Dredge

About Dredge

Dredge is a fishing simulation RPG with a haunting twist. Developed by Black Salt Games and published by Team17, it launched on March 30, 2023, across nearly every platform from Switch to iOS. You play as a captain navigating The Marrows, a remote archipelago where you fish, trade, and dredge for relics while uncovering a disturbing mystery. The game blends resource management with eerie storytelling, as each island holds secrets and strange residents. It’s a slow-burn experience where mundane tasks like repairing your boat or selling catches gradually reveal a deeper, unsettling narrative. Perfect if you want to mix methodical sim gameplay with cryptic lore.

Gameplay

Your day starts by choosing gear, trawling nets, dredge tools, or rods, to catch fish and artifacts. You upgrade your ship with parts found in the sea, which affects your ability to access deeper waters. Quests often tie to local NPCs, pushing you to explore islands and manage resources like fuel and storage. The interface feels cluttered but functional, with a focus on real-time decision-making: weather shifts can wreck your boat, and overfishing certain areas reduces catches. Combat is minimal but tense when encountering aggressive sea creatures. Sessions last 2, 4 hours, balancing fishing, trading, and story-driven side quests. The blend of simulation and mystery keeps it engaging, though progress can feel slow.

What Players Think

Dredge holds an 83.3/100 on IGDB from 208 ratings, with 30% of players unlocking achievements. The rarest, “Primordial Deviations,” sits at 3.6%, a sign of the game’s steep challenge curve. Average playtime is around 25 hours, with 40% of players completing 80% of achievements. Community moods lean curious and eerie, with many praising the atmospheric art and lore drops. Critiques focus on repetitive early-game loops and clunky UI. One review calls it “a slow burn that pays off,” while another gripes about “overly punishing resource management.” The 60 achievements include 12 tied to rare fish, 18 to relic finds, and 30 to story milestones.

PlayPile's Take

Dredge thrives for players who enjoy slow, methodical gameplay and piecing together cryptic stories. The 60 achievements offer depth, but the 30% average unlock rate suggests many won’t finish them. At its price point (undisclosed, but likely mid-range for a sim), it’s a gamble: if you hate micromanagement, the UI and resource systems could frustrate. The rarest achievement’s 3.6% rate hints at a punishing difficulty curve. Still, the eerie atmosphere and rewarding upgrades make it stand out in the sim genre. Stick with it if you want a haunting, oceanic mystery where every catch feels meaningful.

Storyline

Starting from your new home in the remote archipelago, ‘The Marrows’, take to the water and scour the depths for curious collectables and over 125 deep sea denizens. Explore each area while completing quests and visiting neighbouring island regions – each with their own unique opportunities, inhabitants, and secrets.