We discuss ten games like Dredge you must play. Add these well-recommended games to your gaming library.
Dredge is a relaxing horror game (which sounds like a contradiction) developed by Black Salt Games and published by Team17. Players go out into the ocean and fish, organizing their small inventory in such a way as to maximize what they can sell. But be warned, go out at night and encounter Lovecraftian nightmare monsters courtesy of the panicking shipmaster.
Not many games manage to capture a relaxing experience and combine it with nightmare fuel, but Dredge achieves this balance superbly. Here are ten games that are like Dredge, either with their relaxing gameplay, horror, or love for the sea, that you must play.
10 games like Dredge
Omori (2020)
Inspired by Japanese role-playing games, Omori follows teenager Sunny, and his dream world alter ego Omori. and they undertake a journey both in the real world and the dream world to battle Sunny’s fears and overcome forgotten secrets. With a turn-based battle system, players can inflict emotional status effects on their opponents to win the day.
Outer Wilds (2019)
Set in a vast open galaxy, players are tasked with journeying to different areas in space to uncover the mystery behind their world. The world isn’t static, some answers can only be gleaned before time moves on, but there is a time loop in place so gamers can revisit the same spots with the knowledge they’ve gained from their previous run. It’s a relaxing game like Dredge, one that doesn’t rely on fast-paced encounters or violence.
Layers of Fear (2016)
A first-person psychedelic horror, players take control of a painter whose sole objective is to complete his Magnum Opus. But he’s interrupted by his own house, a constantly changing Victorian-era mansion, and ghastly visions of the painter’s psyche. If players like the horror in Dredge, they’d love it here.
Baba is You (2019)
Baba is You is a unique puzzle game where the rules that govern the level are represented by blocks that can be manipulated and changed to complete the level. It’s got a simple graphic style but the innovation and new ideas it brings are more than enough to make up for that.
Hollow Knight (2017)
Players take control of the titular Hollow Knight in this 2D platformer, a silent and insectoid protagonist who explores the ruined world of Hallownest. Explore this vast, plague-ridden world of secrets, unlock new abilities, and return to previous locations while battling and befriending bizarre bugs.
Limbo (2011)
In this horror puzzle game, players control a boy who’s looking to find out his sister’s fate. They’ll encounter many traps and dangerous environments, all while being chased by a giant spider. This encourages gamers to keep moving through the level, trialing solutions to levels before they eventually make it through.
Inscryption (2021)
A roguelike deck-builder, Inscryption is all about sacrificing weaker cards to get stronger ones. But what’s on these cards? Animals. With an inky black odyssey in store for the player, psychological horror elements are imbued into the game, making this a scary experience. There are several game modes to enjoy, making this game extremely replayable.
Subnautica (2018)
Players crash land on an unknown oceanic alien world, and to survive this hostile world they have to build a base, gather supplies and take a dive into the deep end. There are several modes to enjoy this in game: Survival Mode, where players manage hunger and thirst as well as resource grinding, Freedom Mode, where they can turn hunger and thirst off, a Hardcore Mode with permadeath, and a Creative Mode, where players can explore and build without restriction.
Darkwood (2017)
A survival horror game, players explore an ever-changing world, gathering resources to hunker down in their hideout during the night to avoid the Lovecraftian horrors that stalk the land. Players who like the Lovecraftian nightmares in Dredge should check out Darkwood.
SOMA (2015)
If players liked Dredge’s above-water horror then they might like to take a dive into SOMA to witness what’s below. A sci-fi horror set beneath the Atlantic Ocean, players take control of Simon Jarrett, who finds himself in an underwater lab. He has to find out what’s happening, avoid threats using stealth and solve puzzles to uncover the mystery happening before his eyes.
Do you have any other recommendations for games like Dredge? Let us know!
