BASS Strike (PlayStation 2)

GameSpot editors' review

• CNET editors' rating: 2.5 stars OK
  Detailed editors' rating
  Overall score: 5.1 (2.5 stars)

• Reviewed by:
  Tim Tracy
• Reviewed on: 10/19/2001
• Updated on: 05/17/2006
• Released on: 09/26/2001
• Originally published on GameSpot: BASS Strike (PlayStation 2) Review

BASS Strike for the PlayStation 2 is a game that gets the lofty distinction of being the first of its kind for Sony's newest console. For the most part, this outing on the lake is very similar to what Dreamcast owners found in Sega Bass Fishing 2, with several differences, both good and bad. Those uninitiated to the genre will most likely be pleased with what they find, provided they are able to overcome a few obstacles within the control scheme.

BASS Strike contains many of the features found in Sega's recent release, Sega Bass Fishing 2. While Dreamcast owners are no strangers to fishing games, players with PlayStation 2s have been, up until now, left high and dry. Some of the same features you can expect in this game are huge lakes to explore by way of a powerboat, as well as varying weather conditions that have a direct effect on how hungry fish will be. The five available lakes are expansive and provide more than enough fishing holes to keep even the most avid video anglers happy.

Most gamers will be kept busy for quite some time by BASS Strike's three modes of play: free fishing, arcade, and tournament. Free fishing gives you the ability to explore any of the five lakes in an untimed stay on the water. From here, you can hone your skills before moving on to the more challenging modes. Arcade mode pits you against a computer-controlled opponent to see who can catch the most fish in a limited amount of time. Tournament mode provides even more depth by extending the allotted fishing time to two days (of game time) for catching the most--and biggest--bass on the lake. Arcade mode hosts unlockable characters, one of the mainstays of the genre. By successfully besting an opponent over the course of five rounds, you can then unlock up to five more playable characters.

BASS Strike also has two vastly different difficulty settings, amateur and professional. Amateur mode is the video game equivalent of the old adage "Like shooting fish in a barrel." When you're playing the game in this mode, your view is changed to split-screen--here, your boat is displayed on the top half of the screen and everything under the water on the lower half. Rookie anglers can use this mode to get a hang of where the fish like to spend their time, but for the most part, this aspect takes most of the fun out of locating fish. Professional mode, on the other hand, gives you more of a challenge (without split-screen), and fish are a little more finicky when it comes to taking the bait.

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