Believe it or not, Reel Fishing is a long running and successful franchise that dates back to the days of the original PlayStation. This portable version feels more like it was designed for smartphones than the Vita, but it plays well, and there are neat references for longime fans of the series in the text. But, it is a fishing game, and you can only make them so exciting and keep the realism. Overall, a fine addition to the series if you are a fan.

Go fishing for a classic on Ps Vita! "Reel Fishing", a series of fishing simulation games started in 1996 for The original Playstation. The latest installment "Masters Challenge" was released in February 2015 for the PS Vita. You play as an un-named first-person character, visiting the old cabin you often visited with your father as a child, you go through his belongs hoping for someway to connect to your (presumably deceased) father, and you decide upon becoming as good a fisherman as he once was. Great story,and it's put together very well in the opening cinematic, you really do feel like that character, seeking to follow your fathers footsteps as a great fishermen. What follows after the intro is a selection screen where you choose your bait and fishing rod, a brief and simple tutorial basically showing you how to work the fishing poll,shoulder buttons move the boat left to right, left analog moves the fishing rod, and (once in the water) how to maneuver you bait to get the fish biting, after which you must follow a series of on-screen prompts to catch the fish. Mistakes, (of which I made plenty) lead to the fish "getting away" and you start from scratch. Graphics are very dynamic, really gives the player a sense of scope and depth, as if you are really standing at the foot of a lake, trying to catch some fish. The soft, reflective musical score does so much to contribute to the overall calm zen-like theme that carries throughout the game, no rush, no urgency, just relax and catch fish. The reflection of scenery off of the surface of the water being the nicest touch in the game, combined with the birds flying overhead and the sound of splashing water in the distance, you could easily consider this the best depiction of "nature" in video game history. Good: simple mechanics, beautiful graphics, easy story to follow Bad: fish catching gets a bit tricky, but isn't it always? Verdict: any regular fan of the series or fishing games in general need to add this one to the collection as they only keep getting better year by year and with each new generation. As far as obscure sports/hobby games go, you can't go wrong