TL;DR
Think you're getting a fresh fishing adventure? Think again! Bass Pro Shops: The Strike - Championship Edition is a decade-old game, repackaged with no graphical or performance upgrades. While it tries to simulate fishing with boat choices and an optional rod peripheral, you're stuck on the water with limited exploration, making it feel like a low-budget affair. Worse, it's re-released at full price, essentially acting as an expensive advertisement for the retail chain. Is this digital fishing trip worth the steep cost? Dive into our full review to find out!
As I noted in my review of Cabela’s: The Hunt – Championship Edition, both it and Bass Pro Shops: The Strike – Championship Edition were initially released nearly a decade ago. The games exhibit no discernible updates in graphics or performance. The fact that they are exclusively available on PC, Wii, and Xbox 360 is indicative of their age.
While I have limited real-world fishing experience, I sometimes find digital fishing entertaining. Bass Pro Shops: The Strike – Championship Edition aims to be a comprehensive fishing simulator, striving to emulate the authentic fishing experience. An optional peripheral is even available:
This accessory is intended to enhance the immersive feeling. Players can select from a variety of rods and boats to reach their desired fishing locations. However, a notable limitation is the inability to explore the shoreline; the player’s avatar remains confined to the boat, contributing to a sense of low production value. Considering its age, and the fact that other titles offer superior fishing simulations as a secondary feature, purchasing this game is difficult to justify.
One might consider the experience worthwhile if priced appropriately for an indie title. However… does this hunting game also retail for 600 SEK? Is the publisher serious? Both Bass Pro Shops: The Strike – Championship Edition and Cabela’s: The Hunt – Championship Edition are essentially decade-old games re-released with a new subtitle for contemporary platforms, lacking improvements, yet marketed as new, full-priced releases. To compound matters, Bass Pro Shops and Cabela’s are prominent American retailers specializing in fishing and hunting equipment, leading these games to feel like blatant and inexpensive advertisements.
If priced around a hundred kronor, and leveraging the Switch’s motion controls, this might be an acceptable, albeit unremarkable, way to pass the time. However, charging approximately 600 kronor for the game, and then offering the fishing rod as a separate purchase, is excessive and unacceptable, regardless of the perceived dedication of hunting and fishing enthusiasts. I cannot recommend this title to anyone.
