Flash In The Brain Ban: Fisher-Diver

Friday, October 7, 2011

Fisher-Diver is a strange game, honestly. You’re not a person, you’re a little Death Star, or maybe a transparent olive. But you come from a long line of strong Death Olives, and you’re trying to live up to the family tradition. You’ve brought your boat into the ocean to be a fisherman, and uphold the legacy of your grandfather.

That squiggle to your left is a fish, with a meaty center and protective geometric spines. Your goal is to dive into the water, to swim, to hunt the fish and fill your storage bar. Stay under too long and you run out of oxygen, and you start to black out. If you can’t make it to the air in time… well, not every Death Olive is cut out for fishing. Some of them have nightmares about the day ahead.

But the fascinating part about Fisher-Diver is how you have to face what it takes to kill a living creature for your own survival. The squiggle fish bleed and squirm, and a poor shot means it’s harder to finish them off as they run. If you’ve ever gone fishing, you know just how gross it can get, and that’s something “realistic” fishing games often choose to ignore. These fish aren’t clean Space Invaders who vanish with a pop. In this game, you’re invading their quiet world.

Now, let’s be clear, the game never seems to be judging you. It makes it clear this is your livelihood by demanding you pay for your fishing licenses and your upgrades, and you can’t even make Day Two if you just swim politely then leave. Just like a real fisherman, you’ve got to do what you need to do while still respecting the sea. After a while you start to feel like a Hemingway hero, living up to your family name while trying to master a trade… maybe at the cost of your life.

Just like real fishing, you can run in and brute force everything and end up with scraps, or you can learn the subtle shots that leave you more meat, and more money. You can get just enough, or go for bigger game in the depths. You can take what’s easy until it’s gone, or you can reason out a balanced strategy that’s more sustainable. It’s up to you!

If red pixels make you nervous, this isn’t the game for you. But if you can handle that life sometimes holds hands with death, Fisher-Diver is a well-made game that plays fair.

Woot! – One Day, One Deal