How Fish is Made
Year: 2022
Rating: E10+
Time Played: 18 minutes
There are weird games and there are creepy games, then there’s whatever the heck How Fish is Made is. For a free game, it’s definitely a unique experience. With PS1 graphics, How Fish is Made is a simple game where you control (as much as you can) a sardine through a complex system of vents that will either take you “up” or “down.” Along the way, this sardine can talk to other fish on its journey to the end, but the ultimate goal is always a question of going up or down—and whether it’s even a choice.
While the music, sound effects, and dimly lit setting are unnerving, there comes a point where you’re almost assaulted with a huge musical montage put on by a tongue-eating parasite. I had to sit there and stare at the screen for a bit after this number as my brain tried to parse what I had just witnessed. A strange moment in a depressing game, but one that stuck with me well after finishing its sub-one hour playtime. It certainly wouldn’t work in other games, but somehow it’s just goofy enough that it’s something I’d like to see implemented more often.
How Fish is Made doesn’t overstay its welcome. In fact, I don’t think it stays long enough to make its point, however gruesome it is. One would have to play through it twice, choosing to go “up” in one playthrough and “down” in another to see whether or not our choices are relevant. What it does do is show how sometimes our choices are affected by the opinions of others and how we start to doubt ourselves as we continue on our journey. Maybe “up” means ascension and “down” means going to hell, but how often do we really think about justifying our choices?
A bizarre and ugly game about choices, I give How Fish is Made 2.5 stars out of 5.
1/2
