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A.P.I Review:	Seabass Fishing 2 (Import Version)
Developer:	Victor Interactive Software Inc.	OPTIONS:	SCREENSHOTS: No.1   No.2   No.3
Distributor:	A Wave Inc.	1 Player
Game Type:	Fishing sim	Memory Card
Review Date:	July 1998	Standard Joypad

Setting the Scene

In the heat of the summer and the heart of the fishing season, what
better time to do some fishing?  Unfortunately it's too hot outside to
do much of anything so why not play some video games.

Lets jump in and check out Playstation's Seabass Fishing 2.

Genre

Seabass Fishing 2 is a sporting game focused on fishing.

Graphics

I thought the opening CG FMV for Seabass Fishing 2 was really pretty
neat.  It's not very long but it features a bass swimming around a lake
going after a fisherman's lure.  The movement of both the fish and the
lure through the water is excellent and it has some kickin' music that
really gets your blood pumpin'.

The overall graphics aren't bad either.  There isn't a whole lot of
action in the game but the underwater view is very well done.  
You can see the lure moving through the water, the fish closing in, 
and then the hit!  It's an exciting moment when you get that first catch!  
Once you have the fish hooked, now it's time for the fight.  
Here is where the underwater cam is really cool.  You can watch the 
entire struggle from underwater or up on shore.  
Sometimes the fish even jump out of the water.  

Unfortunately, like I mentioned earlier, there isn't much action so
there isn't a whole lot the graphics can do for you.

Sounds and Effects

The sound effects for Seabass Fishing 2 are pretty good.  The water
lapping up on shore is extremely relaxing (I fell asleep!).  

All the normal fishing sounds are present as well.  The sound of the
line being cast out, the plop of the lure into the water, and the snap
of the release as you start to reel your line back in.  

There is also fighting music that plays when you land a fish.  At first,
this gets you pretty excited to be reeling in a fish, but the more you
play and the longer your fights get the more monotonous this music
becomes.

All in all though, the sounds of this game are very well done.

Playability

Unfortunately I had the import version of this game so it was a little
difficult to become a master bassman without being able to understand
all of the text!  However, I did experiment with all the modes and spent
a good amount of time figuring things out on my own.

There are two different playable modes for Seabass Fishing 2, Tournament
Mode and Free Fishing Mode.  In addition there is an Instruction Mode, a
Cooking Mode, Records, and Options.

The Tournament Mode seemed to be pretty comprehensive and in depth,
unfortunately I couldn't read the rules and never progressed passed the
Amateur Tournament to the Top Pro Tournament or the Seabass Classic.
Basically you need to use all your fishing skills and knowledge learned
in the Free Fishing Mode to catch the biggest fish.  Believe me, this
sounds a lot easier than it is, even in the Amateur Tournament!

Free Fishing Mode is just as it sounds, you pick the place (4 areas to
choose from) and you fish until you get bored.  It is an excellent way
to hone your skills and is a lot of fun too.  I caught bigger fish here
than I did in the tournament.

A nice added feature was the Instruction mode.  You can choose from a
number of different topics and a master Japanese bassman will give you
some advice via a very well done pre-taped FMV.  I was very impressed.
However, everything he said was in Japanese so it didn't help me much.

There is also a Cooking section in which you can get recipes and cooking
instructions for several fish dishes.  I thought this was a pretty neat
idea but something that only you hardcore gamer/chiefs will probably
actually use.

Lets not forget that there is also a records screen so you can see who
has caught the biggest fish and how big it ACTUALLY was (no biggest fish
stories here) and an Options screen so you can set the audio, bgm, se,
and load data.

Seabass Fishing 2 was a very easy and fun game to play.  With one button
you can cast your line and reel it in at varying speeds.  

You're also afforded the opportunity to choose the weather conditions,
the place you want to fish, your tackle, and your lure, and can change
all of them at any time during the game.  About the only thing I would
like to have seen added is a boat.  Cruising around on the lake instead
of just fishing from the shores would have added another element of
depth to this title.

Value for Money

Seabass Fishing 2 is a good game to add to your collection.  While it is
not something you will play everyday; it is a game that can be fun and
relaxing to come back to every now and then.  I enjoyed my time playing
it and recommend it to anyone looking for an exciting yet also calm
playstation game.