Welcome to our review of the fishing simulator ‘Fishing: Barents Sea – Complete Edition,’ sadly one of those games out there that makes you want to walk the plank… So let’s dive in and give this ship a run for his money. But don’t be sad, I will discuss this game in-depth, so strap into your seatbelts, and let’s sing a sea shanty!
Børge – Fishing on the Barents!
Step on to the Børge, a large wooden ship left to you by your grandfather. This small solid line fishing ship is the beginning of your adventure to find the best fishing spots out there. Along the coastline of Norway, you will sail and catch a lot of fish. Using the ship’s radar and Scanmar catch system, you have to calculate the season prices for certain species and master the different fishing methods available in the game.
So The Fishing: Barents Sea – Complete Edition promises to take console owners to the icy coasts of Northern Norway, where they will make their dream of their fishing boat, come true. On what should be a realistic and extensive map – covering the area around the well-known fishing port of Hammerfest – they should first refill their stock, including baits, lines, and more functional equipment before heading out to a thriving fishing haul. Sadly the game world looks … like something from the end of the 90’s/early 2000s. On the sometimes calm and sometimes stormy sea, they will encounter many terrible looking AI ships and boats, making the virtual fishery playground even more dreadful.
Pixel-ships
More than 12 boats and ships with various pixelated characteristics and fishing methods are available for future fishers. After mastering the art of longline fishing, they can switch to net fishing before trying their hand at the supreme discipline of trawling on board of the game’s largest ship, the originally licensed Hermes Trawler. Each fishing method will challenge the fishers with a frustrating mini-game. Combine this with the gutting mini-game, which can ruin the combo’s you gained by catching fish. Are you weary of the five catchable types of fish? I certainly was not.
If you are in the market for something else, other then this game, how about some tasty crustaceans instead? Two available crab ships are the perfect choice for going on a hunt for the majestic king crabs (DLC, included in this version). Each new ship will provide larger storage capacity, higher speed, and extended fishing quotas and can also be improved with engine, storage, and radar updates by the player. Sadly this does not change the fact that the game has an overall bad performance.
DLC
The DLC adds some diligent crew members will help with managing the continually increasing workload by taking over diverse tasks on the ship. At the beginning of their career, fishers can use their radar to localize their elusive prey successfully. In the later stages of the game, they will be able to use the licensed initially Scanmar Catch Control System. This technological marvel provides the captain with an extensive overview of every important detail, such as depth, size, and speed of the targeted fish swarm.
But even the best equipment cannot protect the player from the rough weather conditions of the North, which can turn the fishing tour of even the most experienced sea dog into a perilous journey. The Fishing: Barents Sea – Complete Edition will challenge them with real weather conditions of Hammerfest recorded within the last 20 years – fog, wind, rain, snow, and sunshine. But as a little compensation for miserable weather days, they will also have a high chance of catching a glimpse of the should-have-been-beautiful Northern lights in this magical area. Extra curious fishers can use their binoculars to watch this natural spectacle but also to discover ports, landscapes, buildings, the Barents Sea, and the rest of the game world of Fishing: Barents Sea.
Negative Fishing
Maybe you already noticed the snarky comments here and there. I did not enjoy Fishing: Barents Sea – Complete Edition at all. The game feels like something from 20 years ago. The graphics look like they were stolen from Half-Life 2’s alpha; the controls feel wonky and make controlling the ship a hellish task. And that’s a statement for someone who played through Zelda: The Windwaker & the Assassins Creed’s with sailing aspects. It took me over 20 minutes to complete my first catches since the ship was slow, and the catching mechanism is awful designed. I understand they want to recreate the original feeling, but for someone who played a lot of the old Sim games (Sim Farm, Sim Safari, Sim Helicopter…), this feels like a throwback.
Conclusion
To conclude, the game looks horrible, plays terrible, and is not my cup of tea. Maybe it’s just the version designed for the Nintendo Switch and are the other versions better designed (and is this only a rotten (fish) port). I know simulation games are a big thing in Germany, so I had high hopes for this one. I’m therefore unfortunate to conclude that this will be my second negative review, and the year just started. Please, stay away from the Nintendo Switch version.
