Big Sport Fishing 2017 review - A simple fishing game for the casual crowd

It takes a certain amount of patience, determination, and skill to enjoy fishing, let alone actually want to take it up as a regular thing.

Yet Big Sport Fishing 2017 throws the majority of that out the window, replacing it instead with a fast-paced, arcade-y approach to a typically serene pastime.

It's a fairly shallow affair that veers a little too closely into pay-to-win territory, but for some light-hearted fun when you've got a couple of minutes to kill, it's surprisingly good fun.

Casting off

Where most fishing games like to break down the experience into every teeny tiny step, Big Sport Fishing 2017 gives you a rod, a lure, and a fishing spot, then tells you to have fun.

You can look around your casting area with a swipe of the screen, cast off your line by swiping up, and then wait patiently for the fish to start nibbling.

Big Sport Fishing 2017

Once a fish passes over the middle of your gauge at the top, you need to swipe up to hook it, swipe up again a few more times to build energy, and them swipe down to reel it in.

The simple controls mean there's not a huge amount of depth to the game, but it offers plenty of reward for minimal effort, which will please casual game fans no end.

Progression is fairly straightforward too - you have three types of fish you need to catch in each level, and once you've snagged three that are big enough to place third or better on the rankings, you move on.

Big game

The problem is that you'll need new lures and rods to be able to land the bigger fish, so you'll need to spend all the hard-earned cash you made from bringing up fish and winning trophies.

That makes sense of course, except that the money you make is never really enough to get the gear you need - you can usually get gear that's considered "good" for your level, but you'll need to grind to unlock the "great" stuff.

Big Sport Fishing 2017

Worse yet, the "awesome" gear - basically guaranteed to catch the biggest fish - is locked behind gold, the game's premium currency, which you can earn very slowly by winning gold trophies, or faster by watching ads or spending money.

This isn't exactly unheard of in mobile games, but with no multiplayer to speak of, it doesn't make much sense to lock off most of the game's best content to players who are willing to plonk down actual cash.

Packing up

If you're looking for depth in your fishing game, Big Sport Fishing 2017 isn't going to scratch the itch. It's quick, simple, and very easy to walk away from when you get bored.

But if you're only looking for a short experience, and enjoy constant rewards for minimal effort, there's definitely worse ways to get your kicks.

You might not be the top dog without dropping real money, but you can certainly have a pleasant time regardless.

Big Sport Fishing 2017 review - A simple fishing game for the casual crowd

It's a relatively throwaway experience, but Big Sport Fishing 2017 is a fine way to waste a few minutes
Score
Ric Cowley
Ric Cowley
Ric was somehow the Editor of Pocket Gamer, having started out as an intern in 2015. He hopes to take over the world the same way.