GoFishing 3D Review: The Doctor’s Assessment

Subjective:

GoFishing 3D presents for review as a fishing simulator that promises intuitive gameplay and a realistic angler experience. The game, developed by Mastercode Studios, aims to cater to fans of authentic fishing. So, if you are a gamer looking for a fast-paced, arcade-style fish-a-thon, look elsewhere.

Objective:

GoFishing 3D begins with simple selection of a male or female character. Players are then introduced to the shop where you can upgrade your fishing pole, bait, and other gear via silver coins. You obtain currency by catching fish, leveling, and a daily bonus allowance.

From there, it is off to the fishing. There are eight different levels to choose from, many of which need to be unlocked. You can fish from the shore or get a boat eventually if you get enough silver coins. Fishing incorporates both floating and jigging techniques.

While it is unclear how many types of fish there actually are, examples of various encountered breeds include crucians, catfish, and sturgeons. Players can keep track of their record size for each type of fish.

Assessment:

Fishing isn’t for everyone, and neither is GoFishing 3D. The game doesn’t partake in the bells and whistles that fishing games typically do, so that may be a turn off for some. For example, when you are catching a fish, there isn’t this big exclamatory moment where the camera switches to an underwater view of the fish on your hook. Instead, there’s a visual icon that says your bobber has been perturbed, you hook the fish, and reel it in without seeing it until its caught.

This brings us to the gameplay, which is simplistic and easy to use. First, as mentioned, you see a visual indicator that a fish is on the hook. Then you hit up on the analog stick to snag it and use a button to draw in your line. The line can become too taught or too loose, as indicated by a pressure bar, so some caution is necessary. Personally, I wanted a bit more of a challenge when catching fish, especially the big suckers.

As you are casting out and reeling in fish you will be pleased with the game’s ambient soundtrack. The music is fitting in the sense that it is serene and vibes well with the art of angling.

So where does GoFishing 3D go wrong?

Where this game really falls short, though, is in its visuals and user interface. I wasn’t expecting a 4K blow-your-mind look, but the graphics look like PlayStation 2 quality at best. That would be fine if they were going for a more arcadey-look, but the polygonal fisherman and environment makes it feel like the game fell short of reproducing a realistic experience.

The user interface is even worse than the graphics. The menu system’s “yes” option is based on the darkest of the various options (i.e. not the one lit up). This confused me and I would often end up picking the wrong thing if I wasn’t paying attention.

In addition to the graphical missteps, menu navigation is a headache. For whatever reason, you can’t always get your cursor to go where you want. In one instance, I had to figure out that the only way to exit a particular menu was to push the analog stick down and to the left. Not down, not up, not right, not left- none of those worked and thus at first I would just shut the game down before figured out the fix.

My other gripe with this game is the progression system. It seemed to take quite a while to amass enough coins to even buy a few pieces of gear and new levels. After that, buying a boat seemed like a distant pipe dream.

Why should I invest in the game?

Still, the game is enjoyable in a simple way and can be enjoyed in short bursts, especially in handheld mode on the Nintendo Switch. The upgrade options are numerous though hard to amass as discussed previously. Overall, the game is worth considering for a quick angling fix.

After reading our plan and summary for this game below, be sure to check out our reviews of other games by publisher Ultimate Games S.A. such as Robot Squad Simulator or SCRAP.