The Best Fishing Games On PS4 [2020]

The best fishing games to play on PS4 in 2020. Let’s begin.

There are few pastimes more relaxing than fishing. There’s just something about pushing a little boat out into the middle of a lake, absorbing the solitude and silence of nature, and waiting for a bite. Perhaps you favour fishing from the bank; if so, then picture a cooler of drinks beside you on a hot summer’s day, a lunchbox of sandwiches by your side, and nothing to do for the immediate future.

It would, of course, be nigh-impossible for video games to completely replicate this experience, since playing video games is a primarily indoors-based pastime. Still, that doesn’t mean there isn’t a wealth of excellent fishing games out there for you to get stuck into. Whether you’re a fishing novice or an expert in the field, you’ll love these fishing games you can play on your PS4 right now.

Rapala Fishing: Pro Series

We kick things off with the FIFA of pro fishing video games. Okay, perhaps not quite. Rapala Fishing: Pro Series certainly has its fair share of problems: it’s perhaps a little too unchallenging, it can be too sedate at times, and it’s a tad repetitive. That said, if you’re a fishing fiend and you’re not willing to put up with quiet and repetition, then perhaps you’re in the wrong industry.

What Rapala Fishing: Pro Series does have is content. There are tournaments to participate in, ranks to climb and 24 species of fish to catch across several iconic locations in North America. The licensing is on-point, too; if you’re a fishing fan, you’ll recognise everything in-game, from the boats to the rods to the lure. Equipment is customisable, so you can build your dream fishing rig, then take it out and see what you’re made of. Rapala Fishing: Pro Series isn’t perfect, but it more than makes up for its flaws with a satisfying, well-built game engine.

Fishing Planet

This one’s the real deal. Fishing Planet is perfect for the fishing aficionado (afishionado?) who wants a huge dollop of realism with their fishing experience. This game has some of the most breathtakingly beautiful graphics we’ve ever seen, with weather effects that change and alter each other in believable ways, wind that ripples water, lighting that overwhelms the eye just like real sunlight would, and more.

Of course, just because Fishing Planet looks beautiful doesn’t mean there isn’t more going on under the hood. The devs have worked hard to make this a true, authentic fishing experience, which means realistic lure physics, excellent aerodynamics and hydrodynamic simulation, complex fish AI behaviour and more. Add to all this a robust multiplayer mode with competitions, tournaments and leaderboards, and you’ve got yourself what may well be the definitive fishing experience on PS4.

Fishing Master (PS4 VR Required)

Unfortunately, this one has a pretty hefty barrier to entry: you’ll need to be packing a PlayStation VR headset to enjoy it. If you do have one, though, or you’re willing to fork out the cash to pick one up, then Fishing Master is a must-play. Its visuals don’t quite have the breathtaking fidelity of Fishing Planet, but there’s a vibrant quality to its aesthetic that won us over nonetheless.

Likewise, the fishing mechanics themselves aren’t particularly incredible, and the game can get a bit repetitive thanks to some shallow core gameplay concepts. It wouldn’t be on this list if it didn’t win us over, though, and the reason is twofold. First off, it just feels great to fish in Fishing Master, and that’s more important than a thousand realistic game engines. Secondly, it’s a VR title. There’s really no better way to immerse yourself in the fishing experience than to strap on the headset and view everything first-hand.

Euro Fishing

Dovetail Games’ offering is a little more bare-bones than the others on this list, with five locations to choose from and a smattering of customisable equipment and tactical approaches. What it does offer is more than enough to earn it a place on this list, though, and the competition is surprisingly steep. Euro Fishing is another great-feeling game of fishing, but there’s a few things it does that make it stand out from the pack.

Euro Fishing’s greater emphasis on technical skill and observation make it a more interesting prospect for armchair anglers than the other games on this list might be. Players must observe fish spawn points and “shows” (hints that a fish is swimming beneath the surface of the water) if they’re to make a catch, and once the line is bitten, there’s a surprisingly intricate game of cat-and-mouse with the fish before it’s yours. Add “bosses” to this mechanic (it’s odd, but it works) and Euro Fishing is a decidedly offbeat little rough diamond of a game.

Stardew Valley

Okay, this last one is cheating slightly, but try it – you might fall in love with it. Stardew Valley is a one-man effort that’s a spiritual successor to the long-running Harvest Moon franchise (now called Story of Seasons), and shares many of those games’ mechanics and concept. The nostalgic pixel art betrays a surprisingly dark and adult world; there are alcoholics, abusive partners and deadbeat parents living in Stardew Valley, and you can’t help them all.

Don’t worry if that sounds a bit heavy, though, because there’s also a farm to look after, and, yes, plenty of fish to catch. You’ll grow crops, tend trees, sell produce to make money and improve your farmstead with a range of buildings and animal enclosures. The fishing minigame in Stardew Valley isn’t incredible, but like the rest of the game, it’s weirdly addictive, and feeds into the central loop of “grow crops make money buy seeds” incredibly well. If you’re up for trying something a little different to the regular fishing simulators, you could go a lot worse than Stardew Valley.

Fishing Sim World

If you don’t seek bombastic adventure and action with breathtaking effects, you’ll like this one. Fishing Sim World doesn’t pretend to be anything more than it is – a relaxing experience of catching fish in different locales.

It includes video tutorials that will help you to get familiar with the controls, and detect where you can find certain types of fish because otherwise, you’ll be fishing in the dark. Thus, you can choose two options for your fishing journey – on the boat and at the dock. However, the boat’s speed isn’t exactly extraordinary, so don’t have high expectations.

But it’s the stunning sceneries that stand out. You will see visuals of small rivers, large lakes, distant mountains, and trees that will make you feel like a part of nature. Therefore, if you prefer to leave exciting games for another day, Fishing Sim World might be what you’re fishing for.

Fishing: Barents Sea

This one is a detailed adventure that starts in an old fishing boat with one sole player. You’ll discover vintage ’’notes’’ within the set of pages that will disclose which fish should be caught, and with which baits. The detailed tutorial will show you your way around the boat, and how to approach the incoming first-person fish.

Nevertheless, this game really takes care of details, so you’ll need to select and buy bait and hooks, and also, never forget to gas up the boat. Besides, Barents Sea expresses its realism in having to wait for hours for the fish to get caught on the hooks. Well, you can always break the realism by using the time acceleration benefit.

The goal is to catch big fish, which will bring you more profit and, finally, the ability to enhance your equipment and boat. There are also marvelous sceneries and satisfying views you’ll enjoy while traveling. Still, if what thrills you are challenging games that don’t make it easy for you at all, Fishing: Barents Sea might not align with your expectations.

The Fisherman: Fishing Planet

It’s safe to say that if you love Fishing Planet, you’ll adore this upgrade. The enhancement brings a novel location, new fish, the trolling technique, and two motorboards.

As usual, there are tutorials that you might find redundant or annoying, but you will highly benefit from watching them. If you are not a fishing expert, they’ll help to learn the setup and adjustment of your reel speed and leader length.

The main highlight of The Fisherman: Fishing planet is to give you the genuine feeling of fishing, and sitting there next to the lake, waiting for your catch. Yeah, this might take some minutes of patience, but isn’t that the real experience? And sometimes you’ll be especially lucky and your bait will work right away.

The game will let you take the missions or enjoy your time and do as you please. No matter what, you will have a myriad of possibilities in this one, and if you have a serious zest for fishing, it won’t disappoint you.