On the surface, Dredge is a game about fishing, but dive below the depths of the game and you’ll find something more; it’s creepy, edge of the seat stuff, and Dredge has shot close to the top of my favorite games of the year so far. Today I am going to bring you my review of Dredge, and why I think you should check this debut video game from developer Black Salt Games.
You play as a fisherman, who arrives at Greater marrow in a battered up ship. Greater Marrow is a small island in an archipelago, which opens up on the vast seas. The Mayor takes you in, gives you a basic ship and a rod for a loan, and says to go out fishing and pay off your debts little by little. You then head out into the open seas to fish, stacking your latest catch like a game of Tetris on your boat.
It’s a good idea to head out to sea early in the morning, catch as much as you can, being careful not to damage your boat, before the sun goes down, because when it gets dark in this game, things start to get weird. It’s all fairly normal at first, you head out to sea, catch a few fish, deliver some packages for the mayor and get introduced to the Shipright in Greater Marrow, who will help you with upgrades as you gather more money. That unlocks the basic game loops of Dredge; sail out to sea on your little boat, catch fish through a series of mini-game-type mechanics and then exchange your catch for money to invest back into your ship including various upgrades like a bigger engine, and a variety of fishing rods.
The fishing itself is relaxing and fun. As you sail out to see you have to keep watch for little patches of fish, where you can see bubbles coming up to the surface and a series of shadows lurking beneath the water. When you first start out you’ll only have the basics to catch small fish, and as you progress in the game you’ll upgrade your equipment. To catch fish you have to cast out your line, and play a simple timing game where you have hit the button at the right time, similar to playing Tiger Woods Golf back in the day. Catch a fish and then place it on your hull, stacking up as many fish as you can. You can go for a few big fish, or more smaller fish, then head back to shore to convert your catch into cash.
As you start to generate money new characters show up and you’ll get involved in various missions like delivering packages. Make sure you talk to everyone as they will share valuable knowledge, like how to survive out at sea. Most characters are haggard, wind swept and beaten by the elements. These missions will take you to other islands, which provide better upgrades for your ship. You’ll also start to take on more intricate jobs like picking up various valuable artifacts, and more of Dredge’s secrets get revealed, dark secrets.
Fish, stack, sleep and fix up your boat. That’s the life of a fisherman in Dregde. The more money you collect the more you can pump into research for new equipment likw fishing poles, engines and dredging nets. There are trade offs to be made though because this fancy new equipment takes up vauable space for where you stack fish. Smaller fish are easy to stack, but if you start putting in lots of bulky equipment, then it’s going to be harder to turn a profit because you’ll be able to store less fish. Keep them for too long and they will go off, and eventually deteriotate into fish goo.
Night-time is when things start to get a little weird. Eyes pop up in the fog and shadows, even the clock seems to develop a big eye, which is quite disconcerting. There’s something in the water at night turning the once normal day time fish into mutant variants, all which are happily bought and chopped up by the fishmonger. Infact, catching rare and strange fish is a decent way to make more money, so try going out at night. Do be careful for the rocks though, as they’ll come out of nowhere and that has a big impact on the usefulness on your vessel.
One of the best things about Dredge is you are prompted to explore. You don’t have any waypoints on the map, you have to study the real in-game map, speak to people, follow up on clues and investigate. It’s a very meditative game. You can quite switch off and play, as the game has a nasty habit of popping a rock out of the mist, or something slithering onto your boat at night. It’s quiet, psychological horror that isn’t in your face, but is lurking under the surface, eyes on you, threatening.
Overall, Dredge is good fun. It’s got a great art style and eerie music, that will keep you on your toes. I like exploring in my little fishing boat, fishing, selling, exploring and sleeping. The gameplay loop is quick enough, and the gameplay of catching fish, plus the sprinkled in narrative moments all work together well. The game has grabbed some early attention, and in a year where lots of big games are getting the headlines, this is a smaller game worth checking out and investing some time into.
Developer: Black Salt Games
Publisher: Team 17
Platforms: Platforms: Nintendo Switch, PlayStation 5, PlayStation 4, Xbox One
Release Date: 30th March 2023