Dredge Reviews
Dredge is a totally innovative and creative take on the survival horror genre and manages to tell a compelling story without long-winded cutscenes or spoon-feeding it. The minor metroidvania elements to its adventuring also give players a lot of freedom to play at their own pace.
Dredge is a great mix of moody atmospheric horror storytelling mixed in with fishing and sailing. The DLC that just came out, The Pale Reach, adds a ton more to an already-packed 10-hour base game, adding 11 new fishes/crabs to catch, a new ice-floe-filled landscape, and new dangers. So really, now's a good time as any to go fish.
Ultimately Dredge is a charming, atmospheric game with excellent exploration gameplay and clever puzzles punctuated by tense moments of fear and dread of what lurks in the dark. I just wish it leaned more into being the game it pretended to be with a larger focus on its simulation gameplay. Because in the end, Dredge makes you think you’re getting a fishing sim with horror elements when what you’re really getting is an enjoyable adventure puzzle game with tacked-on simulation elements.
DREDGE may not go down as a landmark title, but it's definitely one to try to be very, very pleasantly surprised.
Review in Greek | Read full review
Dredge is masterful in its execution. Black Salt Games takes the most simple gameplay elements and weaves them alongside a sinister storyline, stunning art direction and moving score to create a net that I couldn’t break free from. Like a swimmer carried out to sea by a riptide, I was powerless to resist the game’s pull. I became Captain Ahab; spending hour after hour on the deck of my vessel, hunting the all elusive catch with manic addiction. The story is wonderfully told and brings the human and the eldritch together in magnificent fashion – I urge anyone to give it a try; I guarantee you’ll be hooked.
Dredge is an indie horror gem that will be looked upon fondly by anyone with an affinity for adventure and mystery. Every part of the game is engaging and otherworldly, yet distinctly down to earth. From the charming low-poly graphics, to the deeply emotion-invoking soundtrack, to the heartfelt story, Dredge understands how to make the player feel immersed in its dark yet beautiful world.
Dredge is a unique experience and not only for fishermen. You'll be engulfed by the perfect balance of atmosphere, which is so thick it could be sliced at times. The story's ending isn't hilarious, and you're forced to grind slightly to fully upgrade your boat and abilities. The imaginative minigames and the smooth dispensing of new skills or upgrades will keep you with the game and not let go. It's easy to forget how to use basic abilities. The controls are intuitive, and you will unlikely encounter glitches or errors. If you try the title, you'll most likely never let go and get more out of it than you initially expected.
Review in Czech | Read full review
Dredge has no right to be as good as it is, but it effectively plays to its strengths and mixes solid systems with a strong theme. If you're not into fishing or Lovecraft, Dredge won't be your cup of tea. However, if either even slightly tickles your fancy, I can almost guarantee that you'll have a blast delving into the twisted mysteries of Dredge - and you'll even make a decent buck with mutant fish while you're at it.
Dredge is one of the surprises of the year. Inside a relaxing fishing game, a Lovecraftian story hides in the beautiful debut from Black Salt Games. The game is great for people that are looking for a easygoing game with a little bit of tension and some side quests that work great with the whole mystery.
Review in Spanish | Read full review
Despite some nasty snags on the line, DREDGE is nevertheless a rare catch.
Dredge offers a refreshing experience with an interesting mix of ambiance and gameplay.
Dredge is the sort of game I never thought could exist, yet does so in such spectacular fashion. I knew nothing about the game before it came up for review. The name alone had me intrigued, and so blindly, I hoisted the anchor and set sail on a journey from which there is no going back. So pack your bags, grab a line and hop on board this rapid review. There’s something dark lurking beneath the water, and the wind’s mournful cry pulls us and this review ever onward.
Dredge successfully balances a rather serene fishing game with something rather more dark and sinister lurking beneath the surface. Despite the spooky eyes, tentacles, and things going splash in the night, it's really quite relaxing.
Dredge is that rare breed of video game that successfully blends a mixture of great titles and creates something quite different and special. From its stunning atmosphere, complete with an ominous soundtrack, to its rich, well-developed mechanics, varied quests, and compelling core loop. To date, it’s one of the best indie games of the year, both because it’s incredibly difficult to put down and forget about
Dredge is a clever game with a lot of ingenuity in the way it is able to surprise and grab the player. Afloat, it's a fishing and management game with a gameplay cycle that conquers frictionlessly, but it's when you dive into its waters that you can no longer escape its bait. The cosmic horror that ties the entire narrative together will make you as obsessed with figuring out what's going on here as much as the gameplay to improve the boat.
Review in Portuguese | Read full review
2023 has been an incredible year so far in gaming, and surprises like this make it even better. I couldn’t think of a better recommendation for anyone looking for a gripping game to get lost in. Dredge is an accomplishment in making such a simple starting premise turn into such an addictive experience that it evolves into the further you get in it. Just don’t eat any of those deformed fishes you pick up. You’ll thank me later!
Dredge's slow dive into Lovecraftian horror intermingles with its simple fishing and sailing mechanics to create an approachable boat management sim that's as unsettling as it is relaxing.
It's a delightful mix. It's really fun to fish peacefully during the day and try to escape the monsters at night to reach the nearest harbor. Unfortunately, the sense of tension wears off quickly and once you figure out the monsters, you can easily escape them all. Still, it's fun to try to catch all the fish species, solve the mystery of the islands and reach different endings.
Review in Turkish | Read full review
Dredge is a fantastic game that offers some laid back exploration, but enough depth and tense moments to not become boring in its simplistic at times design. The slow build of horror is perfectly balanced as you start to uncover the truth about what is going on, and who this ominous collector is. There were times I was taken aback as a revelation happened, and I understood certain characters. If you’re looking for something easy to sink your teeth in and like horror, but not jumpscare or gory horror, I highly recommend Dredge.