Fishing? On the PlayStation? Whatever will they think of next? And just how many questions marks can you fit into a strap? Eh?
Steve Bradley

Fishing, eh?
You're sharp today.

Does it work? You know, on a console?
It does. The joypad acts as rod and reel but to get any 'reel' effect, you need a Dual Shock. The left stick enables you to swing the line left and right, and the right stick acts as reel. When you hook a fish, you spin the stick in a circular direction to reel the slithery blighter in. When the line's on the brink of snapping, you use the shoulder buttons to cut the thing some slack.

It is like fishing, then...
Indeed. Fisherman's Bait (great name, eh?) features four digital lakes, with 15 scenic spots from which to drop the old maggots.

Scenic, eh? Bit of a looker, then?
Actually, no. Photo-realistic it isn't, but there are one or two neat animations which kick in when you snag a polygonal piscine. The animations capture the fish slithering about while you attempt to bring it up. So to speak.

Sounds a bit cruel when you put it like that.
Maybe, but how many people have you 'shot' in videogames?

Fair enough. Any tactics involved?
You betcha. You don't just pitch up with your rod (well, you do) and hope for the best. You have to check the weather conditions, pick a scenic spot, choose the right sort of bait (or 'lure' as they're called) and then, if nothing's biting, shift to another place on the bank. And hope that your Mam's put an apple and a Kit Kat in with your Marmite butties.