I am not a skiller gamer, but was looking for something chill/low-key to play to decompress, and Dredge has been perfect. I am too old for the new fast-paced games that require top-notch reaction time and complex controls. I would recommend this game to anyone who wants a relaxing/fune experience. The graphics and music are therapeutic as well, which is an added bonus.

[b]UNEXPECTEDLY one of the best surprises in my library.[/b] Honestly, I kept thinking DREDGE was “just a fishing simulator” with interesting visuals and style and left it on the backburner for way too long. But hey, it turned out nothing like I thought — behind the rod hides a full-blown adventure with a strong Lovecraftian vibe. What really makes the game shine is its spooky atmosphere. It’s eerie at times — yet never outright scary. You don’t feel fear, you feel curiosity, and that pull to explore just a little further. So, the fishing? Surprisingly addicting. Combined with researching the whole map and uncovering its mysteries, it keeps you hooked far longer than you expect. The real treasure here isn’t just the catch — it’s the world itself: the visuals, the music, and the mystery in every corner. DREDGE drags you in and doesn’t let go, and it’s no wonder the game has so many positive reviews.

DLC buying guide: [b]The Pale Reach[/b] - Buy it about half way through the base game. Once you are comfortable with the gameplay. [b]Blackstone Key[/b] - Glorified tip button. Buy before playing if you already know you will enjoy the game and want to support. [b]The Iron Rig[/b] - Buy it at about half way through, and then progress along side the base game.

This game is too slow, extremely slow at first and maybe slightly less towards later in the game, just the ship’s movement itself is too tedious it sucks a lot of the fun out of it. The story is in shambles - and I don’t think it’s the focus anyways - and directionless. You spend a lot of the time not knowing what to do or where to go, which I thought is good for a game that’s all about exploring, but it wasn’t because there’s not much to explore. You go around fishing, then dredging, then fishing more, upgrading your ship but not much else. The horror aspect wasn’t really there, barely a few scary things happen with no real consequence, there’s random things that happen in the ocean which is cool to see a few times but, again, no interaction or consequence whatsoever. I was hoping for a lot more from this game it was honestly just okay. Overall score 6.5/10

Great game. The gameplay is fun, the art is gorgeous and the story and atmosphere are incredible. Highly recommended!

TL;DR: If you want a good fishing game then get this game. If you want a good horror game then do not get this game. DREDGE really nails the atmosphere out of the gate, but very quickly it reveals itself to be only a themed fishing game. An excellent fishing game, yes, but I didn't pick up DREDGE primarily for the fishing. Especially since once the eldritch trappings fell away the core gameplay became a chore without a strong story to tie it together. The story is superficial and the eldritch themes seem to be more painted on than deeply explored. I am going to go as far as accusing the developers of copping an aesthetic that they don't really understand beyond "there's SOMETHING in the water" and "the people are ODD" which is a common problem I find in eldritch-themed games. For example, early on there is an option to give some of the mutated fish to one of the fishmongers who eats it AND... nothing. Nothing else happens. It's a fetch quests of the most basic kind and it has no i...

I felt like this game had some interesting potential, but it just becomes very repetitive. I didn't feel a compelling reason to finish it.

It's ok to be scared of the dark! But totally recommend this relaxing game If you are to play this game, I would recommend getting the DLC with the base game. I do wish there were more oceanic type such as big fish/ game fish. Seems a little lacking. Non Spoiler Regrets: There random animations in the background. I was too slow taking the photo of the giant squid fighting the sperm whale. Never saw this again in the 17 hours playing

Phenomenal game with breathtaking art style, great water effects, compelling gameplay loop and wonderful storytelling beats, all put into bite-sized chunks so that nothing ever really becomes repetitive or boring. Even the mechanics for fishing change depending on the type of fish you're going for. They do a great job with accessibility to the point that they even let you tweak how much horror you want to put into the game mechanics, which I thought was an incredible touch. Overall it hooked me in and I ended up with all the achievements (an extra bonus is that none of the achievements are extremely skill or luck-based, mainly just require patience or exploration). If you're looking for a creepy game that doesn't jumpscare you while scratching that Lovecraftian itch-- or you just kinda like fishing games and want a really good one-- this is definitely the game to pick up. It's worth it!

For someone who loves open world and crafting but with a hint of storytelling to guide your progress, this games i perfect! First game I ever got a 100%! Highly recommended!