Bass Landing

Overall: B
Violence: A
Sexual Content: A-
Language: A
Drugs/Alcohol: A

Platform reviewed: Playstation
Publisher: Agetec
ESRB rating: E

How could my highly anticipated fishing trip come down to this? On the first cast of the morning, my reel had fallen apart. My father, caught up in his own fishing dreams, offered little sympathy and no help. Frustrated, I laid the rod across my lap and attempted the best repairs a 12-year-old is capable of. Suddenly, the tangled line slipped out of my hands, and the rod lunged toward the water. "Hey dad," I smiled, pulling it back into the boat (with a six-inch yellow perch dangling from the end). "Are you looking for this?" Later, when an oncoming storm forced us off the lake, my smile was even bigger than my prized catch... father went home empty-handed.

Everyone should have a good fishing story. If you don't, then head to your nearest rental store and pick up a copy of Bass Landing by Agetec--it won't be long until you're spinning yarns with the best of them. If you're like me and haven't fished for bass before, don't worry... a tutorial will teach you all about bass fishing and the rod-shaped controller supplied with the game. Experienced fishermen (or women) can try out the Pro-Tournament option, but for the purpose of this review I spent the majority of my time in Free Fishing mode.

Like any fishing trip, some advance preparations are necessary. You'll be required to choose from among four different lakes and make decisions regarding the type of rod, reel, line, and bait you'll be using. Then comes the fulfillment of every angler's dream--complete control over things like barometric pressure, weather conditions (previous and current day), wind direction, water temperature and quality. Boat preparations are already taken care of, and you'll find it equipped with two outboard motors (electric and gas), a Global Positioning System (GPS) display, and a depth finder. Those fish don't stand a chance...

I'd never fished indoors before, so I felt somewhat self-conscious wearing my lucky fishing shirt and casting with a rod-shaped controller--particularly when I heard those "do you know how stupid you look" chuckles emanating from my wife--but I was determined to make this fishing trip as authentic as possible. After finding that perfect spot on the lake, I settled into my chair to enjoy the relaxing sounds of nature emanating from the speakers.

Suddenly a voice yelled, "Fish!" and my controller vibrated wildly. Since it was the first computer fish I'd ever hooked, I followed the voice's directions..."Rod left," "rod right," "too much slack..." A few moments later, I proudly landed my catch. My son laughed when the voice mockingly told me that the Florida Bass was just a little one (a puny half-pounder). It may have been too small to keep, but my ego wasn't deflated enough to skip the underwater replay.

Having come up empty-handed in previous attempts, my 18-year-old decided I'd found a good fishing hole and took the controller away from me. All I heard was, "one more cast dad, just one more cast." After landing five assorted bass, he finally decided to go to bed... so I took my last cast of the day. Ten minutes later, the voice was telling me I had caught another fish (this one had a lot more fight than the little guy) "Rod left," "rod right," "too much tension," "too much tension...!" Now there's something I hadn't heard before. I couldn't remember how to decrease the drag, so I yelled at my son to wake up and help me. I must've looked silly standing in the middle of the room making frantic left and right motions. Suddenly, the controller stopped vibrating, the line went limp, and the voice said, "Hook off." I lost him... and he was at least a six-pounder. Honest!

No simulation could ever compare with fishing in the great outdoors. Indeed, waiting for fish to bite in the real world is an enjoyable part of the sport... a chance to relax and enjoy nature. While my 18-year-old and I had fun with our virtual fishing experience, I believe it was due to the fact that we were catching something. My two younger children wanted immediate action, and quickly gave up, unwilling to wait. But for anyone patient enough to invest some time, take the tutorial, and understand how different conditions affect a fishing outcome, Bass Landing could be an excellent alternative to the brain drain of shooting and racing games.

A fishing buddy once told me never to let truth get in the way of telling a good story. With that in mind, I guess I won't have to mention the Playstation console when relating stories about the first time I went bass fishing.

Jim Fleming

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