If this can be patched, if there can be a feeling of risk, of danger of losing the fish, then The Fisherman: Fishing Planet could well be a contender. There’s no thrill, and there’s no feeling of accomplishment if you land a trophy fish it’s just a case of keep winding and waiting for the fish to give up.

You see, once a fish has been hooked, the actual fighting of the fish, the bit that should be the most thrilling, is sadly pretty flat and dull. Well, sadly it stumbles at the final hurdle. Looking at the range of waters available, from small ponds to the Volga river in Russia, the picture looks even brighter, and with distinct fishing styles to master, surely this game should be higher up the list? With missions galore to try and fulfill, almost endless combinations of tackle and bait to use, and more than 100 species of fish to have a crack at, on paper at least this would seem to be the complete package. However, with the release of the paid version of the game, The Fisherman: Fishing Planet on Xbox One, things are a lot better.

Constant adverts to buy coins, in-game currency, or even extra lakes as DLC lead me to give up. The free-to-play model of Fishing Planet annoyed me no end. When a fish is hooked, the constant exhortations to “Turn the rod left”, or “Lower the rod” makes fighting the fish feel exciting, even today.Ĭhoosing your location, your lure and then catching the fish in a tight timescale adds a certain something that the previous game in this list was missing. It isn’t the prettiest game in the world, I’ll grant you that, as it can trace its roots all the way back to 1997, but the way that it plays makes up for it. With the emphasis again on lure fishing, you are tasked with catching the biggest fish in the lake, with only an artificial bait and your wits to help you. Largemouth Bass, Smallmouth Bass, Striped Bass, White Bass, there are many species to aim at in this game, and with an arcade twist to the gameplay, it offers something that little bit different. SEGA Bass Fishing is a very American styled game, focusing on the fish that most Americans seem to be obsessed by – the many varieties of Bass. It might seem weird to include a game made by SEGA in the top 5 Xbox fishing games list, but it was released on the Xbox 360, and is backwardly compatible to this day, so it count.

Fishing planet on xbox one