InDave the Diver, players make excursions into the water. Their goal is to catch enough fish to run a restaurant up top. The game provides several pieces of equipment to accomplish that goal, but they aren’t of the highest quality. Thankfully, Dave can improve them.
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Each tool holds a few upgrades. Players can invest in whichever ones suit their style. If they’re not careful with their choices, though, it can take a while to claw their way to a successful business. As such, it’s best to be an informed buyer as well as a skilled diver.
6Rifle Upgrades
The basic underwater rifle has a pitiful damage output. It makes the frequent boss battles look like a case of David & Goliath. Luckily, several variations exist.
Further, each rifle type sports its own upgrades. When improved to the maximum level,these can create devastating projectiles. For instance, the flame rifle can become an explosive rifle, triggering a blast that carries both regular and fire damage. All rifles–regular, flame, poison, tranquilizer, shock, and lightning–have these upgrades. They may not be much use in catching fish, but they’re invaluable in combat. Such deadly firearms can topple even the most imposing sea monster.
5Cargo Box
The cornerstone ofDave the Diveriscollecting fishand treasure for sale on the surface. That said, the guy has a limit to what he can carry, and that limit is particularly punishing. At the start, Dave can only carry 9 kilograms–less than 20 pounds. That’s barely enough to justify a dive. Sometimes, a single fish can fill the entire space. Exceeding that space decreases mobility, which eats through oxygen. The space shortage creates a vicious snowball effect.
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Thankfully, the upgrades lessen that effect. Once maxed out, the cargo box has a capacity of 185 kilograms–over 400 pounds. Players can accumulate a ton of booty and sell it in bulk to make a veritable fortune, all without cutting into mobility or oxygen supply. That much space ensures that every haul is worth the trip.
4Net Gun
Of course, Dave must also have the right equipment to fill that space. Rather than a fishing net, he has a gun that fires a net at a target. Sadly, he begins the game with a small net that isn’t good for much. Big fish won’t fit inside, so he’ll be lucky to catch a few trout. The upgrades amend that issue by increasing the size. The resulting large nets cancapture grand prizes, be it one big fish or several smaller ones. Even better, these are guaranteed to be high grade. On top of that, the large net gun is more viable to use.
The upgrades increase the number of nets available. The small gun only has 3 nets in its magazine, but the larger model brings that number to 5. While not as significant a change as other equipment upgrades, the benefits still add up with the total fish captured.
3Harpoon Gun
Another weapon with its own set of upgrades is the Harpoon Gun. Though not as directly damaging as the rifles, it’s arguably more useful. Part of that is due to it being Dave’s main weapon.Most players will be adept with projectile spears before they ever pick up the more specialized rounds. In addition, harpoons have a major advantage over those rounds: unlimited ammo.
This makes it seem like a steal once the upgrades kick in. The highest tier–the superalloy harpoon gun–deals over 40 damage points. That’s comparable with any rifle, with the difference being that it’s perpetually damaging. When properly outfitted, this harpoon can slayMoby Dick himself.
2Diving Suit
This suit separates the deep divers from the shallow snorkelers. The diving suit determinesthe depth at which Dave can survive. Initially, he can only go 40 meters below the surface. The upgrades multiply it exponentially, with the deepest being a whopping 540 meters. Not only does it widen the range for fishing, but it also aids in treasure hunting. After all, the most valuable trinkets lie closer to the ocean floor. The resulting riches quickly recoup whatever loss players sustained from the upgrades. All that said, the diving suit has another benefit.
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Dave can’t catch fish if they get away. It pays to be invisible to his quarry until the moment he pounces. Fish “see” him by detecting his temperature. The diving suit mitigates this, allowing for better opportunities for ambush. Both facets boost the chance for a good haul. Either is a worthy investment on its own, but players essentially get two perks for the price of one.
1Air Tank
Dave the Diver obviously needs to dive. To do so, he requires oxygen. That’s why improving the air tank should be his highest priority. Without it, he can’t dive intothe shallowest lake. While the level starts at 90 bar, it can reach a maximum capacity of 480 bar. This more than quintuples the time that players stay submerged.
Given that time, they can multiply their catch by just as much. The air tank essentially paves the way for all other exploits. Thus, its upgrades do the same for all subsequent equipment. These are the foundations for the whole game. Naturally, those foundations should be as strong as possible.
Dave the Diveris currently available on PC and macOS.
