Fisherman's Bait 2: Big Ol' Bass

"What do we have here? A fishing game?"

Introduction
Well, well, well. What do we have here? A fishing game, eh. Let me first say that this game will not appeal to everyone. But those few fans of fishing games will be satisfied, at first. Just as in real life, fishing for some fishies in these lakes will definitely bring up some yawns, although it won’t be for a lack of action. Repetitiveness is this game’s weakness.

Graphics
The graphics in Fisherman’s Bait 2: Big Ol’ Bass is actually pretty good. First of all, let me say that the fish in these lakes look outstanding. The fishermen themselves, though, aren’t as pretty, but they’re manageable. The backdrops also look good. They look very realistic, even if they are just photographs. Also, a few FMVs would have been nice, but I haven’t seen any. Overall, the graphics look really good, but they could’ve been better.
Rating: 8/10

Sound
Well, there isn’t much sound to rate in this game. The menu music puts me to sleep. The game announcer is annoying. While you’re actually fishing, there isn’t any music at first. There are the sound effects of your hook hitting the water and you reeling in your lure, but that’s mostly it. When you get a fish on your line, though, the noise gets livelier. Some music starts playing, and you start hearing the fish splash through the water while you try to reel him in. But other than that, this game has little to offer in the audio department.
Rating: 2/10

Storyline
I really don’t think a storyline is really important in a fishing game, but there’s one in the game anyway. If you select the World Monsters mode, you get to travel through a near-futuristic world fishing for gigantic fictional fish. I guess this isn’t much of a storyline, but this mode is both challenging and fun. The developers could have made the storyline more intriguing. But it’s a fishing game, so I gave them a break.
Rating: 7/10

Gameplay
The gameplay in Fisherman’s Bait 2 can be tricky. Catching the big fish can be very nerve-wracking for the beginner. Also, reeling in a fish can be a pain to your fingers. Use an analog controller for this game. That way, only your thumb will hurt instead of your whole hand. The game can also be frustrating when playing in the tournament mode. The computer opponents are impossible to beat in the later rounds. This game is only fun to play against another person. Now if you can convince your friends to play a fishing game.
Rating: 4/10

Replay Value
There isn’t much of a replay value in this game. It makes a good party game, but that’s about it. After completing all of the game modes, there isn’t much left to do. Oh well.
Rating: 3/10

Recap
Graphics: 8/10
Sound: 2/10
Storyline: 7/10
Gameplay: 4/10
Replay Value: 3/10

Overall
Well, this game seems to be either feast or famine. The graphics and storyline are top-notch, but the sound, gameplay, and replay value are below average. But overall, this game can be fun, but it’s mostly just frustrating. It’s too bad those good graphics went to waste.

Overall Rating: 4/10

This review was brought to you by:
--C.B.

Reviewer's Score: 4/10, Originally Posted: 04/07/01, Updated 08/02/01