Ben Starr is a mermaid in upcoming SEGA Dreamcast-inspired fishing murder mystery

I wasn’t sure what to make of About Fishing prior to seeing it at Gamescom, but after witnessing Final Fantasy XVI’s Ben Starr as a shirtless mermaid, this has definitely become a highlight of my trip to Cologne and has certainly reeled me in.

Despite the bizarre visuals and creepy atmosphere, About Fishing publisher Playstack has been adamant about not calling this a horror game, preferring to think of it as a “murder mystery game about fishing”, hence the title.

It’s pretty on brand for developer The Water Museum, whose previous two games Arctic Eggs and IBIS AM delighted in serving surreal narratives accompanied by retro low poly graphics.

About Fishing is made out of love for SEGA Dreamcast classics such as Shenmue and SEGA Bass Fishing, as well as the style and storytelling of Twin Peaks, featuring a small town murder mystery that is juxtaposed with the calm, meditative rhythm of fishing.

It’s one of those games that you really need to play to understand it, where watching a trailer or looking at some screenshots simply doesn’t do it justice. The mechanics use mouse movement to simulate holding a fishing rod, where you need to flick and move it in a certain way to cast the line.

Playstack

What’s here is surprisingly deep, where you need to cast a line in a certain direction, wait for the fish to take an interest, and start reeling in once you’ve snagged it. Different fish have unique behaviour patterns.

The fun doesn’t stop once you’ve caught one either, as another minigame appears in which you need to successfully catch the fish without breaking the line or having the catch get loose. It all feels rather intuitive once you get the hang of it.

As a big fan of the Steam Controller with its gyro controls, I’m particularly interested in seeing how well these controls will translate well to the sensors in these controllers, to the point where it could simulate the act of fishing using the motion of your hand.

The more you catch, the more you’ll be able to trade in and upgrade your gear, as well as find new places to catch unique and interesting fish. It very much feels like fishing is at the forefront of this experience, which leads you to uncovering more of the murder mystery central to the story as you continue playing.

About Fishing combines a murder mystery narrative with a solid set of fishing mechanics

It’s not yet fully clear how these aspects of the game will play out, but The Water Museum teases that “the world around you moves with time and weather. Fish linger beneath the surface, people follow quiet routines, and the town changes with each passing day. Each person you meet carries their own memories and small joys. Their lives unfold around you, drawing you closer to the peace of a place that slowly begins to feel like home.”

With that in mind, it very much sounds like the game will be one that brings you back for multiple playthroughs, especially if you’re a player who strives to see everything to get a full picture of the story.

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Playstack

Starr appears in a story-heavy segment from later in the game where I visited a venue that can only be described as an aquarium turned into a nightclub, complete with dancers that take on the form of beautiful mermaids.

It’s worth noting that Starr’s role is nothing more than a cameo, and he also doesn’t have a voice role in the game. If you’re a die-hard Starr-head like us here at GAMINGbible, be sure to temper your expectations. Still, with a premise like this, how could we say no?

I left my About Fishing session with more questions than answers. But given how well The Water Museum seems to have blended surprisingly in-depth fishing gameplay with a murder mystery at the centre of it, it’s given me an appetite for more.

If you'd like to check out About Fishing for yourself, you can download a demo from Steam right now.