Dredge, the latest offering from indie developer Black Salt Games, subverts the tranquil monotony of life simulators like Animal Crossing by injecting a healthy dose of Lovecraftian cosmic horror into the familiar gameplay loop of fishing and exploration. Blending serene daily rituals with the ever-present threat of lurking deep-sea terrors, Dredge creates a uniquely intriguing experience that unfolds at the player’s own pace.
The game begins with your character shipwrecked near the quaint seaside town of Greater Marrow. Quickly conscripted as the town’s new fisherman, your initial focus is paying off your debt (incurred for the “privilege” of using the town’s boat) by selling fish and salvaged trinkets. This early gameplay encourages players to remain close to Greater Marrow. However, a series of unsettling encounters with mutated fish and nocturnal sea behemoths soon hints at the sinister undercurrents beneath the seemingly peaceful surface.
Dredge’s world comprises five distinct locales, each harboring its own mysteries and dangers. Exploration is balanced by the escalating peril of nighttime seafaring. While lingering at a port after dark can spell disaster, abandoned exploration stations and campsites offer safe havens from the lurking horrors. This dynamic adds a layer of strategic planning, as players must balance limited cargo space, the need for boat upgrades, and the desire to collect rare fish against the encroaching darkness.
The game’s tension shines brightest when time is of the essence. Many islands are positioned just far enough apart to allow a brief exploration or resource gathering before the mandatory nighttime retreat. The perishable nature of your catch also adds a time-sensitive element, encouraging purposeful voyages from dawn till dusk. While these excursions might sometimes be as mundane as selling trinkets or collecting crab pots, they always carry a subtle undercurrent of unease.
Dredge’s core gameplay loop offers a comforting familiarity reminiscent of other life simulators. Gathering fish, while similar to collecting bugs in Animal Crossing, is constantly punctuated by reminders that something is amiss. The NPCs, either oblivious to or resigned to the deep-sea terrors, further amplify this unsettling atmosphere. This subtle approach to cosmic horror effectively captures the essence of the Cthulhu mythos without resorting to the typical trope of combat-focused resolutions.
However, Dredge’s reliance on this familiar loop also presents its biggest flaw: linearity. Quests generally follow a predictable pattern of receiving a task from an NPC, completing it through fishing or dredging, and receiving a reward. Even the upgrade system, while offering occasional choices, lacks the depth for specialization or unique playstyles. Progression feels like moving from Point A to Point B, albeit within a captivating and mysterious world.
Furthermore, the game provides little incentive for risky behavior. While some quests require nighttime ventures, they can often be completed near safe harbors with minimal danger. Beyond the need to preserve your catch, there’s little reason to forgo resting or delay exploration. This lack of urgency can make the world feel static, as the NPCs patiently await the player’s arrival, regardless of the time taken.
Dredge is a compelling indie game that delivers a unique take on cosmic horror by leveraging one of Lovecraft’s recurring motifs: the ocean. While it plays it safe in confronting players with the unknown, its clever subversion of the familiar fishing and exploration loop, coupled with its unsettling atmosphere, creates a memorable experience. If you enjoy cosmic horror and appreciate a low-risk game that can be savored at your leisure, Dredge is well worth your time.
Rating: 4 out of 5
Dredge is available on Nintendo Switch, PlayStation 4, PlayStation 5, PC, Xbox One, and Xbox Series X|S. This review was conducted on a PlayStation 5 using a review code provided by the publisher.
