Dredge

IGN

Gabriel Moss·Apr 21, 2023

Critic80/100

Agreement—

A slow dive into Lovecraftian horror intermingles with simple fishing and sailing mechanics to create an approachable boat management sim that's as unsettling as it is relaxing.

Polygon

Nicole Carpenter·Apr 5, 2023

Critic—

Agreement—

What lingers under the surface?

Nintendo Life

Roland Ingram·Mar 24, 2023

Critic80/100

Agreement—

With its encyclopaedia of over 125 fish, Dredge's bounty is a boundless as the sea, its action RPG upgrade compulsion loop as deep. That said, you get out what you put in – during the first couple of hours, anyway. Once you achieve the sweet spot of an upgraded boat, manageable difficulty and a story in full flow, it's magical. The excellent presentation of a terrifying ocean really hits home. The need to stretch the limits of safety to reach your next catch leads to edge-of-the-seat moments, while the slapping rain and eerie creaks of the sound design hardly help you to peace out. Interspersed with confidence-building angling in the sunshine and the fun of slotting oddly shaped creatures into your tight inventory, there's just enough encouragement to keep enjoying the horrors. A wonderful first effort from Black Salt, Dredge is absolutely the kind of game you mount over the mantelpiece rather than throw back into the water.

PC Gamer

Mollie Taylor·Mar 23, 2023

Critic89/100

Agreement—

Dredge is a fantastic fishing game with a sinister mystery lurking in its depths.

GamesRadar+

Ali Jones·Mar 23, 2023

Critic90/100

Agreement—

The latest Review,,,reviews, breaking news, comment, reviews and features from the experts at GamesRadar+

Push Square

Stephen Tailby·Mar 23, 2023

Critic70/100

Agreement—

We will say the gameplay can become repetitive when you need to grind for cash or certain items. Additionally, managing the game's grid-based menus can be pretty fiddly. The remedy for both things is those all-important upgrades, which smooth out frustrations with cramped inventories or limited fishing capabilities. Despite any rocky waters, though, Dredge's rewarding progression and enjoyable premise keep it afloat.

Rock Paper Shotgun

Katharine Castle·Mar 23, 2023

Critic—

Agreement—

Dripping with atmosphere and armed with several compelling story hooks, Dredge is an eldritch fishing tale that will have you hooked from the word go.

GameSpot

Alessandro Barbosa·Mar 23, 2023

Critic70/100

Agreement—

Dredge's engrossing gameplay loop and dark, Lovecraftian themes elevate a simple fishing game into something far more intricate and engrossing than its cheerful veneer may suggest.

Eurogamer

Edwin Evans-Thirlwell·Mar 23, 2023

Critic75/100

Agreement—

A review of fishing sim horror game Dredge.