A new game on the PS5 has shown me that not all fishing games are monotonous borefests that constantly repeat themselves. After introducing you to Dredge, you’ll see why this game hooked me. A game introduction by our freelance author Christos Tsogos.
What is Dredge about? Finally, a new game that managed to persuade me to buy it. It’s called Dredge and is a mix of horror, adventure, and fishing game. As funny as the mix sounds, it harmonizes very well and quickly immerses you in a world you won’t want to leave.
You play as a fisherman who follows a job advertisement. However, before you arrive, a mysterious fog rolls in and your boat capsizes. The screen goes dark and you find yourself on a wet dock near a village. The mayor of this island notices you and now welcomes you as the new fisherman.
You have landed on Großmark and have lost your boat due to the severe damage from your accident. However, the mayor has provided a replacement that you must pay off with upcoming fish catches. So far, the game seems like a normal fishing game, but now comes the exciting part – the mysteries and secrets.
Here is the launch trailer for Dredge:
A fishing game with excitement, horror, and collecting fun
What makes Dredge so good? The game tells its story through dialogues with the various people on the surrounding islands and on Großmark. You will quickly notice through these conversations that something is not right.
In addition, various mysteries arise that are waiting to be unraveled, such as:
- What’s going on with the fog?
- Why are there wreck parts from old ships everywhere?
- Why is it dangerous at night?
- What’s with the red, mystical lights shining on the horizon?
- Why is everyone on the islands so weird?
- Why can’t I just be a normal fisherman?!
Gradually, you will meet more people who can teach you or reveal many things.
Additionally, you can upgrade your steamboat and improve your equipment to catch more fish or stay longer in the dark. To do this, you must catch fish from a total of 128 species and sell them at a fish market.
On top of that, the game offers a fitting and mysterious soundtrack and a large map with many biomes waiting to be explored. Secrets and mysteries can also be found; you just need the courage to look for them.
To bring you closer to the whole thing …
Every NPC advised me not to go out with my cutter at night. However, since we are humans and love risk, I thought to myself, “It can’t be that bad?” Despite the warnings, I went back onto my cutter and out into the night to fish – at least until the fog completely swallowed the ship.
Now I thought to myself, “Great, and how do I find my way back to the village?” Bright buoys and a lighthouse served as my orientation, at least until my ship collided with some rocks. The longer I stayed in the dark, the more panic my sailor felt.
This meant that he saw things like rocks only later. Upset by the collision, I saw in the depths of darkness another crewed cutter. A feeling of relief overcame me, as I thought this was another fisherman … Well, wrong thought.
So I drove closer to the boat, until it transformed into a huge angler fish with an open mouth and completely demolished my cutter. Shocked by the incident, I asked myself, “How the hell? What happened? What is that thing?!” With my cutter demolished, my seaman barely made it back to the village, but my question marks kept growing.
How much does Dredge cost? The game costs €24.99 and can be purchased on PS5, PS4, Xbox One, Xbox Series, Nintendo Switch, and also Steam.
Conclusion – Who is the game worth it for? The game is especially worth it for players who love to unravel mysteries. Dredge draws you into this mysterious world and makes you root for your sailor. There’s also some spookiness, as I underestimated the night and was taught a lesson.
However, if you just want to fish and listen to relaxed music, then go ahead. You have 128 fish and an encyclopedia to fill. Side quests are also available, such as transport tasks or fish orders. Either way, there’s something for everyone, but do you have what it takes to face the open sea?
In addition, our author Maik Schneider also has a clear opinion about the PSPlus games in April:
