Info
Developed By: Expansive Worlds.
Published By: Expansive Worlds, Avalanche Studios.
Platforms Available On: Xbox Series X/S and One, PS5/4 and PC.
Reviewed on Xbox Series X, a code was very kindly supplied for the purpose of this review.
Overview
From the creators of theHunter: Call of the Wild comes an open world fishing experience! Relax and unwind at your favorite spot or explore the beautiful great outdoors with friends as you embark on the journey to become a master angler.
Explore the great outdoors
Experience the freedom of fishing in a vast open world inspired by real-life locations. Travel through the varied and atmospheric environments by boat, off-road vehicle, or on foot, and discover hidden ponds, tranquil lakes, and local points of interest. Whatever you decide to do, every trip will have you coming back for more.
Fight and catch distinct fish species
Fishing in the open world is as fun as it is challenging. Each species has its own individual behaviors and traits, which influence what bait they're attracted to, how they fight when hooked, and what actions they can perform to try to escape. Combined with a system that spawns fish relative to water depth, time of day, and temperature, every spot offers a unique challenge.
Become a master angler
Master different fishing techniques to land the most impressive catch. Purchase tackle and build custom fishing rigs using a wide selection of rods, reels, lures, hooks, floats, and jigheads. Create your angler and customize their look and attributes. Complete challenges to earn rewards and uncover the open world through meaningful story missions.
Play on your own or with friends
Relax at your favorite spot on your own or ride the open waters with friends in online co-op multiplayer for up to 12 players. Meet other anglers and create memories that will last a lifetime. You can also play offline for a peaceful solo experience.
A game that grows and evolves with you
The team will continue to work closely with the community to deliver engaging features, content and updates inspired directly by player feedback. Keep coming back for new and memorable fishing experiences!
Overview taken from the official game description on the Xbox marketplace store page.
Review
Over the years of reviewing I have been lucky enough to explore a fair few games including a few fishing titles which I found out is a style of game that I really enjoy, being able to relax by a lake and fish until your hearts content all from the comfort of your own home definitely appeals to me.
Being a fan of the thehunter Call of The Wild game when the opportunity came up to review a fishing title within this world I knew it was something I needed to look at. If you have ever played thehunter Call of The Wild game you'll know the chilled but intense vibe the games has and this feel carries on in the Angler as everything feels serene as you relax by the lakes hope to real in some monster fish. I'd say this game is more for the fishing fan or someone that kind of likes the sport as it is on the more simulation side rather than a casual game and with that in mind be prepared to step into a vast open world ready to be explored.
If like me you are a far from seasoned professional in the art of fishing then you most definitely need to pay attention through the tutorials, you'll quickly find out it's not just a case of chucking your rod in the water and seeing what happens! The tutorial hold your hand and easily guides you through the starting basics that will get you catching fish more or less straight away won't be monster size but fish all the same. Using the pretty simplistic controls you'll get pretty comfortable straight away with the set up and you can start enjoying the game itself.
You can go to the notice boards by the lodge and shop where you can find different challenges to complete if you want to keep a little structure to the game or as the game suggests after the tutorial you can "Go Play" basically giving you free reign to go where you want when you want, explore the area picking out the best spots, another part of the game I liked is the fact it's always online so it actually feels realistic as you will find other players on the banks like you would in real life, this also helps you identify if the area is worth trying or not - if no one is on the bank is there a reason?
Once you begin exploring the world much like in thehunter Call of The Wild you will set fast travel points around the map at various look out spots allowing you to jump from point to point making the map feel a bit smaller and easy to manage, but I'm the same breath sometimes it's good to just take a breath and walk about this vast open landscape and just take in the shear beauty of what is around you sometimes getting lost enables you to find the best spots, you can use the jeep which can come in handy at some points but to take it all in sometimes it's just best on the two feet, there's no denying it Golden Ridge Reserve is a stunning place to explore.
Much like the standard Call of the Wild games you adapt your approach as the game goes on and you learn new skills you can then utilise those skills to enable you to catch the bigger fish therefore reaping the bigger rewards, it's all well and good catching the little tiddler fish and that will generate money for you (albeit at a slower pace) there is a great feeling to be had once you start caching those bigger fish which in turn gives you a bigger reward enabling you to upgrade your equipment making catching the bigger fish a little easier.
You need patience with this game, again much like Call of The Wild you can't just go about it like a bull in a china shop it takes a tactical approach ie look at your target fish then make sure you're at the right spot and then make sure you have the correct equipment, once you have this nailed on then you're pretty much good to go. On the side of multiplayer the game does support this in the shape of the seamless co-op online up to 12 players but for me the more interesting side of it is the constant online social aspect where you can play the game normally alongside friends in a more social get together rather than a more competitive situation.
With this game you don't have to be a seasoned pro maybe just have a slight interest in fishing to make this game more enjoyable but I do think even if you've never tried fishing before after this I think you'll want to as it really does show you the upside of fishing.
Graphics and Sound
In terms of graphics Expansive Worlds know what they are doing especially if you've played thehunter Call of the Wild you'll get a general idea of the level of graphic quality you get and that was just on the previous gen consoles. With the Angler the Devs have really utilised the power available for the current gen consoles, the scenery is just stunning to look at and the water physics are unrivaled, you can tell alot of work has gone into the production process of this title as the finished product looks more like a documentary rather than a game. If I'm going to be a little picky I would say the character models are slightly stiff and maybe a little dated but the upclose hand shots (when you're holding the rod) are unbelievable.
The soundtrack of the game matches the overall feel of the game with a nice chilled vibe, in game the voice acting is pretty good and tells the parts of the story it needs to well.
Summary
Time now then to put my thoughts into a summary, overall I liked the style of the game it's chilled vibe put me at ease straight away and the tutorial helped ease me into the art of fishing, not saying I'm close to pro level but I'm not pulling out old tyres that's for sure. The always online social side of the game added to the realistic nature and added an extra layer of fun to the game. Having played thehunter Call of the Wild a fair bit and mostly all of it's expansions I'm excited to see what Expansive Worlds and Avalanche Studios have in store for the Angler.
Verdict-Out of 5 ⭐
⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
EXCELLENT
I give Call of The Wild: The Angler an excellent score of 5 ⭐ a colossal game in size with so much to do you'll never get bored. I'd say the best fishing game I've played and looking forward to see what's to come.
Grab your copy of Call of the Wild: The Angler on Xbox now click here , also available via Xbox Game Pass, other platforms are available see above in the info section for details.
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