GONE Fishing Review

GONE Fishing is a 1-8 player survival horror game where you and your friends fish to feed a hungry lake before it feeds on you. At $9.99, it has earned a Very Positive rating from over 2,300 Steam reviews, and its biggest strength is the absurd, panic-inducing co-op chaos it generates. But that strength is undercut by a core loop that many players find repetitive and a technical layer that often buckles. The game is good for a few nights of laughter with friends, but it may not hold up for the long haul.

The Core Loop

The rhythm is simple: fish during the day, cook and sell your catch, offer fish at the altar to meet a quota, then survive the night by hiding from monsters. Earnings buy upgrades and unlock new maps and bosses. Players describe unexpected twists like a gambling altar and random catches that keep things unpredictable. One player recounts catching a massive sperm whale using a corpse as bait, while another marvels at pulling in a 2,000-pound shark after a lobster tries to force them on a date. These moments are the game's lifeblood, but they are sporadic.

The feel swings between relaxation and sheer terror. As one player puts it, they came for a chill co-op fishing game and got a terrifying race against time, hauling in absurd amounts of fish while getting jumpscared every five minutes. That contrast is the game's signature, and it works best in short bursts with friends. However, the novelty fades fast. One player grew bored in under an hour, another lost interest after just over an hour, and a third, after ten hours, felt they were still repeating the first hour. The repetition is the biggest threat to long-term enjoyment.

Content-wise, the game offers multiple maps, a variety of fish and monsters, a fishing level system, and leaderboards. Some players appreciate the exploration space, but others find the maps small and the boss fights repetitive. One reviewer complains about fighting the same boss with the same cutscenes and text. Another notes that the ending feels unfinished, and the endless mode is lacking. For a game that encourages repeat sessions, the content may not stretch far enough for dedicated players.

Art and Sound

The visuals are deliberately rough, aiming for a stylized horror look reminiscent of games like Lethal Company. Some players find the crude models and cheap sound effects part of the charm, but many others criticize the low-poly models, poor optimization, and jarring audio. One player calls the game a nightmare filter and a fan killer, while another says the monsters look like mosaics and fail to scare. The art direction is divisive, and it may break immersion for those expecting a more polished experience.

Onboarding and Technical Issues

New players often struggle with the lack of guidance. The UI is minimalist, and the tutorial, if enabled, is easily missed. One player spent over an hour fishing with a friend and still had no idea what to do. Another praises the game but admits the poor guidance made the first save frustrating until they figured out the mechanics. Technical problems compound this: bugs, poor optimization, clipping, and server connection failures are common complaints. Some call it the buggiest game they've ever played, and one player with a high-end GPU reports 99% usage. These issues can derail an otherwise fun session.

On the positive side, the developers are frequently praised for their responsiveness. Players note that updates come often, sometimes twice a day, and that the devs listen to community feedback and fix bugs. One player edited their review after patches resolved annoying issues. This commitment may help the game improve over time, but it doesn't erase the current rough edges. For now, the game is best approached as an early-access-style experience, despite its full release.

At $9.99, the price is low, and for many, the cost is justified by a few hours of chaotic fun with friends. However, solo players face a steeper challenge: quotas scale quickly, and without a team, progress can stall. One solo player got hard-stuck on day fifteen and felt forced to rely on gambling wins to advance. The game shines in multiplayer, where the survival pressure is lower and the absurdity is shared. If you have a group of friends who enjoy laughing at jank and jumpscares, GONE Fishing can deliver. If you're looking for a polished, deep horror experience, you may want to wait for further updates.