Team17 and Black Salt Games have confirmed that a free demo for Dredge is now available on the Nintendo eShop for Nintendo Switch.
Set in a Lovecraft-inspired world, this is pitched as a game that is “filled with fishing, friends, and foreboding seas that may appear calm, but they’re actually far from it.”
After taking up fishing at your new home in The Marrows islands, strange things start to occur. You must outfit your vessel to reach the far-flung islands, meeting the peculiar inhabitants that occupy both land and water on your travels.
With a core gameplay loop that will see you collect and sell resources, upgrade your equipment and abilities, and continue to explore. Your goal will be to help the island dwellers that you encounter, some asking you to complete simple tasks while others will offer to pay big if you’re willing to retrieve more relics from the ocean floor.
As to what they do with these relics is unclear, but you may want to consider whether earning the extra cash to upgrade your sea vessel is worth bringing about the end of the world…
In the daytime, the seas can be a quiet oasis with more than enough opportunities for you to profit. However, once the sun goes down the waters that surround The Marrows will become less inviting – dangers approaching you from deep below, above your head or within your own mind.
The publisher has outlined the game’s key features as below:
- 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.
Dredge will release digitally on the Nintendo eShop for Nintendo Switch worldwide on 30th March 2023.
