Beneath The Surface

About

Beneath The Surface is a single player sport game. It was developed by carla51 and was released on November 13, 2018. It received very positive reviews from players.

Beneath the Surface is a short and relaxing fishing game. A brief hiatus from the hustle and bustle of everyday life. Sit in a remote corner of the world, drop a line, and see what bites.

Genres & Tags

Play Modes

Single-Player

Skip User Reviews

93%

Audience ScoreBased on 441 reviews

story9 positive mentions

grinding3 negative mentions

Relaxing and charming fishing gameplay with cute graphics and humor.
Intriguing connection to a larger story or ARG that rewards players who explore deeply.
Free and enjoyable short experience with a surprising and memorable ending.

Gameplay is repetitive and very simple, lacking depth or long-term engagement.
Short duration with limited content and no option to reset or restart progress.
Bugs such as broken fish counters and occasionally loud or annoying sounds.

story
42 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
21%
72%
7%
The story receives mixed feedback, with many praising its captivating themes of family drama, betrayal, and dark secrets told from multiple perspectives that deepen immersion. While some found the plot intriguing and enjoyed unexpected twists, others felt it was predictable, slow, and lacked depth or meaningful character development. Overall, it offers an entertaining but occasionally uneven experience that appeals most to those who enjoy family sagas with scandal and suspense.
- “Definitely worth playing to the end for that plot twist.”
- “The story unfolds from multiple points of view, immersing the reader ever deeper beneath the surface of a wealthy family bound together by secrets, lies, and ambition.”
- “The writing (story-telling) was so irresistible that even at the end I was wishing it wasn't the end.”
- “All the nuggets are there for it to be something either really humorous or really entertaining or something you could keep messing with for a long time, but it just kind of feels like there were all these good ideas and then the creator went 'okay, good enough, I'm done making this.' It doesn't offer long-term play, it doesn't offer any real laughs, it doesn't offer any meaning or message or story, it just kind of... is a thing and then it's done.”
- “I felt like there was a lot of telling over showing in this story and did not really buy decisions made by characters.”
- “I found the writing to be very simplistic and that the entire story was a case of tell not show.”
humor
24 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
The game features a lighthearted and quirky humor with funny moments, amusing item descriptions, and a hilarious ending that many players appreciated. While some found the humor enjoyable and entertaining, others felt it was uneven and lacked long-term impact or depth. Overall, the humor adds charm and a playful tone, making the game a fun, if brief, experience.
- “There's small little gags and funny moments sprinkled throughout to make the game more entertaining.”
- “Hey, it's free, it's fun, it only lasted me 48 minutes, but that ending made me laugh my frigging ass off!”
- “Easy to play, upgrades were affordable, descriptions were funny.”
gameplay
15 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
20%
60%
20%
The gameplay is simple and repetitive, centered around basic fishing mechanics with minimal controls, resembling an idle or casual mobile game. While some find it relaxing and enjoyable for a few hours, others consider it slow, shallow, and lacking depth unless connected to another game. Overall, it offers a modest, easygoing experience rather than complex or engaging gameplay.
- “Fun little gameplay loop.”
- “A good 2 hour experience with interesting mechanic.”
- “The gameplay is extremely simple, you only use W, S and the right mouse button.”
- “Had no clue about connection to other game when I played it; not worth trying if you don't care about the other game as the gameplay is boring.”
- “Gameplay consists of lowering the fishing line (s), waiting for a fish, then holding 'w' to bring up the line, which results in collecting some money.”
- “The shallow gameplay is reminiscent of a mobile app or a browser/flash game.”
graphics
6 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
50%
17%
33%
The graphics feature a cute and pleasing aesthetic with interesting, well-designed creatures that enhance the immersive experience. While the artwork is novel and enjoyable, some users are uncertain about the origins of certain image assets, raising potential copyright concerns. Overall, the visuals contribute to a peaceful and charming atmosphere without frustrating interruptions.
- “Interesting kinds of fish the deeper you go; I like the design and aesthetic of the creatures.”
- “There's no frustration, waiting times, or unnecessary level barriers—just peaceful, continuous fishing with a backdrop of pleasing aesthetics.”
- “The graphics are cute, and the theme is rather nice.”
- “It can help you build enemies, logic, etc., but I doubt it would be very helpful or it feels downright lazy, especially since I have no idea where the so-called image assets came from. I tried before and cannot find any source for those generated characters. I don't want to risk potential legal issues if the AI provided copyrighted artwork.”
- “Artwork and gimmick are novel enough to interest me for a little while.”
music
4 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
50%
50%
The music in the game is generally considered repetitive and sometimes unpleasant by some users, detracting from the experience. However, others find it enjoyable and fitting for a fishing simulator, contributing positively to the game's atmosphere.
- “Great game, fun to listen to music or watch videos.”
- “Excellent fishing simulator, great music, bit repetitive, but worth playing if you like fishing.”
- “I keep getting weird items that make no sense, and the music is honestly really repetitive.”
- “Not even an hour into the game and I can no longer use the pole, everything maxed out, so just sit here and listen to crap sounding music and the fish on the ice make popping sounds... You made a game that had potential but then you just became lazy and did nothing more.”
grinding
3 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
The game features a brief grinding phase of about 10 minutes, but overall offers a fun experience with a relatively short total playtime around 30 minutes, so extended grinding is minimal.
- “It's grindy for about 10 minutes total, otherwise fun.”
- “So, playing non-stop, and farming a little more than needed, I beat the game in about 30 minutes.”
- “Try it out, but don't expect a game you'll be grinding for weeks, days, or even hours.”
atmosphere
2 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
The atmosphere is praised for its immersive and dynamic qualities, blending an intense storm setting with engaging character interactions and humor. This combination enhances the overall tension and depth of the game's environment.
- “Atmospheric history, experimental gameplay, banter on memes.”
- “The atmosphere of the storm on the sea added to the turbulence going on between all the people on the ship.”
replayability
1 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
Users find the game enjoyable but note that its replayability is limited, wishing for a longer experience or more content to extend playtime.
emotional
1 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
The emotional aspect is praised for its heartwarming and straightforward impact, creating a touching and sincere experience through its simplicity.
- “Heartwarming in simplicity.”
stability
1 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
The game offers an enjoyable experience but is occasionally marred by some glitches affecting its stability.