The seemingly tranquil waters of Black Salt Games’Dredgeharbor more than a few hidden secrets. Players venturing out at night will notice the world transform with all manner of new species and events arising from the Lovecraftian depths of this game’s deceptively peaceful first impressions. It can be difficult to know what to expect when setting sail for the first time, but as many townsfolk will warn, there are plenty of things to be wary of in both the depths and the shallows of thesemysterious waters.
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The previous fisherman is rumored to have met an untimely demise, so in order to evade a similar fate, take note of the following cautionary tales.
5Hitting Rocks
One of the primary obstacles sailors will need to avoid are the jagged rocks that litter the coastlines ofDredge’s diverse archipelago. While this may seem easy at first, the handling of the ship can become difficult with a more powerful engine, and at times catches and shipwrecks may be in and around these rocks. Take care to avoid hitting them as even the slightest bump will require repairs at the Shipwright, in addition to costing cargo slots in the player inventory.
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At night, particularly around the starting location of Greater Marrow, rocks may appear from nowhere, even when very close to the shoreline, so if possible, it is always safest to travel slowly during the night as too much momentum may cause an unavoidable collision. After all, that is how this Captain ended up in the isles to begin with! Fortunately, theday/night cycleinDredgewill only accelerate as the player moves and takes part in activities, so it is possible to wait and carefully navigate between rocks. Of the many threats lurking in these waters, rocks can at least be dealt with at a steady pace (most of the time).
4Losing Track Of Time
One common mistake for the ambitious amateur fisherman inDredgeis being caught out in the night. While some species will need to be fished at night, the majority of dangers will emerge after the twilight hours. For players who have gone too far from a dock before the night falls, it is more than likely that some damages will be accrued and end up costing players both money and potentially someinventory items and spacesdepending on the severity of the impact. Not only is this bad and costly business practice but losing out on sleep will also cause the Captain to become more easily panicked on subsequent nights.
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It is best to return home just as the sun is setting, handle business and story interactions if necessary, then sleep until roughly 4 am as this will provide an extra early window to get out to sea without any major threats able to attack in time. As the fishmonger of Greater Barrow warns: “Make sure you get enough rest. Tired eyes won’t fare well in these waters.”
3Catching Too Many Low Value Fish
One ofDredge’s core gameplay mechanics is its inventory management. Each fish will have a different value depending on its weight, and each species will occupy a slightly different shape in the inventory, meaning that players must stack and organize the inventorylike a puzzlein order to get maximum benefit. While BlueMackerelmay be in abundance and easy to fish, it is not always the most efficient way of making money to simply fill the inventory with these smaller fish. Instead, seeking larger fish first and then arranging the inventory around those will usually yield more inventory space and therefore a larger haul in general.
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Planning in advance of catching certain shaped fish can also help, and these lower-level fishing spots may sometimes provide a golden, unique variety. It is worth remembering that fish can be placed back in the water, so ensuring that no unnecessary space is being taken by fish of lower value is a good way to maximize profits with every haul.
2Forgetting To Repair Or Read
There is a surprising amount of variety in the task and interactions available at most locations inDredge, and this can be distracting. Ifreturning from an excursionin which a small amount of damage was taken at the start, players might easily forget and overlook this as the day passes and their time is spent fishing and dredging the waters for valuable merchandise. Once returning to a town, it is always good to check in with the Shipwright if it has one and select the “Repair All” button, even if the damage is minimal. Accruing too much damage can be costly to inventory capacity as well as boat health, and during the night damage can accrue faster than expected!
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Likewise for Books in the game, which will be granted by certain NPCs after completing missions for them, they will need to be equipped via the player inventory in order to start transferring the valuable skills and boons that they provide. Once equipped, the player will begin to read them passively over time in-game.
1Approaching Hallucinations
With the coming of night, players will notice all manner of new and strange happenings about the isles. From mysterious noises and peering eyes to the aforementioned sudden rocks, it can be difficult to distinguish what is genuine and what is mere hallucination. Equipping more powerful lights on the boat will mitigate the effects of panic, but thehallucinationswill nevertheless still appear.
Some in-game items will appear only during the night, and help to advance the story, but new players must be very careful as not every hallucination is beneficial to approach. What may seem like an inviting, iridescent fishing spot, can quickly transform into a nightmarish attack from an oversized angler fish. Take caution in approaching the whirring visions of the night.
Dredgeis currently available on PC, macOS, Linux, PS4, PS5, Xbox One, Xbox Series X/S, and Switch.
