It's Fishing! It's Extreme! It's Shimano! All right... it's not Shimano. Shimano isn't even an adjective. It's actually the name of an international manufacturer of fishing equipment (and bicycle parts). But the game really is extreme – other fishing games focus on catching fish with a conventional rod and reel – Shimano Xtreme Fishing let me go spear-fishing and bow-fishing. Fishing with a spear gun does feel extreme.
Shimano, not taking itself too seriously, will provide a decent amount of entertainment…for about the first two times you play it. Blasting the snot out of fish with a bow and spear is actually fun for a short while, but once this novelty wears off there is little reason to go back. If you find this title in a bargain bin somewhere, it is worthy of a purchase at a lower price, even though the cheap fish killing thrills will be short lived.
In the end though, you probably won't play it more than a few times, as there are better fishing titles out there. Hell, there are adventure games and even rpg's with more entertaining fishing modes. Zelda and Breath of Fire are just two that come to mind.
Much like the recreation on which is based on, one of the fundamental difficulties of fishing games is maintaining freshness. Although the tension of reeling in an enormous catch can be thrilling, repeating the same task dozens of times can be a repugnant as week-old catfish. Developer eV Interactive is hoping to solve the conundrum with Shimano Xtreme Fishing, title that incorporates the obligatory rod and reel process, as well as offering bow and spear gun methods.
