Divekick (for PC) Review

Divekick is the most hipster game ever created. It's the product of the indie scene, mercilessly parodies fighting games and its diehard community, yet demands that you be part of the underground circle to fully get all of the references and in-jokes. It's also a lot of fun if you open your mind to the insane concept. If you can, you'll find it's one of the best PC games there is.

A New Challenger Awaits
Divekick began life as a Kickstarter project designed to parody one of the fighting game genre's most common moves: the jumping dive kick. That single maneuver is the core gameplay mechanic. But don't let this this 2D fighter (which looks like a glorified Flash game) fool you; Divekick requires a tactical mind and quick reflexes. It's a game of feints, hops, and pseudo-footsies that captivates far more than one would think for a stripped-down fighter in which the goal is to become the best divekicker in the world.

This Steam game requires just two buttons: dive and kick. No joystick required. The bare-bones control scheme makes the game one suitable for a variety of gaming platforms, and indeed you can play it on PC (as reviewed), PlayStation Vita($499.99 at Amazon), and PlayStation 3. It also leaves one hand free for holding a can of PBR. It's easily the most accessible fighting games ever made.

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Why You Should Game on a PC

The upside is that anyone can jump into Divekick. I know people who aren't fighting game fans who absolutely love the game. On the flipside, the very simple gameplay mechanics will likely turn off fighting game diehards. I, admittedly, was turned off the lack of rolls, counters, 2-in-1s, and blocks, but once I let go of my preconceived fighting game notions, Uncle Sensei's in-game teachings flowed through me (though I really missed dashing).

Fighting in the Street
The first-to-win-five-round matches are lightning fast as each round lasts just 20 seconds. They're also over quickly because a successfully landed kick drains your opponent's life bar. Like other fighting games, Divekick rounds can end in double KOs, but it has novel idea for handling timeouts. Since health meters mean absolutely nothing, Divekick declares a winner based on how close a fighter is to the mid-screen line of scrimmage that appears as time dwindles. That creates an extra layer of tension as you enter the five second mark—not only do you do need to avoid receiving a kick, but you need to get to get as close to mid-screen as possible.

A kick can end a round, but where you land it on your opponent's body is equally as important. Nail a challenger anywhere from the neck down and the next round begins as per usual. Land a headshot, however, and your rival begins the next round in a dizzy state. Unlike other fighting games, Divekick's version of a dizzy doesn't leave you immobile. Instead, you move at a slower, weakened pace, and lose your entire Kick Factor super meter. Head shots, as a result, play a major role in strategy as starting with a dizzy puts you at a solid disadvantage.

As players unleash attacks, their characters build Kick Factor. The super bar lets you activate a ground-level super attack, air-level super attack, or Kick Factor (which enhances your diving and kicking). Certain characters like the Will Smith-inspired Dive gains temporary invulnerability when Kick Factor's activated. Divekick also has a handful of Street Fighter X Tekken-like gems that provide various ability buffs. These extras give Divekick a needed bit of depth—had the gameplay been just dives and kicks, no would talk about the game (at least, positively).

Chip Damage
Divekick's meta-commentary on fighting game and the fighting game community makes for some pretty good chuckles—if you're part of the incredibly insular scene.

Outsiders may scratch their heads at the slightly nerdy, blazer-clad gentleman with the cross arm stance, fraud detection, or salt references. In fact, those moments are when the otherwise accessible game will feel foreign to fighting game newcomers. Those in the know, however, will eat it up.

A Strong Contender
Divekick isn't Street Fighter, Virtua Fighter, or King of Fighters—it's a fighting game with a barely there move set that's fun and accessible. Frame-counters may want to pass this up, but those looking for a new take on fighting may discover that Divekick is greater than the sum of its parts.

Divekick (for PC)

3.5

See It

$4.99 at Humble Bundle

MSRP $9.99

Pros

• Incredibly accessible gameplay.
• Short, but action-packed, rounds.
• Wacky sense of humor.

Cons

• Very simple character design.
• Some gags are too "inside baseball." Some gamers will hate the very simple gameplay.

The Bottom Line

The simplistic Divekick makes the insular fighting game genre accessible and fun to mainstream audiences.