DREDGE

A good game with immaculate vibes. I think the first hour or two are where it really shines: you’re thrust into this dark, unknown world and simply told to fish. Weird things happen at night, and it’s really quite terrifying and intriguing! I think the horror aspect falls away once you upgrade your ship enough; after a while, I felt pretty much invincible. I think it could have used a little bit of a difficulty bump, or perhaps a more dynamic difficulty, since the last couple islands weren’t quite as thrilling as the first.

Still, a lovely little game that I would absolutely recommend!

An idea so brilliant that it's just shocking that nobody came up with it sooner. Lovecraftian mythos lends itself perfectly to fishing, and fishing mini-games or full on fishing games have been trendy in the last couple of years. John Langan's awesome novel The Fisherman got there first on the Lovecraft/fishing connection, but Dredge made the concept into a fully-realized game, tagging Resident Evil inventory management and cutesy cottagecore indie aesthetics along the way.

Could have used more variety in gameplay and more things to do with resources (maybe cosmetics for the boat, or some building) - it felt a bit deflating to not have anything to spend money on after the final boat upgrade (for me, at least 30% of the game time).

Otherwise, enjoyed the hell out of the short time with the game, my eternal Subnautica itch was given a good scratch.

A relaxing fishing experience intertwined with captivating elements of Lovecraftian horror. The gameplay mechanics are refreshingly uncomplicated, with a simple yet engaging task of timing button presses to catch fish, fitting everything in your inventory like in a Tetris game, and upgrading equipment. However, spending too much time out in the sea can lead to unsettling hallucinations, jeopardizing navigation and even exposing players to the threat of mysterious sea creatures.

The game is initially addictive, immersing the player in its unique atmosphere. Yet, it must be acknowledged that its depth may not sustain engagement beyond a few hours. While a diverse array of fish species awaits collection, the completion of main quests felt satisfying enough, leaving little desire to explore further. It is worth noting that although the game grants players immediate freedom to explore the whole map, adherence to the predetermined order of main quests becomes imperative, as specific equipment will be needed in the right order.

I will preface this by saying that survival driven games and relaxing games are usually not my cup of tea. I find the repetition of the first to be dull in the long term, and yet tend to dislike the disengagement of the later. However I am willing try out new things, and with an open mind I played through DREDGE, which sets you as a lone fisherman trying to make a living from a sea with lovecraftian horrors.

The visuals, creepy horror atmosphere, and slow drip of upgrades are the best parts of the game. Its really an interesting concept in combining a casual harvest game like harvest moon (the only difference is that you fish in determined spots), with a survival horror atmosphere. Its a short playthrough to get to the ending, so there really isnt a lot of grinding evolved, and yet in its short time it horror aspect gets gradually more proeminent and unsettling.

Unfortunatly the game starts to faulter after a few hours when it becomes clear that its quite shallow mechanically. The fishing minigame is very straightforward and easy to grasp, and it never really evolves in difficulty. The horror aspects are also more unsettling than difficult to get over mechanically, and the game has a very merciful economy system. Its very easy to survive and thrive once you do the inicial crab pot and dragging net upgrades.

Overall there is a great idea for a game, but mechanically its just a bit too shallow to get the full potential that it was here. Even then, its a solid title and very impressive considering the small team involved.