Sega Bass Fishing Duel

Sega's fish sim swims from the defunct Dreamcast pond to the welcoming PlayStation 2 ocean. Should you dive in?

With Sega Bass Fishing Duel, the fishing game that made its mark in arcades and on the Dreamcast is casting its reel on the PS2. The graphics and interface look dated and have been mildly spruced up from the game's previous runs. Although the actual fish look nice enough, the characters and environment are bland. The realistic movement of the bass and water effects are the sole saving graces. Audio is appropriately sparse, but that also means it doesn?t leave any lasting impression.

The PS2 does offer a new two-player split-screen mode, which is a great addition. There are also Practice, Tournament, and Vs. Computer modes in case you can?t find a friend to fish against. Choosing an angler is purely cosmetic and doesn?t add up to much, but lots of unlockable lures and fishing tips are good incentives to keep you playing. As with real fishing, you?ll have to keep track of weather conditions, changing of seasons, and water temperature. More sensitive feedback in the dual analog sticks would?ve helped improve the controls, but overall the gameplay is easy to grasp. Sadly, at press time, there were no plans from Sega or a third party to manufacturer a fishing controller.

Sega Bass Fishing Duel is the best fishing sim out of the two currently available for the PS2, but the market is about to get crowded. While not the deepest game around, there?s enough here to keep you engaged for weeks, especially in two-player mode.

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