Video games tend to be very impatient, which I think often detracts from the experience. Constant rewards for a variety of flavors keep us chasing the next challenge, with few games asking us to slow down. That's why I like the fishing minigame. This is a test of patience that cannot be won by force, the fish must come to you and you must wait for the right moment. About fishing, another issue from Arctic eggs The developer of The Water Museum asks for your patience… and your willingness to dive into strange, murky waters.
Quickly jumping into the game's demo (or playtest as listed on Steam), you're shown how to fish in a tutorial that may need a little nudging in the right direction, but I eventually got the hang of it. As in any Animal Crossingthe fish you're trying to catch will nudge your bait, inviting your twitching finger to pull the trigger. The main difference is that the camera follows your hook into the water, and if you manage to trick the fish into taking the bait, you must reel it in while moving your mouse or WASD keys to direct the fish towards your body shape for a successful catch.
It's a fishing game, not a fishing game, so it's much more challenging than a minigame and appropriately tactile. Once you catch your prey, you return it to the man, who I think is your grandfather, who is also some kind of weird asshole. There are fries and it's raining, but he says you need to fill your tackle box.
So you do your best, catching everything you can, until your possibly grandfather teaches you a new trick: by attaching a caught fish to a hook, you can manipulate its dead body. And you do the same, going deeper into the hole where you find a Laura Palmer-style corpse… and a mermaid.
This is simply the introductory section to “About Fishing”, the first chapter of a larger game based on both Sega Bass fishing and Shenmuedelicious combination. Obviously, there is a mystery to be solved, fish to be caught and, judging by the game's trailer and Steam page, to meet with the townspeople.
Arctic Eggs was just as weird and focused in what it tried to be, and About Fishing seemed to be no exception in the tiny amount of time I spent with it. You caught me hook, line and sinker, Water Museum. I'll keep an eye out for the full release, but in the meantime you can join me in wishlisting it on Steam now. Here.
