World of Fishing (Beta Preview)

World of Fishing is a free-to-play MMO that’s been in open beta since November 3rd. It’s a fishing game, so it’s mostly targeted at recreational fishermen who like to pursue their hobby from the comfort of their own home, though it’s a nice game for anyone who just wants to tune out for a bit and enjoy the waves.

The game’s MMO aspects come in the form of fishing statistics that show which players have made the biggest catch, and also in competitions where several different teams vie for the biggest and most exotic specimens. Like with any MMO, the first thing you have to do is register, which is quick and painless; and it doesn’t take long to install the game, either. Depending on how fast your Internet connection is, though, it might take a while to patch the client, which happens automatically as soon as you start the game.  

Right after you launch the game, you’re asked to create a character by choosing from a selection of 6 male and 6 female figures – just pick the one you like best and go with it. You’ll be able to customize them more later on by purchasing new clothing and hairstyles.

And now we can really start playing. Select “Freestyle” if you want to learn the ropes, which allows you explore the game without any pressure from other players. You can chat with other players at any time, too, and the system is pretty intuitive.

The game features fishing spots from around the world, though you’re going to have to unlock them first – at the beginning, only Korea is available. When you start, they throw you right into a tutorial, which came as some surprise. But whatever, you’ve got to learn how to fish in the the game anyway. You meet a guy named Peter, and he even has a voiceover, which is a nice little bonus. If you don’t feel like learning the basics here, though, you can skip the tutorial and try to figure things out for yourself.

The boat controls are pretty simple, and the “fights” with the fish are also relatively easy – two main attacks are all you really need to reel ‘em in. This is one place where you can see how the game has a style all its own; the graphics call to mind fighting games, and the fish on the hook even has its own health bar, which you’ll have to get down to 0 by reeling it in and using special attacks.

The object of the game is to fish, of course, and it’s up to you whether you just want to go out and cast your line somewhere, or whether you want to get quests from the various NPCs in the game. Most of these are just “catch X fish in Y region”-type missions, but they do provide a little bit of depth and something of a story at least. And of course you can complete them to get useful rewards like Shells (the in-game currency), extra experience points, and sometimes even special items.

At the beginning the fish are really small and easy to catch, so it might seem a bit odd that your character celebrates each time they get one, like they just reeled in a 30-lb. perch. One thing that helps here though are the mini-videos from other players who’ve just hauled a shark or something onto the deck, which motivate you keep going until you’re able to go after some real game. Another plus is the wide range of different fish species available. The detailed design of each one ensures that they’re all unique, and look like real fish.

You’ll gradually level up enough to be able to purchase new items that allow you to customize your character’s look. There isn’t a whole lot to choose from here (every 10 levels you can purchase a new item in 3 different designs), but you can also go to the real money shop, called the Pearl Shop, where you can buy special items that offer more effective bonuses and more aesthetic variety.

The game is still in beta, which means it’s going to have its problems here and there, but the developers are working these things out pretty quickly, and you often run into gamemasters who are more than willing to help you with any problem you might have.