Game Systems • Patch 1.0.9+

How to Fish Difficulty Modes Guide: Easy, Normal & Hard

Introduced in Official Patch 1.0.9, players can select campaign difficulty. Understand how difficulty modes affect boss health pools, combat pacing, and achievement tracking.

Mode Comparison

Comparing the 3 Difficulty Settings

* Note: Percentage scaling values reflect community testing and third-party reports (unverified); exact internal formulas are maintained by Dazed Games:

Easy Mode

Community Tested
Solo Players & Beginners
Boss Health:~25% - 30% Reduced Boss HP (Community tested, unverified)
Damage Scaling:Lower incoming hazard & attack damage (Unverified)

Lowers the health pool of island bosses (Spider Crab, The Old Pike, Pufferfish, Albatross, Bowhead Whale) and reduces damage taken from environmental hazards.

Recommendation: Useful for learning weapon trickshot timings and speedrunning the 1-Hour 'Bean' achievement.

Normal Mode (Standard)

Default Setting
Default Baseline Challenge
Boss Health:100% Baseline Boss HP
Damage Scaling:Standard combat scaling

The baseline survival experience designed by Dazed Games. Requires thoughtful weapon upgrades, radar navigation, and tactical boss phase counters.

Recommendation: Recommended for players wanting balanced progression and rewarding co-op team battles.

Hard Mode

Hardcore Challenge
Veteran Co-op Squads & Hardcore Players
Boss Health:Increased Boss HP Scaling (~125%+, unverified)
Damage Scaling:Punishing attack damage & tighter timers (Unverified)

Bosses possess expanded health reserves and hit harder. The Albatross escape bar and Volcano Caldera survival checks demand high-tier weaponry.

Recommendation: Designed for coordinated 4-to-8 player co-op groups with fully upgraded Arsenal.
Achievement & Speedrun Notes

Achievement Tracking Note

Whether difficulty setting restricts any specific Steam achievements has not been officially documented by Dazed Games (third-party assertions remain unverified). Players report earning standard campaign milestones across difficulty modes.

Speedrun Strategy ('Bean' Achievement)

For the 1-Hour speedrun achievement ("Bean"), community guides commonly recommend Easy Mode to reduce boss combat durations and streamline the 5-island run (Source: third-party unverified).