In addition, as he sails around the archipelago, he begins to find and pick up messages in bottles, which are diary entries written by a newlywed wife known only as J.J. While the job is normal enough, the Fisherman soon begins to notice strange phenomena, especially at night where he encounters strange mist, rocks that suddenly appear out of nowhere, ghost ships, hostile wildlife, sea monsters, and the feeling of being watched. At other docks scattered around the archipelago, the player can also accept side quests, completing tasks for the residents of the islands to earn rewards, as well as stop and rest which decreases panic and quickly advances time for the player.Ī Fisherman sails to the coastal town of Greater Marrow, situated in a distant archipelago, to take up a job offer to be the town's local angler. The boat has a predetermined amount of space on board, and the player has to choose which gear to fit inside along with space for their catch however players can upgrade their boat, expanding its capacity and resilience to damage. The waters around the archipelago also contain a number of sea monsters, which can attack the player.Īfter docking at the main settlement or with a traveling merchant, players can sell their catch and buy new equipment for their boat such as brighter lights, faster engines, or better fishing equipment that expands the types of fish that can be caught.

If the player stays out into the night, a panic meter starts to rise, with higher levels leading to hallucinations that change reality around the boat, creating hazards that may damage the player's vessel however some fish only become available during the night hours, forcing the player to stay out during these times. The player can look for fish to catch or underwater items to salvage at certain spots, where they play a short minigame to bring their catch on board. The game takes place on a day-night cycle, where specific actions the player takes, such as sailing or fishing, push the clock forward. The game was released on March 30, 2023, for Microsoft Windows, Nintendo Switch, PlayStation 4, PlayStation 5, Xbox One and Xbox Series X/S.ĭredge sees the player control a small motorized fishing boat. The game follows a fisherman who encounters increasingly Lovecraftian creatures as he ventures out further into an open world archipelago.

Dredge is a 2023 indie fishing video game developed by New Zealand studio Black Salt Games and published by Team17.

What is a dredge?