Developer Blastmode has announced Ocean Sniffer, a pixel-art ocean adventure game scheduled to launch on Steam in 2027. The game combines Pokémon-style creature collecting with Dave the Diver-style ocean exploration, placing the collection gameplay within a relaxed underwater world.
Announced on September 10 via a short trailer, this is a single-player creature-collecting game. Players can freely explore underwater areas, fish and hunt for treasure in hand-crafted maps, and gradually upgrade their fishing gear and boat.
The game features over 100 collectible fish variants and mysterious marine creatures. After catching fish, players can register them in an animal handbook similar to the Pokédex in Pokémon; collecting creatures also grants new abilities and upgrades, functioning similarly to charms in Dave the Diver.
The fishing mechanics in Ocean Sniffer rarely resort to violence and do not feature the various weapons seen in Dave the Diver. However, light combat is still part of the gameplay, with players occasionally engaging in fistfights with fish. The related animations adopt an exaggerated cartoon style; defeated fish simply faint rather than die.
Players take on the role of Kiwi, working alongside their pet seal Momi for the research institution Lumira Labs. Their goal is to collect as many unknown marine species as possible for researchers to study. The developers have also hinted that some strange creatures lurk within these waters.
Ocean Sniffer will be Blastmode's second official title following the co-op run-and-gun game Goose Bumps. Currently, Steam is the only confirmed platform, and a specific release date has not yet been announced.