Fishing mini-games can be found all throughout the video game industry. Sometimes, they fit the world naturally, like withFinal Fantasy 15’s version of the mechanic. Other times, they are a significant part of the game, like thefishing inAnimal Crossing: New Horizons. And, occasionally, fishing shows up where players would never expect it, likeCall of DutyZombies’ Outbreak mode.Destiny 2’s fishing falls into that final category, though it is more brilliant than it has any right to be.
While it makes some sense based on when it released, as Season of the Deep is all about exploring the oceans on Titan,Destiny 2going all-in on fishing was certainly not something that many fans expected. Sure enough, though, Bungie added the mechanic to a few different Patrol Zones, and it is surprisingly fun and addictive with a wide variety of fish to catch. Though there is a chance that fishing leaves after Season of the Deep - or when The Final Shape drops - hopefully it sticks around for the long haul.
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Fishing Can Continue Growing Beyond Season of the Deep
Destiny 2’s fishing has fairly basic mechanics, with players getting perfect catches, nice catches, or missing out on a fish depending on their reaction time. There is also afocused fishingbuff that raises up whenever players catch legendary fish, but the mini-game itself is rather simple. However, what sets the fishing apart is the communal aspect of it, as seeing groups of players gather around to catch fish is always entertaining. Similarly, emoting with random players to celebrate an exotic fish is always a joyful experience.
Removing this mini-game would be a mistake, as it gives players a reason to engage with mechanics they may no longer care about. For instance, gathering resources and running public events may be irrelevant to players with hundreds of hours played and no shortage of glimmer. However, now they could be motivated to do so whenever a pond fades away, as it gives them bait that they can fish with. Bait constantly unlocking no matter what players are doing makes old content feel more meaningful, and the presence of ponds in zones like the EDZ andNessusgives players a reason to stop by places they may have stopped visiting long ago.
Instead of retiring fishing at the end ofSeason of the Deepor this current story arc, Bungie should expand upon it for years to come. One obvious way to do this would be through the addition of new ponds, as the Dreaming City has so much water that it is practically begging for some fishing spots. A digital pond on Neomuna could be interesting, too, while letting players fish through a hole in some cracked ice on Europa could be entertaining as well.
Each of these new pond spots could boast a few extra legendary fish as well as an exclusive Exotic, giving them their own identities and motivating players to fish at every additional location. These fish could have some particularly unique designs, too, with aDreaming Cityfish looking like the Awoken or being covered by Taken corruption. A Neomuna exotic could be entirely robotic, fitting with Neptune’s futuristic aesthetic.
Bungie could keep giving players decorations to unlock for their fish tanks onDestiny 2’s HELM if it continues to support fishing, letting players have more control over how their tanks look. Players could also be given the option to customize which fish are shown, letting them have more of their favorites on display and hide the ones that they consider unsightly. More fishing Triumphs could be added alongside exclusive rewards like shaders, a weapon ornament with a fish-themed design, emblems, and so on. While it could have just been an afterthought,Destiny 2’s fishinginstead feels like an activity worth doing, giving players a satisfying break from the usual shooting and looting. As such, it deserves to stick around for the long haul.
Destiny 2is available now on PC, PS4, PS5, Xbox One, and Xbox Series X.
