DREDGE

 Switch
User Score
8.6

Generally favorable reviews- based on 28 Ratings

User score distribution:
  1. Positive: 25 out of 28
  2. Mixed: 2 out of 28
  3. Negative: 1 out of 28
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  1. B-Bog
    Apr 8, 2023
    6
    I got very addicted to Dredge over the past three days and while the ideas behind its story, setting, and mechanics are all great, I just wished they had been fleshed out more and that there was a little more to this game. For example, it sets up this unsettling atmosphere with the music and some of the interactions with other characters you have, but the actual horror elements in-game areI got very addicted to Dredge over the past three days and while the ideas behind its story, setting, and mechanics are all great, I just wished they had been fleshed out more and that there was a little more to this game. For example, it sets up this unsettling atmosphere with the music and some of the interactions with other characters you have, but the actual horror elements in-game are pretty weak and don't really amount to more than your ship taking a little damage or you losing some of the fish in your cargo. And even that stuff is really easy to avoid if you're being careful. There's no overarching time limit like e.g. in Pikmin, so there's never really any reason to risk anything and cut it close instead of playing very conservatively, and even if you die, it's neither scary nor punishing. You just start over at the last save point, which, if you're being careful, is probably just a couple of minutes old. Maybe there should have been some growing element of insanity or corruption that gets worse and worse with every death.

    The game's economy is not balanced at all. Because fish are so plenty and there's no time limit, you basically have unlimited money at your hands right from the get-go. I also found a particular item quite early on that basically made the whole pot upgrade path superfluous. But even in other paths, many upgrades are just not worth researching because they barely give you a noticeable improvement.

    I was also ultimately let down by the game's ending(s). Instead of a grand finale (and maybe some post-game content), you just get a very short cutscene and then the credits roll. Quite underwhelming.

    So, yeah, while the gameplay loop is quite addictive, many aspects of the game seem kinda crude. I was especially disappointed that all the built-up intrigue didn't resolve in a way that I found satisfying and that I was left with quite an empty feeling after finishing the game. As if I had just spent three days wolfing down very tasty cotton balls, only to now realize that they had very little nutritional value.    … Expand

Awards & Rankings

27
#27 Best Switch Game of 2023
24
#24 Most Discussed Switch Game of 2023

Critic Reviews

All reviews »
Metascore
84

Generally favorable reviews - based on 9 Critic Reviews

Critic score distribution:
  1. Positive: 9 out of 9
  2. Mixed: 0 out of 9
  3. Negative: 0 out of 9
  1. Worth Playing
    Jun 7, 2023
    85
    Dredge has no right to be as good as it is, but it effectively plays to its strengths and mixes solid systems with a strong theme. If you're not into fishing or Lovecraft, Dredge won't be your cup of tea. However, if either even slightly tickles your fancy, I can almost guarantee that you'll have a blast delving into the twisted mysteries of Dredge — and you'll even make a decent buck with mutant fish while you're at it.
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  2. Siliconera
    Apr 11, 2023
    90
    Dredge not only manages to be a compelling fishing game that constantly urged me to scour every part of the option, but also is a great horror game with fantastic ambiance. It is perfectly unsettling, with things going awry when you least expect them. It makes you want to tempt fate by sounding a siren or using lights while on the water alone at night, even though you know whatever’s sounding a horn back at you doesn’t mean you well.
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  3. The Jimquisition
    Apr 9, 2023
    80
    Dredge reeled me in to the point I sunk hours into it, and even if my patience floundered at times, the net experience was fun to tackle. While its content isn't stuffed to the gills, it’s hard to be crabby with a gameplay loop that had me hooked, and the intriguing horror angle perched on top of a swimmingly good adventure is worth wading into. It doesn’t have to fish for compliments, but since I’m trawling for puns and you’re probably salty about it, I’ll wave goodbye and say that Dredge isn’t crappie. Sea you later!
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