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As time goes on, Take-Two Interactive seems to be learning the dos and don'ts of how to manage titles under development for the $9.99 label, and this has resulted in higher level of quality in the titles created. Coming after the surprisingly above-average action title Ball Breakers is Action Bass. Action Bass, a fishing title that not only has one of the most generic and boring names ever conceived, but also provides a bit of insight into the actual content of the game; it is both generic and boring! For a good idea of Action Bass, attempt to imagine Sega's Sega Bass Fishing game for the Dreamcast - and then take out most of what makes it an intense and entertaining title. To help balance the gameplay, the designers of Action Bass tried to fuse a little more simulation into Action Bass as compared to Sega Bass Fishing; it was noticeable that catching fish and reeling them in requires more genuine skill and patience. Unfortunately, it also seems to have to do with the fact that the fish don't really have much of an attraction to your bait no matter what you do. You pull, you tug, you try every type of lure, but many times the fish simply ignore it and go about their happy business. And that is if you are even lucky enough to see a fish; I went entire times with only catching a glimpse of a fish a few times.
There isn't much to discuss when it comes to Action Bass in the visuals department. Same with other $9.99 titles, the menus are a bit cut and dry, but they manage to get the point across. Even when a particularly large fish entered onto the screen, the frame rate was able to keep up, but then again, there isn't too much for the engine to keep track of. Still as generic as the rest of the game is, the fish and environments are decently modeled, as are the boat, water and everything else in between. While a bit empty handed when it comes to an assortment of features, Action Bass helps to make up for it by having a good deal of secret goodies to unlock. The hidden features range from a few new lures to help bring in those sneaky fish, to a brand new level to go fishing in, to a bonus mode that increases the challenge found in the tournament mode. The lack of mode options isn't saved by the various secrets, but unlocking all that Action Bass has to offer takes some effort, and goes a long way in helping to increase the replayability factor. When compared to the other fishing titles available on the market for the PlayStation, Action Bass might not be the most heart-pounding or in-depth out there, but for the cheap price of $10, fishing fans are urged to give it a shot, at the least.
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