How to Fish

How to Fish is a relaxing and entertaining casual simulation game. Players embark on fishing expeditions across various locations around the world—selecting the perfect bait, casting their lines, and enjoying the tranquil wait until a fish takes the hook. Once caught, the fish can be sold to earn funds. As you expand your collection by discovering new species, you will unlock more challenging fishing spots and exotic fish; to tackle these, you’ll need to upgrade your fishing gear. The game also features a multiplayer mode, allowing you to invite friends for a fishing competition. You can choose to cooperate or hinder one another, adding an extra layer of fun to the experience.

Gameplay of How to Fish:

The basic progression is straightforward. Players begin with little or no useful equipment and have to earn money from the creatures they catch. That money can then be spent on better gear and weapons. Quests provide direction, while defeating bosses allows the player to progress to new islands containing more dangerous creatures and improved equipment. The system does not attempt to bury the player under multiple currencies, elaborate skill trees or complicated character statistics. There is a clear relationship between what the player does and what they get in return.

This simplicity is important because How to Fish does not have a particularly elaborate tutorial. Much of the appeal comes from discovering what the game’s systems allow you to do rather than being presented with a long list of mechanics at the beginning. The result can occasionally be confusing, especially when an objective is not immediately obvious, but it also encourages experimentation. Players are given enough information to start making money and progressing, then left to work out how much more there is to the systems.

The physical nature of the catches is the game’s most important design decision. Once a creature has been brought in, it remains in the environment rather than simply becoming an icon in a menu. That means the player has to interact with it physically, and the game gradually provides more ways to do so. What would be a routine inventory transaction in another fishing game becomes an opportunity to experiment with weapons, positioning and the environment.

This is also where the physics become important. How to Fish is not consistently precise, and objects can behave in ways that are difficult to predict. In a conventional game that could be a serious problem, but here it is often part of the entertainment. A creature flying somewhere unexpected can create a funny situation, particularly when several players are involved. The problem occurs when the same unpredictability interferes with progression or makes an objective unnecessarily difficult. The game works best when its physics create possibilities rather than obstacles.

The simplicity of the underlying systems also makes the game easy to introduce to other people. A new player does not need to understand a complicated build or learn a large collection of abilities before contributing. They can fish, earn money and gradually discover the other mechanics through play. That makes How to Fish particularly suitable for groups who want something that can be picked up quickly.

Features of How to Fish:

Catch and sell fish: You start by catching fish around the island and turning your haul into money. How to Fish treats each catch as part of your progress, since selling fish gives you funds for the next stage. Some encounters also require you to defeat fish instead of simply reeling them in, so fishing can lead directly into combat.

Buy gear and weapons: You begin with no fishing equipment or weapons, which makes early choices important. As you earn money, you can purchase stronger gear and weapons to handle harder catches and enemies. This setup gives you a reason to return to fishing when you need supplies for a tougher area.

Take on quests and bosses: How to Fish includes quests that guide your progress between islands. Completing these tasks and defeating bosses can open access to new locations. The next islands contain tougher creatures, so you may need to improve your equipment before moving on.

Play alone or with others: You can fish and explore on your own, or join a multiplayer session with up to four players. The physics-based fishing system applies in both play styles, so catches and shots depend on how you interact with the game world. Multiplayer can suit players who want to face island challenges alongside friends.

Collect variants and take risks: You can collect rare versions of fish as you travel between islands. How to Fish also lets you attempt trick shots for extra money, adding another way to earn from a catch. If you want a higher risk option, you can gamble earnings for a chance to receive more, although this can also reduce the money available for upgrades.

Useful Tips of How to Fish:

Do not sell anything that looks like a boss trophy: This is probably the most important progression tip. Bosses can drop shells, skeletons, fins, heads, and other unusual objects that look valuable but may actually be quest items.If you defeated a boss but the next destination did not unlock, check your inventory. You may already be carrying the item an NPC needs.Boss encounter in How to FishBoss encounters can leave behind items required for progression. Image credit: Dazed Games

Buy the Radar almost immediately: The Radar costs only around $10 at the Lighthouse and becomes essential when NPCs begin giving you coordinates for new islands.This is one upgrade you should not delay. Later improvements can make navigation even easier, but the basic Radar should be one of your first purchases.

Upgrade your firepower before obsessing over your boat: A faster boat is convenient. A weapon capable of actually killing the next boss is usually more important.The Shotgun costs around $150 and is a strong early investment. Later, the Assault Rifle becomes increasingly useful. Weapon attachments include an extended magazine, laser sight, optic, and muzzle, so focusing upgrades on one reliable gun is often better than spreading money across everything.

You probably do not need every engine upgrade: The first major engine upgrade appears on the Forest island for roughly $230, while the later Dual Motors cost around $860. You can skip some intermediate upgrades and put that money into weapons, attachments, ammunition, and supplies instead.

Learn how Killscore works: The way you kill a creature can increase its value. Long-range shots, airborne kills, trick shots, and other stylish finishes can stack into larger Killscore multipliers.Practice on weak creatures first. Damage one until it is almost dead, create some distance, and then try the fancy finishing shot. Bosses summoned with expensive bait are not ideal training dummies.

Dynamite is excellent early, but not your best long-term income source: Dynamite becomes available around the Forest stage for roughly $25. Throwing it into the water can quickly wipe out several creatures, which makes it great for food and early cash.Later, individual catches combined with Killscore and cooking multipliers can become more profitable.

Player Comments of How to Fish:

How to Fish is a great online co-op game to play with friends, but it’s slightly less enjoyable solo because of its grind-heavy progression. However, when you have a full squad by your side, the game’s chaotic gameplay and boss fights make the repetition much easier to stomach, as you’re immediately pulled into its addictive blend of fishing and first-person shooting, hook, line, and sinker.

The gameplay loop is introduced almost immediately, and the design isn’t trying to be complicated. Catch a fish, kill said fish, and sell it to purchase upgrades and progress. Whilst the loop itself is simple, the game progresses through several islands, giving you access to new upgrades. A variety of weapons, more storage space, and loads of different baits for catching larger and more dangerous fish are all things to look out for. It keeps the game feeling fresh and enjoyable while giving you the tools for later challenges.What really stood out to me was the silly physics and ragdoll animations. Every fish moves differently, flopping and flipping across the ground. Some are desperately trying to get back to the water to swim away, and some are deciding they want to take a bit out of you first! One of the funniest moments I experienced was my dead character being carried away by seagulls mid-boss fight.Along your journey back to the mainland, you’ll meet several NPCs who’ll task you with helping them. Most of the quests are tied to progressing between islands, so you’ll find yourself chatting to anyone who will listen! Some of the quests seem logical, and some lean into the silly theme that’s present throughout most of this game. I didn’t find this particularly out of place, and I found myself chuckling at some of the objectives I’ve been given.

There is no shortage of smaller multiplayer titles; one of the ones that just appeared on my feed was released yesterday and has tons of players. How to Fish may have only been out for one day, but it already has over 35,000 concurrent players as of writing. It looked crazy, and in screenshots, I was seeing people catching fish and seagulls and killing them using guns and brass knuckles. So, with how popular it was, I decided to grab it for myself and see if it’s something that could be enjoyable on the Steam Deck, and I am happy to say it is.From what I’ve played so far, the game feels like a light fishing simulator mixed with crazy ways to kill them. We will always catch a creature whenever our fishing rod is in the water, and we will have to use knives, brass knuckles, and guns to kill them to sell for money. The way we kill them can also add to their value, encouraging some experimentation to find the best ways to get as much money as possible from our prey.It’s definitely part of the rising trend of “friendslop” games, but unlike the name, it doesn’t automatically make it bad. I played by myself, but I can see it being a lot of fun with friends as we all catch fish and have to work together to kill the bigger fish. And from what I’ve played so far, it shouldn’t be difficult to enjoy on the Steam Deck.

Final Thoughts:

Whether you are a fishing enthusiast or simply looking for a relaxing game to unwind, How To Fish is your answer. Relax and enjoy the beautiful surroundings and the pleasure of catching fish. Shape your own personal fishing stories.