As 2023 draws to a close, we’re likely to reflect on it as a stellar year for gaming. Packed with high-quality AAA releases such as The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom, it has much to offer. However, just as in prior years, there are hidden gems nestled amongst the blockbusters. One such treasure is Dredge – a captivating indie game recounting the tale of a fisherman in a seemingly cosy narrative. Infused with Lovecraftian elements, it’s an absolute must-play. So, let’s delve deeper into Dredge release date, storyline, and more.
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Dredge Release Date
Crafted by Black Salt Games, Dredge set sail on March 30, 2023. The game is available for play on an array of platforms: PC, PS5, PS4, Xbox Series X|S, Xbox One, and Nintendo Switch. Boasting only a single-player mode, Dredge offers no online gaming experiences.
Dredge supports a variety of languages, allowing you to immerse yourself in its narrative on your preferred platform:
- English
- French
- Italian
- German
- Spanish (European)
- Japanese
- Korean
- Russian
- Simplified Chinese
- Traditional Chinese
- Brazilian Portuguese
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Dredge Story
While Dredge may seem like a relaxing casual game from screenshots, don’t be deceived. It is, in fact, a psychological horror experience in which you step into the boots of a fisherman. During daylight hours, you’ll engage in fishing, gather materials, and upgrade your vessel, all while visiting a plethora of islands and interacting with intriguing characters.
The game truly piques interest as it soon takes a sinister turn. Nightfall brings perilous oceanic creatures that you’d rather not encounter. To navigate the narrative, you’ll need to guard your mental state, avoid darkness, and uncover the story’s secrets.
How Long to Beat Dredge?
To fully experience the captivating narrative of Dredge, expect to dedicate a minimum of eight hours. Naturally, the time commitment can vary based on your gaming style. Completion of side quests, tasks assigned by NPCs, and collection of various fish species can significantly prolong gameplay.
Conversely, if you solely focus on progressing through the main quests, you can conclude the game in a much shorter time. The quickest gameplay sequences on YouTube clock in at around four hours. This could provide you with a gameplay time target to aim for.
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Gameplay
We can neatly dissect the gameplay of Dredge into two distinct parts, mirroring its narrative division. The day-night cycle in the game directly influences gameplay. While the daytime presents a cozy fishing simulation, nightfall morphs the experience into a survival horror game that demands astute decision-making.
Let’s backtrack to the beginning. In Dredge, you’re a fisherman. The game commences with you possessing a small boat, which is only capable of catching a handful of fish species. You need to sell your catch on the various islands and utilise the proceeds to upgrade your boat. The rarer and more elusive fish fetch a higher price. The fish are relatively easy to locate, with their paths visible across the ocean surface. To catch them, you’ll engage in a rhythm mini-game reminiscent of Dead by Daylight.
However, fish aren’t the sole objects you can haul in. You can also drag a variety of materials scattered across the map onto your boat. These include planks from shipwrecks, iron, and craftable parts.
Dredge is populated with numerous NPCs. While some are vital to the central storyline, others serve primarily to assign side quests. Engaging with these characters and unfolding their stories can earn you additional funds and rewards. Some quests are straightforward, requiring the collection of specific materials, while others delve into a few hours of unique storytelling.
As night descends, you’ll need to execute the aforementioned tasks with added caution. Your psychological state will deteriorate as darkness deepens, inducing hallucinations. We won’t delve too much into this aspect, as the narrative and charm of the game truly shine from this point onward.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is Dredge Free-to-Play?
No – Dredge isn’t a free-to-play game. To embark on this unique horror-tinged fishing adventure, you’ll need to purchase the game. But fear not – it’s accessible on almost every platform. Furthermore, as it isn’t a AAA title, it isn’t tagged with the full $70 price tag. Outside of sales periods, Dredge can be acquired for £24.99/$24.99.
Is Dredge on Xbox Game Pass?
No – Dredge is currently not available on Xbox Game Pass. The developers have yet to make such a decision. This is entirely reasonable, especially considering the game’s impressive sales figures across all platforms, particularly on Steam. With the vast array of indie titles available on Game Pass, we anticipate that Dredge may feature on the service in the forthcoming weeks, even if only for a limited duration.
Is Dredge Worth Buying?
Absolutely – Dredge is one of the standout games of 2023 thus far. This is backed up by its robust ratings of over 80 from both critics and gamers on Metacritic. Even on Steam, a platform notorious for its often ruthless game reviews, Dredge currently holds an ‘Overwhelmingly Positive’ rating. This is a significant achievement in its own right – if you recall the Steam Reviews section of the Stanley Parable, you’ll know precisely what we mean.
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