DREDGE review
A cozy fishing trip that slowly turns into cosmic horror
- Black Salt Games
- Paid
- iPhone & iPad, Android, Windows, Mac
4.3 from 1.1K App Store ratings 100K+ Google Play downloads
Does it deserve #2?
Is DREDGE worth it?
For most people, yes. DREDGE scores 8.7/10 and ranks #2 in RPG & Adventure Games. It's best for story lovers who want a moody, self-contained adventure they can finish. Skip it if you want an endless game to play every day for months. Price: Try the first area free on iOS; the full game is a one-time $24.99 purchase.
The verdict
DREDGE starts as a relaxing fishing game. You sell your catch, upgrade your trawler and chat with odd islanders. Then night falls, the fog rolls in, and the fish start looking wrong. Packing your grid-shaped cargo hold is oddly satisfying, the mystery keeps pulling you forward, and controllers work too. On iOS you can try the first area free before paying once. It's shorter than most RPGs here, and that's fine.
- Lovecraftian fishing mystery
- Boat upgrades and research
- Grid-based cargo puzzle
- Controller support
- Two story DLCs
Score breakdown
Overall = features 30% · design 20% · speed 20% · value 15% · privacy 15%. Why these weights?
What's new
- Sep 2026IOS update adds deep link support
- Jun 2025Lower default display settings added for lower-end devices
- Apr 2025Fixes bait spots not spawning the full range of fish
Privacy 8.8/10
App Store label: coarse location, identifiers, usage data and diagnostics may be collected but are not linked to you, and nothing is used to track you.
What we like
- Pay once, with no ads or timers
- Moody art and an unsettling story
- Try the first area before you buy
What could be better
- Full price is steep for a mobile game
- Shorter than most RPGs
- Recent updates are only small fixes
Story lovers who want a moody, self-contained adventure they can finish
you want an endless game to play every day for months
Questions about DREDGE
Is DREDGE worth it in 2026?
For most people, yes. DREDGE scores 8.7/10 and ranks #2 in RPG & Adventure Games. It's best for story lovers who want a moody, self-contained adventure they can finish. Skip it if you want an endless game to play every day for months. Price: Try the first area free on iOS; the full game is a one-time $24.99 purchase.
Is DREDGE free?
On iOS you can play the first area free, then a one-time in-app purchase unlocks the full game. On Google Play it's a paid download, and The Pale Reach and The Iron Rig DLCs cost extra.
Can you play DREDGE offline?
Yes. It's a single-player game with no online requirement.
Is DREDGE too scary for kids?
It's more unsettling than gory. Google Play rates it Everyone 10+, and the App Store lists it as 13+.
What are the best alternatives to DREDGE?
The closest alternatives are Sky: Children of the Light, Genshin Impact and Old School RuneScape. See all of them ranked on our DREDGE alternatives page.
Where does DREDGE rank?
DREDGE ranks #2 of 8 in our RPG & Adventure Games ranking, with an overall score of 8.7 out of 10.