Sep 12

Sep 12 Gamescom Preview | Dredge - Fishing, Fun... Fear

It’s been a week and a bit since I returned from Gamescom and I’m still thinking about Dredge. Fishing games aren’t my usual calling, realistic simulators don’t do anything for me and I’ve never even touched a real fishing rod. Minigames in other games are my only real experience, usually JRPGs or Animal Crossing, so I rarely even give much thought to the past time or job of angling. Yet, upon sitting down with Dredge, I found a game that immediately resonated. Joined by several developers from Black Salt Games, I went hands-on for an hour long preview, and what I played was utterly compelling.

Ahhhh, fishing is so relaxing, don’t you think?

Wasting no time in setting the scene, I played an unnamed fisherman, who’s just shipwrecked on a tiny island village. Welcomed in by the Mayor, he realises our predicament and agrees to loan us a new fishing ship, letting us stay in Greater Marrow providing we pull our weight. The loan is quickly cleared but there’s unease when the Mayor starts dodging our questions, and there’s a palpable sense of not discomfort but dread in the air. Unfortunately, other locals aren’t particularly helpful, either, especially not the mysterious man that lives on an isolated island and wants to retrieve items for him with little elaboration as to why. All we’re told is to avoid nighttime fishing.

Catching fish across this archipelago, this soft tutorial eases us in nicely. Initially, we’re given a basic boat with limited capabilities and storage but equipment is upgradeable later on. While I couldn’t explore this too much, we can acquire new fishing rods for catching different types of fish. Engine improvements are also possible, covering more ground in a shorter time, ideal as time’s our real enemy in this day-and-night cycle.

As for actual fishing, you’ll find schools of fish during exploration and catching them involves a simple mini-game. All you need to do is hit the green circle segments to reel them in quicker. It’s worth noting that you don’t actually need to do anything, fish automatically catch themselves. But like I say, this is a race against time. Once you’ve docked, you can sell your haul to a local trader, gradually paying off our loan.

I enjoyed this gentle approach to fishing. It’s accessible, and comforting, and there’s a rewarding cycle which encourages you to keep going. What kept me going even more so was when after fishing in the same spot a few times I caught a fish which looked… off . With its colourful visuals, I’m reminded of other indies like Moonglow Bay. But take too long and nightfall will come, which is when things become unsettling. Not only can you catch different fish, but you will quickly realise monsters aren’t far off, lurking in the disorientating and miraging water. A panic meter slowly kicks in as you remain outside with the sun down and quickly worsens the longer you stay at sea. This peaceful place quickly becomes a nightmare, and you’ll wish you’d heeded the warnings. It doesn’t end there, either. Come day five, corrupted mutations appeared in the waters, so this problem didn't disappear at sunrise.

That was where my demo ended and for someone that’s not usually sold on horror or fishing, I came away seriously impressed by this preview. Dredge is unnerving, disturbing, relaxing and laidback all at once, weaving gracefully between the horrors of the night and the comparable calm of the day. It’s a unique experience and this intriguing mystery has me hooked (pun intended). Already, Dredge is shaping up to be one of my most anticipated games next year.