Review for DREDGE

In the spring of 2023, New Zealand-based developer Black Salt Games and British publisher Team17 released their debut title together, DREDGE, a delightfully creepy fishing game that had been in the works since 2020. Though the game has been out for nearly a year now, its development team has kept it fresh and alive with new updates and even an extra few hours' worth of gameplay in the form of a recent DLC release. DREDGE's 2022 announcement trailer and subsequent demo release on Steam gained fervent praise from players, but did the full release live up to the hype?   

As you may have guessed, DREDGE isn’t your ordinary fishing game. While you’ll be stepping into the shoes of an angler to explore vast waters and collect a good day’s catch, you’ll notice that something isn’t quite right about the little coastal town where you’ve washed ashore. The small seaside hamlet of Greater Marrow and the surrounding sea appear normal during the day, aside from the occasional odd-looking fish caught on the reel. As you travel to different isles and meet different people, you’ll notice that the locals seem… apprehensive. Something lurking in the ocean keeps most folk from venturing out past nightfall. 

None of the locals seem keen on talking at length about what they think may be at work, leading you to explore land and sea to uncover a mystery straight out of an H.P. Lovecraft story. As you dredge the depths for rare treasures, collect parts for boat upgrades, and complete various fishing tasks and quests to keep yourself afloat, you’ll discover a twisted tale of odd ichthyology, dark artifacts, strange cults, and an ancient evil from the abyss itself.

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The art of DREDGE is not like that of other contemporary adventure games. Its graphics may remind some of the painterly aesthetic of Disco Elysium, but its blocky, more abstract style blended with a darker aesthetic manages to create something truly unique. Many of the characters you meet have a weathered look to them as if they’ve had their share of close calls with danger while faring the sea. Some of these hardened seafarers appear more gaunt and broken than others; however, it looks as though they’ve started to waste away just from the mere sight of something otherworldly. It’s a stark reminder of the prominent literary influences behind this world and the fate that could be awaiting the angler. The slightly twisted art design coupled with a versatile soundtrack work together to build a wondrously ominous atmosphere. Everything about the world of DREDGE, from its art direction to its hauntingly beautiful musical score suggests that the brief calm and sense of safety that the daylight provides only obscures something sinister beneath the surface.

Fishing, chatting with townsfolk, upgrading your sea-faring vessel, collecting messages in bottles, and of course, dredging – are what make up the bulk of the gameplay in DREDGE. Fishing and dredging act as mini-games, and their mechanics are switched up occasionally to help keep them from becoming too tedious. For instance, some fish can only be caught with specific nets or rods. Some species come out at a particular time of day and can only be reeled in by following a sequence-based puzzle. Time management is an additional element of note in this game, meaning that any fish you catch should be sold for cash before losing value by becoming stale. If too much time passes, any unsold fish will decay completely and must be thrown out to save precious inventory space.     

These aspects of the game coupled with the ongoing goal of upgrading your boat’s engine speed, inventory size, and fishing capabilities help keep the core gameplay from becoming stale. Additionally, each new area you explore has its own strange subplot to uncover and sidequests to complete. All the while, you’ll be taking in the sights and sounds of novel environments with a unique array of native wildlife—and eldritch horrors. 

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This game excels at making you feel like you’re teetering on the brink of insanity as you progress. Like other Lovecraft-inspired videogames, keeping oneself mentally healthy by avoiding encounters with horrific sights is a significant gameplay element. As those familiar with the trope know, low sanity will only cause more problems. Getting enough sleep, keeping your lights on, and staying out of the night fog as much as possible will be key to preserving your wits—lest ye want to face the cosmic dread that only nautical nightmares can bring. 

DREDGE can be completed well within 8 or 9 hours if you aren’t interested in a 100% completion run of the game. Still, each hour will be filled with engrossing activities shaped by a surprisingly peaceful and even calming atmosphere during the daytime. Unfortunately, with the conclusion of the main storyline and the finale sequence of either one of two possible endings, some players may feel that something is missing. 

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Depending on one’s actions towards the very end of the game, the player will achieve either the “good” or “bad” ending, and both stop on a seemingly anticlimactic note during a single, short cutscene. Both endings may seem utterly confusing if the game’s many notes littered throughout the map have been ignored up until this point. Still, those who went out of their way to explore every nook and cranny to uncover the bottled messages containing much of the game’s plot may feel rewarded. However, this could be an issue for some people, as the tendency for story-driven games to rely on the player’s inclination to collect and read notes does not feel nearly as impactful as a narrative developed largely through character interactions and unfolding events leading up to a clear path. 

Despite any minor grievances with DREDGE's plotline, the game makes up for it with its compelling gameplay filled with exploration and tense moments. It’s certainly one of the more original fishing games out there, and its inclusion of unorthodox ideas and influences makes it much more memorable as a horror adventure. Overall, DREDGE goes above and beyond to provide a thoughtful and immersive experience that far exceeds expectations of what games centered around angling have offered in the past. I’m more than curious to see what Black Salt Games will unveil next.