Exactly the kind of fishing game I awaited for a LONG LONG time...
User Rating: 9.1 | Pro Fishing Challenge XBOX
Fishing entertainment was arcadish and *dummy-proof* before... Sega Bass fishing, The Reel Fishing series, Trophy Bass, Bass Strike, Mark Davis...Name them. All of them were games where you could get 15 minutes of pure fun and then it gets boring cause you just see underwater where fishes are and you could choose the ones you would catch and get plenty of bonus *magical* lures who can make you catch any fish, in a glimpse of an eye. It eventually got easy and unchallenging. Bottom line they were all rentable once but definetely not games to buy, (not even at 19,95$) This one here is different, first of all, you can get anywhere on the lakes! You're not stuck in little ponds delimited by buoys and the likes. Next, you can't see underwater anymore! You can't just throw your line, scanning underwater where the lunkers are and go lurking your lure in front of their picky noses until they bite no more. You really gotta get to know the spots and the techniques. On the other hand, that it can be pretty frustrating to beginners. And the tutorial shows you the basics...but I'm telling you it's Basics of Basic...lol You would have to figure out the rest yourself. Anyway I think this game is not meant to initiate people to fishing but more to give amateur/advanced fishermans what they were waiting for. I know a lot about fishing techniques, spots and all and still find this game really challenging! The gameplay in this game skyrocketing for a fishing game. The point system makes it even more interesting. You get points for your catches that you can spend here and there on lures, rods, reels, lines, boats and even engine. (Yup cause you start off with a puny little boat with a 4hp engine) lol! And since lakes are big, it can take a while to get to destination with a 4HP engine. Could as well Row it all the way up there!! That's where points system makes the difference.. Earn points, get better boats/engines, enhance your tackle box, get stronger equipment , spend less time searching, driving here and there and more time hooking and landing trophy basses :) *Without Breaking line or loosing hooks fighting them!!!* Fights with the different kinds of fishes in this game are hard! The biggest fish I landed yet was a 7 pounder (you can see the realism...no 30lbs yet) and it took me like 2 stressfull minutes to get it bending the line to the max, almost breaking it up, some other times almost losing the hook when the fish got crazy!! (unlike 10 seconds at other games reeling it straightforwardly yawning.) Graphics in this game are good but weird, to avoid lag they got the horizon blurry. That's wise but weird at first. Other than that, fishes physics, players physics, sun/clouds, lightings/reflections looks good. So that's worth a 8 for me. Graphics won't be an issue here. Sound is just what you would expect from such a game. Don't be expecting heavy metal soundtracks and hyping and stressful ambiant sounds. It's fishing, you, your boat, your tacklebox, the lake and the fishes. Added some birds singing, waves crashing ashore here and there, an overall relaxing sound system that reminds you of your last fishing trip! All in all, I think it's an AMAZING fishing simulation! No bout the best one yet. Too bad it's on Xbox and my father just have a PC. Final advice: "Don't pop in this game in your console hoping to land 2 or 3 dozen of 15lbs bass in 5 minutes." Patience is required and rewarded here! -...that's what fishing is really meant to be. ® :D
