If your top games of the year involve mind-bending horror and intense boss battles, as mine did, you’ll soon find yourself craving something a lot more laid-back. After navigating the eerie streets of Silent Hill 2, I stumbled upon a delightful and surprising little game gaining traction on social media: Webfishing.
Webfishing keeps it straightforward. You fish — that’s your main goal. After the cryptic endings of Silent Hill 2, all I wanted was something as simple as casting a line in peaceful waters.
Yet, there’s a bit more to Webfishing than casting a rod. You can chat with others, build or strengthen friendships, and enjoy casual chatter while waiting for a nibble. It offers a range of cosmetics, upgrades, and even a bit of non-predatory gambling. The beauty is that, apart from the £4.29 initial cost, you won’t spend another pound.
A friend and I quickly dove into this world, catching fish and squandering our earnings on scratchcards. Profits slipped through our fingers into cosmetics and bait upgrades because better bait equals bigger fish, right? Webfishing’s fish can grow impressively large…
And when you do reel in those big ones, expect cheers from fellow anglers — who look charmingly like Animal Crossing characters — in the chat. This little fishing game has blessed me with some of the warmest, most wholesome online interactions I’ve had all year.
Image from the game shows characters casting off a bridge. (Credit: lamedeveloper)
The game’s simplicity and the wonderful sense of community it fosters make it special. In one memorable lobby, hoping to fish quietly while watching YouTube, I found myself among a quirky crowd perched atop toilets. One player strummed a guitar, taking song requests while we fished from this unusual spot.
Another time, my friend and I decided to spend a Saturday evening sipping beers and catching up over Webfishing. What began as just the two of us soon grew into a lively gathering of pixelated cats and dogs, sharing conversations about life, sipping virtual wine, and, of course, casting our lines.
While a few succumbed to the wine, the overall experience of logging in to fish with friends and ending up in lively chats with friendly, likeminded players — including many from the LGBTQIA+ community — was an unexpected delight. It’s these pleasant surprises that keep me coming back. And yes, the thrill of catching a massive fish that hilariously glitches through the map is quite the draw too, even if I end up losing the earnings on scratchcards.
Another image displays a fox character proudly showing off a catch. (Credit: lamedeveloper)
Webfishing can be bizarre and surreal, especially when you see friends frantically parkouring across the map, meowing all the way (yes, that’s possible!). Yet, beneath this quirkiness lies true charm. In this tucked-away corner of the internet, when not disrupted by hackers, you can genuinely unwind. Fish, gamble, leap around, gently nudge others into the ocean, or get wine-happy on the pier. Webfishing stands out as an underrated gem, a sanctuary for gamers needing a break from the intensity of other games.
