Nice Day for Fishing – PS5 Review

1 0
Read Time:5 Minute, 36 Second

Viva La Dirt League is a YouTube comedy skit channel that I was admittedly unfamiliar with prior to this review. But, with over 7 million subscribers and more than a decade making videos, they’re clearly a popular group. Now, with the help of developer FusionPlay and publisher Team17, they’re making their very first videogame based on their Epic NPC Man series: Nice Day for Fishing!

Despite not knowing the YouTubers beforehand, I’ve always enjoyed a good fishing mini-game in many titles. So, what could be better than a full game based around it? If you’re a fan of VLDL then we’d love to know your thoughts on the game in the comments below. Or better yet, send me some video recommendations!

Mornin’! Nice Day for Fishing, ain’t it?

Welcome to the world of Azerim! This world is full of monsters, heroes, and, most importantly, adventures! You play as Baelin, one of the many NPCs living in the town of Honeywood in this MMORPG world populated by online players. When a portal is opened and the adventurers disappear (by losing connection to the game), it’s up to Baelin and his newfound adventurer powers to take on quests and restore Honeywood.

This is a genuinely well-written, amusing adventure. That said, if you’re a fan of Viva La Dirt League, then you’ll get much more from Nice Day for Fishing than those who aren’t aware of the Epic NPC Man series. The writing is still enjoyable, but with a lack of character backstories and callbacks to past events, some of the humour may be lost on you. It’s well worth checking out the YouTube videos to become more familiar with the world. They’re only a few minutes long each, and watching some earlier videos gave me a much bigger appreciation for the game and its characters.

The main character, Baelin, speaking to an NPC.
It sure is Baelin, it sure is.

Gameplay

If you haven’t already figured it out, Nice Day for Fishing primarily focuses on fishing. Shocking, right? But, instead of a generic, tacked-on fishing mini-game that so many other titles implement, this does things a little differently. This system mixes both fishing and combat into something that works much better than I’d anticipated! To start with, the fishing element is limited to just a basic rod and some garlic for bait. You’ll use the analogue stick to move your line vertically, and mash a face button to “attack” when you’ve hooked something.

Eventually, this expands from a simple button-mashing tug-of-war to something more in-depth. Fish will begin to fight back, meaning you’ll have to stop attacking or even parry during some tougher encounters. It isn’t too complex, but it can be tricky when facing off against bigger fish or bosses. You’ll also be able to cast spells once you’ve unlocked them. These help more with certain fish, as they each have their own attack patterns to figure out and overcome.

A squid-like enemy named "The Eight-Armed Terror" has captured an NPC. Baelin is using his fishing rod to rescue her and defeat the boos.
Eight tentacles versus one extremely durable fishing rod!

Aside from trying to reel in fish, you’ll also be snagging supplies to help rebuild the town. This, in turn, grants you better items from vendors that increase Baelin’s stats. He’ll also gain experience, with levelling up permanently increasing stats such as his health and stamina.

Baelin will accept quests from various NPCs, with the majority of them being fetch quests, with some involving a bit of platforming gameplay. This can make the game become a little tedious, as you’ll often have to travel from one end of the map to the other and back again. Only for your next quest to force you to do the same thing again. Despite that, I found the constant feeling of progression and upgrading gear made it worthwhile, and unlocking a new spell or equippable items always had me racing to the nearest fishing spot to try them out.

Graphics & Audio

The 2D pixel art aesthetic of Nice Day for Fishing is genuinely lovely to look at. The vibrant backgrounds and cosy-looking environments are reminiscent of older titles, but with a more modern flair. Likewise, characters and their portraits used during conversations capture their real-world counterparts rather well. The underwater areas are perhaps the most detailed, with lots of flora and fauna, making these sections feel more alive.

A snake fish fighting back after being hooked on Baelin's hook.
Snake? Snake? Snaaaaake!

The soundtrack is the same background music played in each Epic NPC Man video, which I thought was a nice touch. It’s a shame this relaxed mediaeval tune is what you’ll hear for the majority of the adventure, though, as I would have liked a bit more variety. As for the characters, the cast lends their voices to their respective roles… mostly. Only partial dialogue is voiced, with the rest coming in the form of that Animal Crossing style of gibberish chatter.

As for performance, Nice Day for Fishing runs flawlessly on the PlayStation 5! I had no issues with slowdown or crashing, nor did I encounter any bugs.

Longevity

At first, I assumed this would be a game to finish in a couple of hours. In reality, I didn’t roll the credits until I’d put in around 16 hours of playtime, which is a pretty good length for an indie title! Especially as the game is just £20 on Steam.

The main issue stems from the repetitiveness of the quests, which more often than not boil down to “collect X amount of Y”. That, and if you’re not familiar with Epic NPC Man, the jokes also run the risk of alienating non-fans. You know that feeling when two friends are laughing about something, and you’re not in on it? Well, thankfully it isn’t quite as awkward as that, but you get what I mean.

A flying seahorse-like creature named "Thurdoth the Fierce" floats above Baelin's boat. Baelin is using his fishing rod to combat the boss.
Aren’t you meant to be in the water?

Final Thoughts

Nice Day for Fishing is a unique take on an RPG revolving around, you guessed it, fishing! The interesting battle mechanics and humorous dialogue go a long way in creating an enjoyable game that fans of VLDL will love. Yet, even if you aren’t a fan, this is still a fun, if repetitive, title that will undoubtably make you crack a smile.

For these reasons, I’m giving Nice Day for FishingThumb Culture Gold Award!

Disclaimer: A code was received in order to write this review.

If you’re in the mood for a different type of 2D adventure, why not check out our review of BOKURA: planet?

Thumb Culture

YouTube | Facebook | Twitter | Instagram | Discord | Podcast

About Author

Average Rating

5 Star
0%
4 Star
0%
3 Star
0%
2 Star
0%
1 Star
0%

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *