The object is of course to catch as many fish as you can to add to the final weight total. To maximize the opportunities for a successful catch the proper lure has to be used. The best lure to use depends on the location, weather, and time of day. As you progress through the game more lures will become available. Learning the best method of proper lure and motion of that lure will take time to master. This part gives you the sense of a simulation, but pushing it back towards the realm of arcade is the fact that the only fish you see in the water are the BASS. It is as though every other aquatic animal vanished leaving only these large mouthed creatures alone. There should have been some other species of fish there that also would take the bait to add a little bit more realism.

The bass look so good you would want them mounted on your mantle. Each fish has a great deal of lifelike movements-- such as the fins when it is a state of rest. They even have that reflective sheen to them as the light passes over the skin. Unfortunately they stand out like a sore thumb when they are compared to the environments. The river and lakebeds are a wash of brown with very few textures. When the bass are "supposed" to be in the reeds they are really just next to a flat pixalated wall with some varying colors for some definition. It’s a shame but the environments would be better suited for the PlayStation.

Fishing has always been labeled as a peaceful and tranquil form of recreation. This will probably remain until the fish learn to utilize modern weaponry and decide they had enough of the worm on a hook routine. The quiet sounds of nature are a reason why this sport is so relaxing. BASS Strike stays true to this important aspect of fishing with the exception of the announcer. Sounds of rippling water will be the most often heard sound effect. To contrast this is the piercing roar of the motor boat as you find the perfect spot. It is a surprise that it doesn’t scare the fish away. Now the only unnatural sound you hear will be the announcer, unless you have a talkative friend you fish with. I didn’t enjoy the announcer. Maybe it was the tone, or the fact that it really isn’t necessary to hear you that caught a small one-- as if you needed to be reminded that you suck.

Anyone should be able to pick this game up and begin to play. Simply put, the buttons are only needed to navigate through the various menu options and to cast. The real work comes from the analog sticks themselves. The right used to reel in the line once cast and the other to regulate the direction of the pole. Both will need to be used in order to be successful at the game. A proper blend of speed and directional pull is essential to catching fish. Some might find using the analog stick a little odd. The responsiveness tends to be too loose for precise control on the game. This looseness will affect how many fish you can make all the way to the boat. It’s the littlest things sometimes can break a line letting a fish get away.

BASS Strike feels too much like a game suited for the PlayStation one. With the exception of the fish, everything was sub par. Not setting any new trends in the field of fishing games, BASS Strike plays it safe. You die-hard fans (yeah you know who you are, wearing your plaid shirts and rubber boots) might want to give this game a go, but be warned this game has an identity crisis. It doesn’t know if it wants to be an arcade game of a true to life simulation.