Info about DREDGE: Official game description: OUT NOW: THE IRON RIG DLC ========================= The Iron Rig is the second official expansion for DREDGE - a cosmic horror fishing adventure with a sinister undercurrent. This content adds a new constructable destination with its own story, items and adversities that can be experienced at any stage in your playthrough About the Game ============== Captain your fishing trawler to explore a collection of remote isles, and their surrounding depths, to see what lies below. Sell your catch to the locals and complete quests to learn more about each area’s troubled past. Outfit your boat with better equipment to trawl deep-sea trenches and navigate to far-off lands, but keep an eye on the time. You might not like what finds you in the dark... **Explore the Islands & Discover their Secrets** ------------------------------------------------ Starting from your new home in the remote archipelago, ‘The Marrows’, take to the water and scour the depths for curious collectables and over 125 deep sea denizens. Explore each area while completing quests and visiting neighbouring island regions – each with their own unique opportunities, inhabitants, and secrets. **Dredge the Depths** --------------------- Someone wants you to dig up the past, but can you trust them and will it ever be enough? **Beware the Fog** ------------------ Danger is everywhere, so watch for sharp rocks and shallow reefs, though the biggest threats of all lurk within the fog that cloaks the night-time seas... **Game Features:** ------------------ * **Unravel a Mystery:** Captain your fishing trawler across a collection of remote islands, each with its own inhabitants to meet, wildlife to discover, and stories to unearth. * **Dredge the Depths:** Scour the sea for hidden treasures and complete quests to gain access to strange new abilities * **Study Your Craft:** Research special equipment and upgrade your boat’s capabilities to gain access to rare fish and valuable deep-sea curios. * **Fish to Survive:** Sell your discoveries to the locals to learn more about each area, and upgrade your boat to reach even more secluded locations. * **Fight the Unfathomable:** Strengthen your mind and use your abilities to survive trips out on the water after dark. Release date: 30 Mar, 2023 Categories: Fishing Simulation, Atmospheric Horror, Exploration, Single-player Story, Equipment Customization, Inventory Management, Survival, Resource Management - Hardware Profile: No data Feature extractions: - Community Price: No data - Playtime Metrics: No data - Time-to-fun: No data - Player Archetypes: No data Below are summaries of things people say about the game per category. Each point is assigned a weight that represents how often it is mentioned across all reviews. What players like: - Immersive, unique atmosphere and world (weight 0.95): The game creates a unique and immersive atmosphere through its art style, sound design, and a blend of cozy and horror elements. The day/night cycle significantly impacts gameplay, with serene daytime exploration contrasting with eerie nighttime encounters, enhancing tension and mystery. - Compelling and mysterious storyline (weight 0.62): The game features a compelling and mysterious story with well-developed characters and unexpected twists. The narrative unfolds gradually, encouraging exploration and discovery, and choices made during the game can significantly impact the story and its development. - Rewarding exploration and discovery (weight 0.55): The game encourages exploration and rewards players for discovering secrets, completing side quests, and interacting with the world. The open-world aspect enhances the experience, with each new area offering unique challenges and rewards. - Unique blend of horror and fishing (weight 0.51): The game blends fishing with Lovecraftian horror, creating a unique and unsettling experience. The horror elements are often subtle, relying on atmosphere and suggestion to create a sense of dread and tension, particularly at night. - Addictive fishing and upgrade loop (weight 0.42): The core gameplay loop revolves around fishing, selling catches, and upgrading the boat, providing a satisfying sense of progression. The fishing mechanics are varied and enjoyable, with different techniques and fish types to discover, while boat upgrades enhance exploration and resource management. - Good content and developer support (weight 0.12): The game offers a good amount of content, with DLCs that expand the world and add new challenges and benefits. The developers are also praised for their engagement with the community and for creating DLCs that seamlessly blend with the base game. - Simple, addictive, and relaxing gameplay (weight 0.1): The game is easy to pick up and play, with intuitive controls and clearly communicated goals. It is also described as addictive and relaxing, making it suitable for casual play and unwinding after a long day. - Engaging and balanced progression (weight 0.07): The game is engaging from the beginning and offers a lot of content, with a balanced progression system. The game is also suitable for short play sessions and doesn't require a large time investment to progress. - Beautiful graphics and great soundtrack (weight 0.05): The game features beautiful graphics and a great soundtrack that enhances the overall experience. The music is varied and fits different situations, creating a relaxing and immersive atmosphere. - Great DLC content (weight 0.05): The Iron Rig DLC adds a more expansive story that ties into the main game and allows for further exploration. The DLC also adds new content to all biomes and allows building/upgrading facilities with new tech. - Great blend of genres (weight 0.04): The game is a masterful blend of exploration, fishing, and cosmic horror. The game is also praised for providing many hours of fun. - Relaxing and rewarding fishing (weight 0.03): The fishing is relaxing until something unsettling is caught, creating a sense of unease. The act of fishing feels smooth and rewarding. - High completion rate (weight 0.02): The reviewer has completed the game to 100% completion. The game has 60 Steam achievements. Common complaints: - Repetitive gameplay loop and grind (weight 0.24): Many reviewers found the core gameplay loop repetitive, involving tasks like fishing, dredging, and fetch quests. This repetition diminishes the sense of progression and engagement, especially in the later stages of the game. Some reviewers also felt the game became a grind. - Diminishing horror, weak Lovecraftian themes (weight 0.14): The horror elements and Lovecraftian themes diminish as the game progresses, becoming less impactful and more of an aesthetic backdrop. Some reviewers felt the horror became more of an annoyance than a genuine source of fear, while others felt the Lovecraftian elements were superficial and underdeveloped. - Story and game too short (weight 0.12): Many reviewers felt the main story and overall game length were too short, leaving them wanting more content and a more fleshed-out experience. The fast day/night cycle also disrupts gameplay flow. - World lacks depth, tedious quests (weight 0.11): Several reviewers noted a lack of depth in the game world, with underdeveloped areas, limited NPC interaction, and unrewarding exploration. Tedious fetch quests and inventory management further detract from the experience. - Anticlimactic and abrupt endings (weight 0.05): The endings of the main story and DLCs were often described as anticlimactic, abrupt, and unsatisfying, failing to provide a sense of closure or resolution. Some reviewers found the endings confusing and illogical. - Missing elements, unresolved plots (weight 0.05): Some reviewers felt something was missing from the game, with interesting plot threads introduced but never resolved. Some characters felt underdeveloped. - Game can be stressful, terrifying (weight 0.04): The game can be stressful and terrifying, especially at night, which may be a negative for some players. Some reviewers with thalassophobia experienced moments of panic. - Poor DLC value, overcharging (weight 0.03): Several reviewers felt that some DLCs, particularly the Blackstone Key DLC, offered poor value for their price, providing minimal content and underwhelming mechanics. Some reviewers felt the developers were overcharging for the DLCs. - Shallow, linear upgrade system (weight 0.02): The upgrade system is considered too linear and shallow, with upgrades feeling incremental and sometimes underwhelming. Reviewers expressed a desire for more meaningful choices and a deeper progression system. - Dredging becomes pointless (weight 0.02): Dredged treasure becomes worthless, diminishing the purpose of dredging. Some reviewers found the game's title misleading, as boat-related activities are more prominent than dredging. - Game is overpriced (weight 0.02): Many reviewers felt the game's price was too high relative to the amount of content and playtime offered. They recommend purchasing the game only when it's on sale. - Boat damage is too easy (weight 0.02): The boat is easily damaged by collisions, leading to frustrating loss of cargo and gear. Some reviewers found the boat movement unforgiving. - DLC-locked achievements, sequence breaking (weight 0.02): Some achievements are tied to the game’s DLCs, which is a point of dissatisfaction for some reviewers. Sequence breaking can occur, leading to unintended endings due to the lack of manual save points. Gameplay feedback: - Varied fishing mini-games and tools (weight 0.17): The fishing mechanics involve mini-games that vary depending on the fish type and location. Different fishing tools (rods, nets, crab pots) are used for different fish and depths. Some reviews note that the mini-games become simple after a few hours. - Lovecraftian horror and exploration (weight 0.06): The game features a Lovecraftian horror theme with mutated fish, ancient artifacts, and a sanity mechanic. Exploration uncovers secrets and a haunting narrative within a spooky archipelago. The spyglass helps scout fishing spots and hallucinations. - Day/night cycle impacts gameplay (weight 0.04): The game features a day-night cycle that affects gameplay, with nighttime bringing increased dangers and unique fish. Time progresses only when the player is actively fishing or moving, requiring strategic time management. - Panic system affects gameplay (weight 0.02): The game features a panic system influenced by time, light, and hazards, affecting the appearance of enemies and fish. Nighttime fishing increases earnings but raises the panic meter, increasing the chance of encountering dangers. - Tetris-like inventory management (weight 0.01): The game features inventory management, often compared to a Tetris-like system, requiring strategic item placement. Specific slots are designated for special items, adding a layer of complexity. - Dredging for treasures/materials (weight 0.01): Dredging is a core mechanic that adds an exciting twist by sifting through depths for treasures and materials. It allows players to unearth creatures and secrets. Performance notes: - Excellent optimization and smooth performance (weight 0.07): The game is well-optimized and runs smoothly across a wide range of hardware, including older machines, laptops, the Steam Deck, and even on Linux and MacOS. The game also has a small download size. Many reviewers specifically noted the absence of bugs, glitches, frame rate drops, and crashes. - Occasional freezes and boot issues (weight 0.01): Some players have reported occasional freezes and boot-up issues, particularly on Mac. One reviewer experienced a bug where the game got stuck in safe zones, potentially leading to loss of unsaved progress. - Excellent and appropriate audio (weight 0.01): The game features an excellent soundtrack and sound effects that enhance the overall experience. Reviewers found the music to be appropriate and non-intrusive, while the sound effects were particularly impressive during the night phases. - Pleasant, functional visual style (weight 0): The game's visual style is impressionistic and detailed enough to be enjoyable without being overly realistic. While not revolutionary, the graphics are pleasant and functional. - Controller sensitivity needs adjustment (weight 0): The default controller/Steam Deck controls were too sensitive for some players. Adjustments to X and Y sensitivity and disabling the follow cam were required to improve the experience. - Intuitive controls and responsive mechanics (weight 0): The game's controls are intuitive, and the fishing mechanics are responsive and easy to learn. This makes the game accessible and enjoyable for players of all skill levels. - No motion sickness (weight 0): The game does not cause motion sickness or nausea, even after extended play sessions. This is a positive point for players who are sensitive to motion sickness in games. - Lack of reported bugs (weight 0): This point indicates a lack of reported bugs, but the phrasing is not constructive or specific. It is also hyperbolic. Recommendations: - Highly recommended, engaging gameplay (weight 0.3): The game is highly recommended, with many reviewers giving it perfect scores and praising its engaging gameplay loop. Some suggest waiting for a sale due to price concerns, while others find it worth the full price, especially with DLCs. Many reviewers express a desire for more content and future installments. - Balances cozy and unnerving elements (weight 0.04): The game is noted for its balance of cozy and unnerving elements, creating a relaxing yet tense experience. It's recommended for players seeking a unique blend of tranquility and suspense, and those who enjoy games with a mysterious story and rewarding exploration. - Worth it, especially on sale (weight 0.04): The game's worth is often tied to its price, with many recommending it on sale. Some reviewers find it worth the full price, especially the Complete Edition, while others suggest waiting for a significant discount. Value for money is a recurring concern. - Play without spoilers/optimization (weight 0.01): Some reviewers suggest enhancing the experience by setting self-imposed limits or avoiding strategic optimization. They recommend playing without spoilers to maximize the impact of scares and maintain the intended atmosphere. These suggestions aim to preserve the game's unique qualities. - Appropriate for all ages (weight 0.01): The game is considered appropriate for all ages and well-suited for players who prefer a less demanding experience. It's recommended for individuals who want to play at their own pace and those seeking a game that fits into a busy lifestyle. Other player notes: - DLCs expand world and lore (weight 0.02): The game features multiple DLCs that add new locations and biomes, such as the snow-covered Pale Reach with a persistent narwhal. Some DLCs, like The Iron Rig, integrate well with the main game progression, offering helpful content for the mid-game, while others expand the lore without affecting the main plot. - Good accessibility and options (weight 0.02): The game offers subtitles and multiple language options, making it accessible to a wider audience, including Deaf and Hard of Hearing players. It supports keyboard, mouse, and controller inputs, and has resolution options from 1176 x 664 and higher. - Diverse skills and tools (weight 0.01): The game features a variety of skills and tools that enhance the player's fishing and exploration experience. These include using a lamp for visibility, a horn to scare crows, crab cages for automatic catching, and even abilities to dispel demons and teleport. - Appealing art style and score (weight 0.01): The game features a painterly art style and an exquisite musical score that contribute to its overall atmosphere. The visuals create an uncomfortable yet appealing environment, enhancing the player's immersion. - Subjective reviewer experiences (weight 0.01): This cluster contains subjective opinions and personal experiences of the reviewer, such as feeling pressured to like the game or buying it due to personal fears. This feedback is not constructive or specific to the game itself, and may show signs of review bombing. - Minor bugs and color palette (weight 0.01): The game has accessibility options, but the color palette may be an issue for color-blind players. The story can be missed if the player is not careful. The game has some minor bugs. - Story driven by 'The Collector' (weight 0.01): The main storyline revolves around completing tasks for a collector, which involves retrieving items from different islands. The story is revealed through interactions with NPCs and reading collectibles, culminating in a fitting ending. - Adjustable difficulty and tutorials (weight 0.01): The game provides options to toggle between 'normal' and 'passive' modes, as well as turn tutorials on or off. There's also an easy mode where players cannot be attacked, catering to different playstyles and preferences. - Variable game length (weight 0): Some reviewers mention the game is short, while others say it is long. This suggests the game length may vary depending on playstyle and completionist tendencies. Emotions: No emotions}