I love Dave the Diver. It’s one of my favorite random purchases on Steam over the past couple months, and I’m glad to see it’s getting some attention.
I’d put it about the same as Stardew. There are boss fights and there are some jerk animals that are dangerous and a PITA to kill but generally you can avoid them or develop ways to deal with them. Overall it’s a fantastic game with a great sense of humor and just when you feel like you’ve done all there is a whole new mechanic is unlocked.