DREDGE is a fishing game whose actual mechanic is the clock. Everything good is further out, and everything bad happens after dark.

You captain a trawler around a remote archipelago, sell your catch, upgrade the boat, and dredge up things people would rather stayed buried.

The facts: released 30 March 2023 by Black Salt Games, published by Team17. Currently $9.99 at 60% off, which is why it is trending again.

Key features

Time pressure disguised as a fishing game

You can fish anywhere, but the valuable trenches are far out and the trip back takes time. Stay too long and the fog arrives with whatever is in it.

This is the design that made DREDGE matter. Cozy fishing games are pure reward loops; adding a cost to greed turns every trip into a decision you can get wrong, and it is the reason the genre has been copying this structure ever since — GONE Fishing on this week’s chart is working from the same blueprint.

125+ species, some of them wrong

Fish you catch in the dark come back changed. The bestiary itself carries the horror, which means the scary part of the game is also the collection part.

Islands with their own troubled pasts

Five regions, each with inhabitants, quests and secrets, starting from The Marrows. Someone wants you to dig up the past, and the game is clear you probably should not trust them.

The honest read

DREDGE is short — most people finish the main story in around 10–15 hours — and the horror works best in the first few. Once you know what the fog does, it becomes a competent fishing economy with good atmosphere.

At $9.99 that is an easy call. Windows and macOS.

Where to find DREDGE

• Buy on Steam — $9.99 (60% off)
• Windows and macOS. Single-player

Frequently asked questions

Is DREDGE a horror game?

It is a fishing adventure with a horror undercurrent. There is no combat; the dread comes from staying out after dark and from what you catch there.

How long is DREDGE?

Most players finish the main story in roughly 10 to 15 hours.

How much does DREDGE cost?

$9.99 at the time of writing, discounted 60% from $24.99.

Does DREDGE have combat?

No. Avoidance and time management replace fighting.

Who made DREDGE?

Black Salt Games, published by Team17.