Fishing Planet

Fishing is a pleasant activity for most people, except when you have to wake up in the middle of the night in order to get to the lake before dawn. Other than that, there’s nothing more relaxing that sitting in silence and waiting for the fish to bite, while enjoying nature and being away from your daily stress. Even if you do not have the possibility to do this on a regular basis, there are video games that can serve as placeholders.

Fishing Planet is a realistic simulator that allows you to enjoy your hobby without leaving the comfort of your living room, while also being challenging enough to make the experience feel like it’s worth the effort. On top of that, you can also work hard to gain experience and buy better equipment, which can then be used to capture bigger fish in more exotic places around the world.

You start with a short tutorial that shows you the basic controls and techniques to start catching fish, but the mechanics are simple enough for anyone to understand them in a couple of minutes. Thus, you can move around the map and cast the bait wherever you want, at least if you don’t try to leave the lakeside or stray too far into the water.

Every fisherman knows how important equipment is when it comes to reeling in that once in a lifetime capture, so the game allows you to enjoy that aspect as well. Hence, you can buy a wide variety of rods, lines, vests and baits to use during your sessions, some of which must actually be purchased with real money. It’s not necessary to purchase these items, but some areas are not very welcoming if you do not have the proper equipment.

As for the graphics, it must be mentioned that Fishing Planet looks incredibly well, especially when it comes to the environments. The weather system is great too, given the fact that it’s dynamic and it can always change on you when you least expect it. However, the beautiful landscapes are the most impressive part of the engine, because you truly feel like you are out in the middle of nature.

All things considered, Fishing Planet is spot on when it comes to atmosphere and gameplay, but it might need a bit of content before you can safely enjoy it for hundreds of hours. On the other hand, the game is still in Early Access, so there’s definitely time for that to happen.