Fishing Paradiso review

Who knew these was angling in the afterlife?

Fishing Paradiso begins with the game’s youthful lead interacting with a giant, celestial jellyfish. The godly marine creature announces that you have just died. But heaven, according to indie developer Odencat, looks a lot like a desolate island. A spirited little blue bird informs you that you’re responsible for building your own habitat in the sweet hereafter. Soon, you’ll learn that your goal is connected with helping others.

Yes, it’s a bit disappointing to that that Heaven operates under a quid pro quo system. But the far bigger upside is that you’ll meet a quite a few colorful personalities who also seem to be faced with similar circumstances. Fishing Paradiso poses as a simplified fishing game with light role-playing traits. But what the game really wants to do is share its little existential stories of love, loss, exhilaration, and anger. Okay, Odencat, I’m on board.

Fishing with an Impressive Cast

Fortunately, lady fortune provides a fishing pole to get you started. And a succession of primary requests and side missions will keep you, well, hooked. Given that Fishing Paradiso was originally a mobile title, the actual angling is both straightforward and broken into short play sessions perfect for portable play. But I do wish the game was clearer about when it auto-saved. When shuffling between other games on my Switch, I’d occasionally lose a few minutes of progress.

Using either the touchscreen or physical controls, you’ll move across an ever-increasingly selection of aquatic venues in your pursuit of fish. Casting off requires only a specific direction and a bit of precise timing. In execution, the activity feels like a simplified version of a swing meter in a golf game, albeit without the worry of shanking your line. Mercifully, you’re shown the position of potential catches. Silhouettes are even color-coded so you can concentrate on the ones needed to complete a particular mission.

No License Needed in the Afterlife

Eventually, NPCs will demand new species of fish that you’ll be unable to reel in without breaking your line. When that happens, you’ll be able to jump into a persistently available menu and purchase upgrades. And if you don’t know a crankbait from a jig there’s no need to sorry. There are only five categories of augmentation ranging from improve live tension, cast length, stamina, as well as two different type of lure enhancements.

On the downside, heaven is a bit grind-happy, and you’ll pulling a lot of fish from Paradiso’s divine waters. In all, there a nice variety here, and you’ll be rewarded with a cute little sprite for each species. But know what casting and reeling them in can grow a bit repetitive. Odencat seems aware of this, and offer regular bonuses, multiplying the amount of cash your paid for each catch. Additionally, you get to decorate your home using items you’ve been given or earned. There are preset spaces for most objects, but it does provide a bit of autonomy.

Conclusion

Any tedium with fishing or decorating is counterbalanced by an evocative script. Like a smaller version of Animal Crossing, you’ll growing acquainted with the game’s colorful cast of twenty-four characters. Ranging from humans, a kappa, to a cat with a sunhat, they’re not overly talkative. But they convey their ambitions and fragilities, which might be the game’s best characteristic. Overall, the fishing is functional, but it’s the stories told that make a visit to Paradiso so rewarding.

Fishing Paradiso was played on Switch
with review code provided by the publisher