The Big Catch hands-on preview

The Big Catch is a charming Dreamcast/PS1 style 3D platformer that puts a fishing rod into the hands of a hero.

The latest build of XSeed & FiletGroup’s The Big Catch features a brand new open area — and a lot of turtles? Or basically turtles. The game, on display at PAX East 2025 last week, is a throwback to the PS1/Dreamcast era of 3D platformers, and features a hero that uses a fishing rod to make their way around their adventure. The latest build focuses on one of the game’s more wide open locations, where players are encouraged to hop around, explore and solve three big puzzles to unlock the next zone.

This demo is my first time with the project; because of its timing position within the game there isn’t a tutorial. It’s not guided, meaning that we just have to get around using our hookshot-like abilities and explore, so early on I have a little trouble getting my bearings as to what I can and can’t do with the fishing rod. Thankfully that doesn’t take long, and by the time I’m in the main open area I can use it to grab items, pull levers, and swing across to some hard-to-reach areas. It’s not a continuous flow like a Spider-man game, but it really starts to feel good to use when I need to aim and grab something to bring it closer.

We can’t always use the rod on enemies unless they have an icon above them — it’s not a weapon, it’s a tool. There are some little dudes in the zone that have shells on their backs, so I sort of want to use the rod to flip them over but I can’t. Instead I have to jump on them first to turn them and the ride them across the water I see. I find myself a few times not knowing the limit of the rod and “turtle” and end up falling into the water to my doom while I try to activate the three bridges that unlock the main puzzle.

I’m interested in playing more of the area varieties and puzzles, and to see how the “tacklebox demo” helps provide a bit of a tutorial, because the game really does feel smooth and fun. The Big Catch is due sometime in 2025.