this game for a contest. I also liked they allowed you to control Octodad during the ending credits thank you so much!!!
No body wanna just sit there during an ending credits unless it's done a certain way. This was a great way to have additional fun while waiting for the game to end. You can tell they had a surprisingly fun concept. I love this was among the bonus stuff you get for it's sequel on GOG. Which also makes it among my bonus Christmas games as well.
Octodad: Dadliest Catch (2014)
I'll start with something not a lot of people knows about this game. A little over an handful of people that worked on the original Octodad came back for the sequel. It turns out majority of them didn't. They agreed to a deal from this game's royalties. Yes this is an indie game with a higher budget. Not too high of a budget but good enough to get the job done.
I'll come right out to say I absolutely love this game!!! They took the concept much further than I could ever expected. This also on more platforms as well. GOG version doesn't have achievements. But considering the controls kinda a smart decision. You play as Octodad in a decent follow up that's something truly special.
Again he's hiding the fact he's an octopus. I liked we get to play some huge moments in his life. Like the wedding where you had to rush getting ready since you're late. You get to do a level in an grocery store. Easily one of my favorite levels in the game. This level shown how much they grown since the original Octodad game.
The main hub section is funny enough an Aquarium. I'm sure a lot of people been to one a few times in their lifes including myself. This also was a place Octodad didn't wanna go to. His family mostly the kids are notably different from the original Octodad version. You kinda felt bad Octodad has to do nearly everything himself especially for his family.
He should be given the Father of the Year award. It's not often when you do get help within the levels. Mostly from your family when you do. There's a bigger variety that happens within the levels too. We even get a level in the water without your suit. Which ended up being the easiest level in the entire level.
There's a well hidden secret level in the Aquarium. You actually have to flush yourself down a toilet in the men's bathroom. Which actually plays out as an 2D platforming level. Which also the easiest level to get every tie in. All three ties are literately at the end of this level. You just have to collect em separately.
I really didn't expect this game to be as close as funny it was. A lot of the humor comes from the game itself. Which reminds me of Dead Rising series in that regard. Octodad doesn't fight any enemies directly. It's mostly run away from them or in a few later levels hide. I previously knew about the stealth level.
I was surprised how easy as well as how fun that level turned out to be. Thanks to Markiplier's video series on the game. I kept realizing there's plenty of changes from the version I played to the old version he played. The game is notably longer than the original Octodad. It still wish it was just a little longer. This is also a much harder game from that.
The big control joke is even simple tasks suddenly the most difficult things ever!!! Just trying to grab stuff is a serious pain in the buttlocks. I do like a few times you got a choice what you wanna do. Some objectives can be very strict to do. Like trying to prevent an Arcade. Which so happens to have a huge fish tank in the back of the location starts leaking water.
You have to rush putting objects in direct paths of those holes. You might be lucky to throw stuff into those holes. Sometimes you gotta drop objects in the right spots to hope they fit those holes. Keep in mind the water constantly rising here. Otherwise you gotta grab em then try all like no tomorrow to put em into those holes.
Prior to this, you had to win a lot of mini games. Which actually made this among my favorite levels in the game. The difficulty curve is a bit unbalanced at times. But it's not Battletoads on NES level bad in that department. The story instantly pulls you in right up to the end. They were quite creative with the concept.
Despite how often I fail at stuff. The game was nice enough to quickly save my process. So I didn't have to do the entire levels again from scratch. The final section is even nicer you just reset after you fall down. Obviously this is one of the funniest stealth games. Well the sections that are stealth theme I ever played.
It isn't quite UnMetal in that department. I will say this though it's not that far behind either. Most levels also hid ties you can collect. You got to be quite creative to find em all. The overall pacing is just works wonders here. There's a lot of characters that looks the same. But none of that ruins the experience in the slightest.
Of course, you kept running into that chef in the game. The ending I will say is rather heart welcoming. A nice conclusion to everything with a few unanswered questions. Oh okay one of the free DLC levels jokes at one of those questions. Octodad: Dadliest Catch is a game that's surprisingly refreshing. I can't really compare it to many games at all honestly.
I also love similar to the original Octodad. You can still move around during the ending credits. This time, you're in a move theater with the game being the movie joke. They didn't stop with the jokes here. I just knew they had to sneak in. "The book was better." joke which kinds me of my mom lol. You also can choose which exit you can go out of to end the game.
You know what you're in for when you struggle to put burgers on a car theme grill. If it wasn't obvious by now. Parts of this is rather cartoony that works well with the theme. This game is getting more ideas since I'm considering to become an indie developer myself. Everything about this game works insanely well.
Update: I just played the two DLC levels. Both were a lot of fun but for different reasons. I tried the make up hospital story level first. As you expect the kids gets a little out there with the ideas. You can tell the developers had a lot of fun with this level. Thankfully being a make up story level it's not canon. You help the patients with tasks to complete.
Then after a weird call from "your brother" who doesn't exist to clarify. You rush one of those patients into an operation. It kinda was parodying the board game, Operation to a degree. They even threw in a concept that can't exist outside imagination. The patient suddenly becomes a robot. After a few more tasks becomes human again.
Keep in mind, I didn't mention cyborgs or similar machines. This simply a bit all over the place to a degree. I do prefer the other DLC level more. It still was fun to struggle doing tasks inside an hospital. There's plenty of stuff that wouldn't even be allowed officially. Some of which can get you fired like finding a bone saw hidden in a pile of used needles.
The other DLC level is essentially the couple's first date. Octodad didn't have a spot booked for that restaurant. He actually steals money from other people's jacket to bride the waiter. We haven't even gotten to why I love this level so much. Probably my favorite level yet in fact. Some of the waiters mistaken you as a rookie among em.
Now suddenly you are on a date while at times working for the restaurant. Let's just say this has to be the laziest restaurant I ever seen in an video game lol. No really they aren't doing much while you're doing everything!!! I literately do mean everything since you do assist the chef. Yes it's the same chef holding a grudge against you.
You would think he finds out Octodad was there. He never notices I was very surprised. You serve dishes to other customers as well. You do other tasks within the kitchen. It's kinda amazing Octodad keeps up with all this. His wife at the time doesn't even realize he ended up serving their dishes after the first one.
This was a rather creative level even for an DLC one. The tasks you get to do is a bigger variety than I was expecting from the main levels. My favorite tasks was clean up a few tables. To be honest, I simply kept moving towards the tables to clean em off lol. This level is a high recommendation you gotta play it.
You get to see how an restaurant runs while someone not officially working for em does all the work. This is meant to be one of those restaurants you need to book in advance or you're aren't getting in. Which actually made the big joke they were going for work more. This was a rather fun level filled with twists to keep it interesting right up to it ends.
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