Finally, a Relaxing and Quaint Fishing RPG
A Moonglow Bay Preview
Fishing minigames within games possess a certain reputation among gamers alike, they’re exclusively beloved because not only are they addicting and fun, but some showcase a calmer, more chill side of otherwise hectic, action packed games. I’m looking at you Monster Hunter World and Warframe. I’ve fished for countless hours in Animal Crossing over the years and more recently Stardew Valley, it’s such a user-friendly and tranquil activity that never stops being addicting, even after catching all the fish in both those titles. The excitement of what you’ll catch next is exactly the same breath-holding feeling you get in a loot-based game as you wait for what item will drop next. It’s all dopamine inducing, which plays another big factor in why fishing minigames are so popular. I’ve always dreamed of an Animal Crossing game exclusively about fishing. Although that may never become reality, Moonglow Bay looks to be a title that fulfills that exact dream game, while also providing an emotionally charged story about loss, friendships, and family, that occurs across the unique voxel-styled town of Moonglow Bay.
In Moonglow Bay, you and your partner move to the Bay to retire and live out the rest of your lives together while also running a small fish shop. Unfortunately, soon after, your partner goes out exploring on the open water and never returns. Three years later, on the cusp of Moonglow Bay turning a century old, your daughter arrives to help you get you back on your feet and pull you out of the constant grief and sadness you’ve fallen into. You’ve got a shop to run, a town to save, and your partner’s final wishes to uphold, you’re going to need all the help you can get.
Bunnyhug, the developers of Moonglow Bay, focus on strong storytelling within the relationships you have with other people in the Bay. Interacting with neighbors, friends, and family weave together a story that develops over time and has multiple arcs. These stories come more alive via the fully-inhabited town, set along the 1980’s Eastern Canadian coastline, at which you’re free to explore. Accompanied by this story, you also have a fishing RPG that is not only relaxing, but bathed in mystery as well.
Rumor has it that the waters of Moonglow Bay are inhabited by mythical creatures as well as the spirits of the fisherman who get lost at sea. As you interact with your neighbors you’ll learn more about these fantastical stories, and later in your journey you might discover some of these underwater monsters. Fishing in Moonglow Bay is much like fishing minigames found in other titles, easy to learn, but comes with some challenge and depth depending on what fishing method you choose to use, as each plays differently. You acquire different means of catching fish over time through equipment and gear that you buy when you’ve saved up enough money. These range from your classic fishing rod, to nets, traps, ice fishing, and more. You can also upgrade these as time goes on as well as upgrade your boat to allow for longer trips out on the water. When you start out the game you’ll be catching pretty regular and normal fish, but as the story progresses and you start to hear about the crazy things people have seen around Moonglow Bay, you’ll grow curious and start adventuring out further and further to uncover these secrets. Eventually, you’ll stumble across different biomes that don’t make geological sense, like boiling geysers, massive glaciers, and sulfur waters, that may have otherworldly fish swimming about. Certain fish can only be caught using specific methods and at times of day, so experimentation is key if you want to find all of the over 100 species of fish in the game.
After a day out on the water, or more if you’ve upgraded your boat to have a kitchen on it, you’ll return to the town to sell or cook what you’ve caught. Cooking works like a minigame, akin to Cooking Mama, and you have different recipes based on fish you’ve caught. Then you sell what you cook for money and that currency is used to purchase equipment for your boat, gear to help you better navigate the distant areas, and various upgrades for your shop.
Moonglow Bay’s cheerful voxel world gives me happy vibes just looking at it, the fact that it’s a fishing RPG with plenty of fish to catch, upgrades and items to purchase, and an easy-to-learn progression loop of catching, cooking, selling, excites me to no end. Throw in a touching and spooky story and local co-op too? I’m sold.
My Animal Crossing fishing dreams are coming true in more ways than I imagined thanks to Moonglow Bay, time to practice my clicking reflexes so I don’t miss a catch.
Moonglow Bay releases in 2021 on Steam, Xbox One, and Xbox Series X/S. Steam link is below.
