A Fisherman's Tale

79%
Game Brain Score Based on 682 reviews
  • story
  • gameplay
  • graphics
A Fisherman's Tale Game Cover
While A Fisherman’s Tale is shorter than many people’s daily commute to work, its abundance of charm and clever use of the core puzzling mechanic make it a VR title worth cozying up with on weekend afternoon.
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In "A Fisherman's Tale," become Bob, a tiny fisherman puppet living in a cabin, unaware of the world outside. To turn on the lighthouse light before the storm, solve mind-bending VR puzzles, and interact with unusual allies. Manipulate objects with your hands and prepare for a reality-bending adventure.

  • PC
  • Virtual Reality
  • Windows
  • Oculus Quest
  • Oculus Rift
  • Play​Station
  • Play​Station VR
  • Play​Station VR2
  • Windows Mixed Reality
Genres & TagsPlay Modes

Reviews

79%
Audience ScoreBased on 682 reviews
story115 positive mentions
replayability6 negative mentions
  • Unique and innovative gameplay mechanics that effectively utilize VR.
  • Charming visuals and engaging storytelling that create an immersive experience.
  • Clever puzzles that challenge players without being overly difficult.
  • Very short playtime, typically around 1 to 1.5 hours, which may not justify the price for some players.
  • Some puzzles can feel repetitive, lacking variety as the game progresses.
  • Minor technical issues, such as objects getting stuck or frustrating controls in certain sections.
  • story218 mentions

    The game's story is generally described as charming and engaging, though notably short, typically lasting around an hour. Many players appreciate the creative storytelling and unique mechanics, which enhance the overall experience, while some express disappointment over the brevity and lack of emotional depth. Overall, the narrative is well-crafted and complements the gameplay, making it a worthwhile experience for fans of story-driven puzzle games.

    • “The story is well written and you can piece together what the fisherman character is actively going through and why things are the way they are by the time you reach the end.”
    • “A charming and innovative VR game with a nice story and interesting puzzle mechanics.”
    • “The story is a touching one, and the puzzle concept is freaking awesome!”
    • “The story didn't connect to me in any way.”
    • “I found the story to be dull and the narrator's voice to be incredibly grating.”
    • “Because of the criminal lack of content, I can only recommend this game on sale, or if you have such deep pockets that dropping 15 euros on a game with about 45 minutes worth of story isn't a deal breaker.”
  • gameplay151 mentions

    The gameplay of the game is characterized by its innovative mechanics, particularly the unique scaling feature that allows players to interact with their environment in creative ways. While the puzzles are generally engaging and the VR implementation is praised for its charm and visual appeal, many reviewers note that the experience is relatively short, lasting around 1 to 1.5 hours, and some mechanics can feel clunky or underutilized. Overall, the game offers a delightful, albeit brief, puzzle-solving experience that showcases the potential of VR gaming.

    • “The nested scale mechanic works very well in VR.”
    • “Extremely original and creative gameplay that maximizes and takes full advantage of what virtual reality can do.”
    • “The gameplay is engaging, the art style is very unique, and the puzzles are enjoyable.”
    • “The main mechanic of the game, interacting with a smaller/bigger version of yourself, is an okay idea, but the length of the campaign shows how little you can do with it.”
    • “The dated mechanic of pressing a button to extend your hand rather than pulling an object to your hand is also clumsy and frustrating.”
    • “The whole experience felt like a demo with its simplistic mechanics and ~40 minute play time, and the story was written and narrated in an overly simplistic and hand-holding way that you find in a lot of media for little kids.”
  • graphics76 mentions

    The graphics of the game have received widespread praise for their charm and visual appeal, with many reviewers highlighting the vibrant, cartoonish art style that enhances the overall experience. While some noted that the graphics are not highly detailed, they are well-executed and immersive, particularly in VR, making the game visually engaging. Overall, the visuals are considered a strong point, contributing positively to the gameplay and storytelling.

    • “The graphics are bold, bright, and cartoony and look fantastic in the headset.”
    • “Immersive, beautiful graphics and artwork, great soundtrack, brilliant narration and story, and challenging without being too difficult to enjoy.”
    • “The graphics are amazing.”
    • “The graphics aren't detailed, but it has a beauty of its own and works really well.”
    • “Given the aesthetic and the gameplay, it seems like a missed opportunity for some laughs.”
    • “What the visuals lack in polygons, they compensate in charm, and the sound design is gorgeous for the most part.”
  • replayability21 mentions

    Overall, the game's replayability is largely criticized, with many users noting its short playtime and lack of significant replay value. While some mention the presence of achievements as a minor incentive for replay, the consensus is that the experience feels too brief and repetitive to warrant multiple playthroughs. Players recommend waiting for a sale due to the limited content relative to its price.

    • “It's a relatively short experience; however, the achievements and general replayability make it a 100% recommendation of mine.”
    • “If there is any downside, then as I said (and others have), it's a bit on the short side (I finished my first playthrough in about an hour) - that said, there are a chunk of achievements you're unlikely to pick up first time, which should give some replay value.”
    • “It lasts about 3 hours and has some replayability, but it is so innovative and uses the immersion of VR to its max. Definitely worth the money.”
    • “There's no replayability whatsoever.”
    • “No replayability at all because the game will be exactly the same through each playthrough.”
    • “It's good; but way, way too short, which isn't good at all as it has zero replayability (aside from some fun achievements).”
  • music16 mentions

    The music in the game is widely praised for its quality and ability to enhance the immersive experience, with many reviewers highlighting the beautiful soundtrack and excellent voice acting. Despite being released in 2019, the music still resonates well with players, contributing to the overall enjoyment of the story and gameplay. However, some users noted the lack of a music volume adjustment as a minor drawback.

    • “Great music and narration.”
    • “Immersive, beautiful graphics and artwork, great soundtrack, brilliant narration and story, and challenging without being too difficult to enjoy.”
    • “It has been a very pleasant experience with an amazing soundtrack, a wonderful story with great narration, a gameplay mechanic I've never seen before, and very nice stylistic choices.”
    • “I can only say one thing I did not like about this game: the music volume adjustment is unavailable.”
    • “The music, the sound, and the narration were not up to par.”
    • “The soundtrack was fitting, but it didn't leave a lasting impression.”
  • atmosphere12 mentions

    The game's atmosphere is consistently praised for its cozy, charming, and surreal qualities, enhancing the overall experience despite a somewhat sparse story. Players appreciate the beautiful graphics, calming ambiance, and engaging voice acting, which contribute to a fun and immersive puzzle-solving environment. Overall, the atmosphere is a standout feature that elevates the game, making it a worthwhile experience.

    • “It's a pretty great-looking escape room game, and especially the surreal nature of the atmosphere and story gives it its own charm.”
    • “Charming visuals and atmosphere and good quality amusing voice acting.”
    • “The story is a little sparse, but the atmosphere that the game creates is far more important.”
    • “It's a pretty great-looking escape room game, and not really as frightening as others. The surreal nature of the atmosphere and story gives it its own charm.”
    • “The game revels in its narrator, really trying to spoon-feed the player atmosphere.”
  • humor12 mentions

    The humor in the game is widely praised, with players appreciating its clever jokes, funny character accents, and engaging narration that adds a lighthearted touch to the experience. Many reviews highlight the balance of humor with poignant moments, making the game both entertaining and thought-provoking. Overall, the combination of witty dialogue and amusing scenarios contributes significantly to the game's charm and enjoyment.

    • “If you speak French, do play the game in English as some of the characters have funny French accents, which add a nice touch missing from the French version.”
    • “Amazing game filled with mind-twisting logic and wonderful humor.”
    • “Lovely mind-bending puzzle solving in a cute and humorous package.”
  • emotional9 mentions

    The emotional aspect of the game is a mixed bag; while some players found the story heartwarming and touching, others felt it lacked depth and emotional engagement. The narrative includes both funny and poignant moments, but the simplicity of the puzzles and the cramped environments detracted from the overall emotional experience for some. Overall, the game is seen as cute and wholesome, but it may not resonate deeply with all players.

    • “Overall: expected an average puzzle game, got a heart-touching story with decent puzzles that challenged my fear of depths instead.”
    • “The loose narrative is done well, and there are both funny and touching bits during the game.”
    • “The story is a touching one, and the puzzle concept is freaking awesome!”
  • stability7 mentions

    Overall, the game's stability is mixed, with some players experiencing significant bugs, particularly in specific puzzles and interactions, leading to restarts. While a few users reported no glitches on high-end systems, others found the issues severe enough to hinder gameplay enjoyment. The game is described as charming but suffers from notable stability problems that could affect the experience for many players.

    • “The voice acting appealed to me, and the game suffered from no glitches.”
    • “Graphics are great; there were no glitches during my playthrough, but I have a pretty solid PC build, including a 1080 Ti.”
    • “A little buggy section with the hoist and hook section.”
    • “Last puzzle is also really buggy; it involved lighting a match and the match kept disappearing from my hands.”
    • “I really want to enjoy this game, but it's buggy to the point of being unplayable.”
  • grinding4 mentions

    Reviews indicate that grinding in the game can be tedious due to poor movement mechanics, particularly the limited snap-change turning, which frustrates navigation. However, the core gameplay mechanics are well-designed and enjoyable, preventing the grinding from becoming overly repetitive.

    • “Movement is terrible with no options; people used to VR will hate the snap-change turning and the fact that it's limited to like 25 degrees, so navigating the areas gets really tedious.”
    • “You'll need a second life for grinding.”
    • “You'll need a second life for grinding.”
  • optimization3 mentions

    Overall, the game is well-optimized, effectively preventing motion sickness while delivering great graphics and performance. However, players noted some issues, particularly when placing the last piece of a puzzle, which could disrupt the experience.

    • “The game felt well optimized to prevent motion sickness.”
    • “Graphics are simple, but they look really nice; performance was pretty great.”
    • “Great graphics and performance.”
Positive mentions (%)Positive
Neutral mentions (%)Neutral
Negative mentions (%)Negative

Critic Reviews

72% average critic score

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Play time

4hMedian play time
3hAverage play time
2-5hSpent by most gamers
*Based on 12 analyzed playthroughs

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