Big Fish is a 2D Metroidvania created in Gamemaker Studio 2 by TOQ Games with only one developer, Corey or TheOnlyQuarry. The game takes place in a post-apocalyptic, underwater environment teeming with different flora and fauna that changes as time goes on. The player, or “Tadpole”, must eat smaller prey while avoiding larger predators in order to grow into a giant and powerful creature of the deep. Emerging from its nest, the Tadpole discovers that the world is nothing but a forgotten graveyard made up of the corpses of dying giants that once roamed the sea, but now lay, covered in a hardened soot. Only by using ancient technology from the sunken city, can the ocean be saved.
The player will find an assortment of powerful physical and elemental abilities that can be paired in order to catch smaller prey, to take down larger predators and explore new and ever-changing areas. Big Fish features a fluid and fast movement system for above and underwater movement, making this more of a speed-swimmer than a speed-runner. There is a “water-pixel” art style that creates a very unique and beautiful atmosphere, almost like being in a painting made of pixel art. The game is challenging, but with a casual feel, and can be enjoyed by all ages with controller remapping and cheats options.
- Advanced AI and pathing is used to create a very organic feel to each interaction between players and entities.
- Abilities can be acquired from giant flowers or giant creatures and will grant the player new elemental abilities along with changing the physical features of the Tadpole.
- Abilities pair to make stronger abilities.
- Growing the tail will increase the speed of the Tadpole and its tongue length.
- Each boss is different and requires some creativity to beat.
- Entities smaller than the player will run away, while larger ones will hunt you down.
- There are an assortment of colored gates around the world that can be unlocked by splashing the gate while having a tail color that matches the required gate color.
- Full controller support and button remapping, along with graphics and sound settings.
