DREDGE - The Iron Rig Review Summary

It adds many new fish, mechanics, minigames, and boat and gear upgrades, but the steep price, abrupt, inconclusive story endings, and repetitive fetch quests make it hard to recommend.

New Fish and Variants Added: The DLC introduces a large number of new fish and their variants, which players find very cool and a great addition to liven up the game. This expansion of catchable species is frequently highlighted as a major content addition.

Best DLC for DREDGE: Many players consider this the best DLC for the game so far, with some calling it the only DLC that is a worthy addition to the base game. It is praised for providing the best tools and being the best among DREDGE's DLCs.

Feels Like a Real DLC: Unlike other DLCs that felt like detached pieces, this one feels like a genuine expansion and is everything you could ask for gameplay-wise. It is consistently described as a solid, high-quality addition.

Adds Substantial Content: The DLC adds a ton of new content, including new fish species, gadgets, quests, a new hub area, new rods, and new upgrade paths. This significantly expands the game's overall content.

Excellent Upgrades with QOL: The new upgrades are great and add nice quality-of-life features, making them highly worthwhile. Players appreciate the improvements they bring to the gameplay.

Poor value for the price: Numerous players feel the content does not justify the cost, describing it as overpriced, underwhelming, or not worth the money. The price is repeatedly called too high relative to the amount of gameplay and story offered.

Abrupt and inconclusive endings: Many reviewers report that the story ends suddenly and without a satisfying conclusion, making the narrative feel incomplete. This issue spans both the main game and its DLCs, with multiple comments describing hasty, sloppy, or random endings.

Repetitive fetch-quest gameplay loop: The core gameplay is criticized as a monotonous cycle of traveling to zones, catching specific fish, and delivering them to NPCs. This rinse-and-repeat structure is seen as unimaginative and tedious, especially when repeated across biomes.

DLC lacks substantial content: Many reviewers find the DLC small, adding only a few side quests and very little overall content. It is often described as a minor addition that does not justify its price or feel like a full expansion.

DLC story disappoints compared to base: Players say the DLC's story is weaker, shorter, and less engaging than the main game or previous DLCs. It is often seen as boring, with nothing interesting happening and an anticlimactic conclusion.

DLC adds many new fish: The most frequently mentioned addition is a large number of new fish species to catch, including prehistoric fish, aberrations, and contaminated variants. Players highlight that these fish expand the base game's roster and provide new fishing targets across existing areas.

New mechanics and minigames: The DLC introduces new fishing minigames and mechanics, such as pollution cleanup, oil-related elements, and a new fishing mechanic. These additions are noted as expanding gameplay beyond simple fishing.

Boat and equipment upgrades: Players frequently mention new upgrades for the boat (including a final hull upgrade) and fishing equipment. The progression system allows upgrading the oil rig and ship to unlock new perks and improve fishing efficiency.

New equipment and gadgets: The DLC adds various new tools and gadgets, such as siphon nets and items that make catching rare fish easier. These equipment additions enhance the fishing experience.

Fetch quests in DLC: Several reviewers point out that the DLC's quests are predominantly fetch quests, requiring players to go, take, and bring back items. This repetitive structure is a common criticism, often involving revisiting all zones.

Recommended for base game owners: Many recommend this DLC to those who already own and enjoy the base game, considering it a worthwhile addition. It is often suggested as a must-buy for fans.

Wait for a sale: A common recommendation is to wait for a discount before buying. Many suggest only purchasing on sale, with some specifying a 50% or higher discount as ideal.

Best played alongside base game: Many reviewers recommend playing this DLC alongside the base game, either simultaneously or by syncing side quests with the main story. It is seen as a natural companion to the core experience.

Must-buy for Dredge fans: Fans of the base game strongly recommend this DLC, stating it is a must-have for anyone who enjoyed Dredge and wants more content. It is considered a solid addition for enthusiasts.

Worth the price: Many reviewers find the DLC fairly priced and worth purchasing, especially based on the amount of content provided. Some say it is worth every penny even without a discount.

Community fair range: $10.00 - $15.00.

Game completion: 8.5h.

Story completion: 5.0h.

Endgame: 1.5h.

The Iron Rig is most fun when integrated into an early or fresh DREDGE playthrough, where its new rig progression and systems freshen the game, but the enjoyment fades as upgrades come too fast and the fetch quests reuse familiar locations. Players who finish the campaign first tend to find it repetitive and tedious.

Friction: Repetitive fetch quests that send you back to locations already visited; Tedious travel back and forth to the Iron Rig with no easy route; Grindy cargo and box management clutter; Progression advances so quickly that upgrades feel less meaningful; Lingering pollution after completion that is tedious to clean; Reuses base-game locations rather than adding a new area.

Unlock drivers: New Iron Rig progression system with upgrades and visual changes; Ship customization and specialized equipment such as a material-catching net and QoL addons; New fish, hazards, pots, trawls, and enemies added to the world; Base-building progression for the rig that makes the DLC feel fresh and different; New systems that integrate well with early-game progression; Late-game improvements and uses for stored materials.

Achievement Completionist: Grinding for rare aberrations, hunting down each species entry, and using the DLC's upgrades and resources to shorten route-optimized 100% runs. Motivation: Fully completing the game by unlocking every achievement and finishing the fish encyclopedia. Stance: buy.

Dredge Devotee Seeking More Content: Immersive, leisurely exploration across the whole map, savoring the music, artstyle, and lore while clearing new quests and mechanics. Motivation: Re-experiencing the atmospheric eldritch-horror fishing world and getting more of what the base game already offered. Stance: buy.

Fresh-Start Newcomer: Starting a brand-new save and weaving the DLC systems into the main story from the outset rather than playing it as post-game content. Motivation: Having a complete, well-rounded first playthrough where the DLC's new tools enhance the core experience from the beginning. Stance: buy.

Monetization: The audit of user reviews for DREDGE: The Iron Rig finds no evidence of predatory monetization. The feedback centers on the paid DLC's price and content, with some reviewers finding it overpriced or short and noting in-game grinding. However, all costs mentioned are either real-money DLC purchases or in-game currency earned through play. There are no reports of microtransactions, loot boxes, gacha, or pay-to-win mechanics. The game follows a fair one-time purchase plus traditional expansion model.

Standalone DLC experience: The Iron Rig is a proper DLC that adds new content and upgrades to the base game. It is designed to work well alongside Dredge and integrates seamlessly.

DLC dwarfs Pale Reach: Reviewers consistently note this DLC is significantly larger and more content-rich than the Pale Reach expansion, often estimating it as three to five times bigger. Many consider it a much more substantial purchase.

Compared favorably to Pale Reach: Reviewers often say this DLC is what they wished Pale Reach had been, with better gameplay additions. It adds a unique area and is considered more worthwhile.

Adds several hours of gameplay: Playtime estimates range from roughly 4 to 15 hours, with many reviewers reporting about 5 hours for a typical run and up to 10 hours for full completion. Some note it doubled their usual playthrough time.

Priced around twelve dollars: The DLC is sold for approximately $12, which is similar to or half the price of the base game depending on the comparison. Some note it is double the price of the Pale Reach DLC.