a quaint lil game with an oddly engaging gameplay loop for how simple and repetitive it can get. it's not a long game, but you can beat it at your own pace, so take all the time you need. alongside that, there's also minimal challenge or danger. each area has its own unique threat and geography so you have to play accordingly to these differing obstacles. the windy maze of the mangroves, the ruins and dangerous fish of devil's spine, the tight passages of gale cliffs, and stellar basin is just a big donut with a monster in the middle. the constant threats that you do have to look out for are the night stressors and how you may have to finesse turning your boat to avoid crashing into stuff. aside from that, it's just a nice game to play every once in a while to wind down. its QTE fishing mini games are fun throughout its runtime, but the constant mystery of the isles and its inhabitants help to maintain interest. i was surprised by how invested i was in its mysteries. they really brought the game up a bit. the only big issue i have with it is the pacing of upgrades. toward the end of the game, you only get to play around with new upgrades for a tiny bit before moving on to the next one or beating the game. the intended final area, devil's spine, gives the player a trinket that drastically increases fishing speed by like 370% or something. i wouldve loved to play with it but i was already about to finish the game so there goes that. then again, i dont know if it's entirely the game's fault because the player is given so much power over how they can pace the game. you didn't have to leave devil's spine for last, you couldve explored for a bit and theoretically gotten that fishing charm faster. or hopefully started with the statue that rewards it. neat game, not a jaw dropper but something you'll know you can complete (not finishing elden ring yet for over a year sits in my head rent free).