By Kevin Torres, Contributing writer
You’re a fisherman on his way to his new job in the Greater Marrow Island when you’re suddenly surrounded by a dense fog, causing you to crash into jagged rocks. You wake up to the mayor of the Greater Marrow Island telling you about the incident, but welcoming with open arms as his new fisherman and loaning you a boat.
And so, you do what you came for; you fish to pay off the loan, you help the locals, and everything looks normal. That is, until the fishmonger requests a peculiar fish, and once you catch it, you notice it isn’t normal.
When you give the requested fish to the fishmonger, he angrily kicks you out of his store and leaves you with an item. You leave and return to your boat, where you see a man approaching you. He speaks to you in cryptic ways, and you realize that something isn’t right.
Developed by Black Salt Games and published by Team17, Dredge is a Lovecraftian/horror game that uses fishing and item management and is centered around five islands, each with their unique fish, environment, mysteries, and problems.
The player’s role as a fisherman is the centerpiece in the game’s mechanics and exploration. Fishing is the primary way the player makes money, using different rods to catch different types of fish.
Akin to a QTE, players will be hitting their action button as soon as the line strikes the green (or rare yellow) bar enough times to successfully catch the fish, or materials that can be used for upgrades. The player can also catch crabs using crab pots, which capture crabs automatically. Just don’t forget they are out in the sea.
The hull is grid based, meaning each net, each rod, and each fish has its own size and takes up space, so maximizing space equals maximizing profits. With each profit you make, you can upgrade your boat by expanding your hull, getting better nets, better pots, better propellers, and even better headlights for easier, though still dangerous, night fishing.
But the gameplay doesn’t evolve from there, as there are only minimal changes such as fish having different QTE’s or the abilities you unlock that makes traveling or running away easier, so the gameplay can get quite repetitive.
However, the real strength of the game is the exploration. Players are encouraged to explore, as there are messages in a bottle with lore around the islands, side missions that expand on the story or the atmosphere, pillars with puzzles, and a photo mode with its own missions. These features are plastered all around the islands and in route to the islands, so a player that doesn’t explore is a player that misses out on lore and useful rewards.
Each time the player sets off on an expedition to complete side quests, solve mysteries, or solve the main story, he’s greeted with a somber tune that creates a lingering sensation of mystery and doubt. This can be better than sailing in the quiet vast ocean, as sometimes no tune will play, and you’ll be alone with your thoughts in a vast and unknown ocean.
Whether you are docking into a town’s port, catching a disturbed fish, or sailing the desolate seas know that a haunting or calming tune composed of classical instruments will follow you.
Even with the game’s low poly/stylized art style characters emphasize the severity or mystery and the low poly style doesn’t mean that it lacks details, as each creature, whether fish or monster, still expresses disturbed and otherworldly features the player might expect. Random encounters can surprise or scare the player; majestic whales or frightful creatures of the abyss will appear throughout their venture, both day and night.
This is where the game shines, as each zone has its unique problem and story to solve; though they are solved similarly, their compelling (and frightening) stories are great for any Lovecraftian or horror fan.
Events like delivering a questionable object to a person, finding a demented person thought lost at sea, or finding a town with questionable traditions are just one of the few situations lurking in each zone or side island.
Dredge’s gameplay is very simple and straightforward, but that’s not necessarily a bad thing, as the clear focus of the game is the exploration and storytelling. Its compelling story and sketchy characters are what can drive the player to want to uncover the truth of the islands.
The game is still getting updated and will be getting new paid DLC where you’ll find out the true intentions of a drilling company. If you’re a Lovecraft/ horror fan or are a fan of short exploration games, then this game is a must.
