Dredge: A Gateway Into Cosmic Horror
by Owen Bauman
Fish the open sea and explore the mysteries of the surrounding archipelago while basking in the glow of the rich sunsets—your ship reflecting in the waves as you sail. Dredge is a beautiful, immersive, and unique storytelling experience that hooked me instantly. The soundtrack, environments, and dialogue are strong, interesting, and on theme, feeling right at home on the dank wharf of Greater Marrow. With a compelling narrative and low learning gameplay curve that continues to be engaging through a plethora of avenues like skill trees, fish species, exploration, and magical abilities, to name a few. Dredge has floated to the top of the indie gaming scene, and now acts as a gateway into the larger genre of Cosmic Horror.
THE NARRATIVE WASTES NO TIME
Dredge opens with a cinematic focused on an ad ripped from a newspaper boldly stating “Angler Wanted.” The camera pans up to a haggard man, unshaven and focused, piloting his ship as a thick fog rolls in on the open water and surrounds him. All the while the creaking of the ship, squawking of the gulls, and ambient ocean sounds are boiling to a crescendo. The screen goes dark, followed by a loud bang, and washing of the waves. The man has crashed landed in the town of Greater Morrow, and Dredge has begun. This opening cinematic is short and sweet, allowing the strengths of the game to bubble to the surface. A distinctly illustrated lovecraftian town with a dark earth tone color palette brings the characters of the game to life and makes the narrative that much more engaging.
GAMEPLAY IS SIMPLE AND INTUITIVE
The main mechanic has a solid tutorial with a low learning curve—a fishing mini game that requires consecutive, precisely timed clicks to catch fish and add them to your inventory. Difficulty varies depending on which species is being fished. With over a hundred different species to catch and log in the Encyclopedia, this mechanic remains fresh, interesting, and engaging throughout the game. Besides fishing, shipwrecks can be dredged for materials required to upgrade your ship.
The ship's movement controls are also simple and intuitive. In the beginning players are limited to basic movements in all directions at a relatively slow pace, maneuvering around all the dangers of the land and sea. But later, magical abilities granted by The Collector speed up transportation and make the movement in Dredge fun and unique. Further enhancements can be made to the boat with money gained from selling fish and loot found in shipwrecks. And better equipment can be discovered with Research Parts, making them purchasable in the shop. By the end of the game the boat can be fully customized to any playstyle.
A BEAUTIFUL ADDITION TO THE COSMIC HORROR GENRE
Dredge is a video game with distinct art, enrapturing soundscapes, and constantly evolving gameplay, but it’s especially rich in narrative. That’s where the bulk of the content lies. The emotional beats of the story are where the game is at its strongest. The Lovecraft inspiration seeps into every crack and crevice of The Marrows. The game loop is fun, and with the additional equipment, abilities, and ship upgrades available, Dredge maintains a balance of challenge and reward throughout the game.
A beautiful addition to the ever-growing genre of cosmic horror. What beasts lurk in the salty, blue depths: Dagon? Azathoth? Cthulhu? Take to the waves, and find out.
