Search results for "critter cove"
Apr 4, 2024
Thanks to the developer Low-Hi Tech for giving us the opportunity to play Chill Town. Please also note this game is still in Early Access, which means this is not its final form.
ACNH came out in a time when we all needed it. It provided a cozy, comfortable little escape where we could forget about the horrors of the world and just exist. That game was even the first in the franchise for some of us, me included! However, it left behind an itch for similar games that just hasn’t been scratched since. Until now, anyway. Recently, Chill Town hit Steam in Early Access and so far it’s done well trying to pick up what ACNH has put down.
What Is Chill Town?
Chill Town is a cozy life sim where you help a small island town grow. You get your very own house, which you can decorate, plus you can settle in new neighbors by building their houses, which you also get to decorate. Decorate the island with a variety of plants, lights, outdoor furniture, and more to make it a comfortable little home. Spend your days (and nights) fishing, farming, catching Pals and bugs, and collecting resources. Take a flight to nearby islands to discover different fish and bugs, plants, and crops. Sell your items to earn money and buy more decorations for homes or the town. Complete quests to help the mayor and other residents. Or just sit and enjoy the beauty of your little island while listening to the soothing lo-fi soundtrack that’s built into the game.
My Experience So Far
First and foremost, I love the low-fi soundtrack that Chill Town has. Not only is the music relaxing and soothing, but you’re able to switch between the different songs at will. Plus, fishing is less stressful than in other games. If you accidentally pull the line up too early, it doesn’t disappear, so you can try again. Though, if the fish pulls the bobber underwater and you don’t click in time, you lose it. And, only your first catch (including bugs) pops up with a message that interrupts you to label the item. You still show it off to the camera, but it takes far less time without every catch having a message. It makes fishing and catching far more enjoyable.
Unfortunately tool durability is a feature, but it’s been really easy to earn money to buy new tools. Or if you want to make them with the recipes, resources are abundant. So, either option is super easy to achieve. The tools also feel like they have a good amount of durability before they break, and they have a durability amount you can keep track of in your inventory. Both make planning much easier.
Chill Town does have a day/night cycle similar to Stardew Valley. It’s not a real-time cycle like ACNH, which I actually enjoy more. I haven’t run into any consequences for staying up late, either. So, I’m able to work into the night on projects, but can hop in bed to advance the day. The seasons change, too! So, you can catch seasonal critters without waiting the whole year to do it. What the game needs, though, is the ability to pause. There’s no pause function, so if you want to walk away for a bit, make sure to save and quit to the main menu.
The Road Map
Low-Hi Tech released a road map for this fun sim game that promises a lot of cool features that I look forward to. Many of these new additions will add some great value and freedom to the game, too. Unfortunately, there aren’t set dates for the release of the features since development doesn’t always go to plan.
Chill Town’s road map promises the ability to add pathways to the island as well as fruit trees to cultivate. Social functions will be added to deepen player connections. Island sharing and island visiting are planned so you can allow others to visit or you can visit others. A trade system will be implemented so players can exchange decor items with each other.
What I’m most excited for is the addition of seasonal festivities, which will have fun mini-games, festive items, and experiences. Plus, there’s plans to improve on the seasonal flora and fauna that appears as the weather changes. A museum where you can display your artifacts and critters is coming, plus new bugs, Pals, and island ecosystems.
Final Thoughts
I have run into some issues where the game lags a whole heck of a lot, and my only option is to just shut it down. However, that doesn’t happen often. So, I’ve been able to just explore and really enjoy what the game has to offer. Again, this game is still in Early Access so not everything has been smoothed out or perfect, but the developer releases frequent patches and bug fixes to address problems. They’ve also been up-front with their roadmap, which is great!
I’ve very much enjoyed my time playing Chill Town, and look forward to the improvements that will be made. It’s a laid-back, relaxing little game that gives me the freedom to do my own thing while giving me some structure via quests. It’s fun to explore and decorate. Catching bugs and fish is great. And the overall environment, plus dynamic weather is just lovely. I’d highly recommend it for the ACNH lovers.
I give it:
You can find Chill Town on Steam!
- Feb 7, 2024
It’s February already, and that means it’s Steam Next Fest time! I’ve written about past Next Fest demos that I fell in love with here and here. This time, I’m bringing you an even bigger list of cozy games because this Next Fest is packed full of great ones. From interior design games, farming sims, and creature collectors, to gardening and diorama makers, there’s so much to see this time around. So, without further ado, here’s a whopping 10 different Steam Next Fest demos you need to try this month!
Make Room
Make Room is a relaxing little diorama designer game. Use hundreds of different items to craft the perfect spaces in each environment. Set up a charming country kitchen, build a comfy reading nook, or design the coziest living room you can think of. You have total control over where items are placed, so you can make your interior design visions come true.
The icons in this game are SO small, but the item options and color choices are perfect for creating some great rooms. The sandbox mode is great for strictly creating on your terms. The objectives mode is easy and relaxed, even though you must build to certain specifications. And creating things on a smaller scale makes creating a lot less overwhelming.
Critter Crops
Critter Crops is a gorgeously designed game where you play as Sylvie. She’s a newfound witch who’s been run out of her town because of her abilities. As Sylvie, you arrive on Mutter Island where you discover you can grow magical Critter Crops. These special plants can help you restore the island to its former glory. When you’re not farming, explore the lovely little island you now call home, gather resources, mine, and get to know the people you come across.
What a delightfully whimsical game! The art is very unique, and the crops are too. Raise creatures by growing crops that are very, very different from what you’re used to. The town and crops and creatures are all slightly spooky, which is perfect for the Halloween-loving player who dislikes actual scary things. The color palette and the music is super pleasing, too. Talk about a farm sim with a twist!
Everholm
In Everholm, you play as Lilly, a young woman looking for her lost sister, Melanie. While out searching, you come across a mysterious portal that beckons you to the cute and cozy little island of Everholm. Weirdly, everyone there seems to recognize you, too, like you’re an old friend. So, embark on an adventure full of mysteries, magic, and relationships as this sim game is all about learning new skills and living together in harmony with others. Farm, forage, fish, raise livestock, and more.
Here’s another beautiful game. This time, it’s a lovely pixel art style game with a great story behind it. I like that your character actually holds a conversation with the NPCs, too. You’re not just subjected to a one-sided monologue. Plus, the NPCs exhibit some really great personalities through their speech. It’s clear this game was lovingly made.
Furnish Master
Furnish Master is a relaxing interior design game where you furnish apartments, houses, commercial estates, and outdoor spaces. Use intuitive controls to place each piece of furniture and decor how you like it. Painstakingly choose color schemes and materials for your furniture to match the theme of each room. Even resize items so they fit perfectly in a space. As you complete spaces, earn money so you can buy new properties to continue decorating. You can also engage in story mode where you can buy properties across a single city. Even take on some challenges and puzzles in story mode to unlock new items.
Here’s another diorama-like interior design game, but this time has a far more complex system and more involved missions. Paint the walls to certain specifications, furnish a whole kitchen with specific items, and use your hard-earned money to decorate your own place or buy other properties. There was even a puzzle level in the story mode where you search a room for puzzle pieces and put it together. If the levels have that much variation, I think it’ll be a really fun game. Not to mention the furniture options are varied, there’s a pretty great placement mechanic that includes snapping, and the graphics are nice. This is great for folks who want a little more direction and a more involved interior design game.
Botany Manor
Botany Manor takes place at a stately home in 19th century England, and you play as Arabella Greene, a retired botanist who lives at the manor. Spend your days exploring the different rooms of your historically accurate manor. Get to know Arabella and her career as a woman in science through your explorations. Discover beautiful gardens and sprawling countryside vistas as you take in the relaxing nature around you. Take care of a variety of plants by finding their seeds and planting them in the appropriate environments. Inspect newspapers, letters, paintings, and more to get a better understanding of the needs of your plants. Care for them and help them flourish by meeting their exact needs, and watch as your efforts are rewarded!
The visuals are just breathtaking in this game. They’re by no means highly realistic levels of art, but the designs of plants, the architecture, and the dynamic lighting work perfectly together to create such a charming environment. The manor grounds are to die for. I’d love to have my own home with a garden and orchard as beautiful as this one! Searching for clues on how best to grow the plants adds an element of fun beyond simple gardening. It gives you a reason to look around the manor, but also makes you feel like a researcher, which the character you play is! If you play nothing else on this list, play this game. It’s so worth it.
Minami Lane
Welcome to Minami Lane! This lovely little life sim lets you build your very own street where you can decorate and manage shops. Build homes to attract villagers to your street. Keep them happy by beautifying the area with decorations, shops, and attractions. Build ramen shops, boba cafes, bookstores, and more. Each shop has its own inventory and effects on the neighborhood. Play missions for a challenge or sandbox mode to focus on the creative side of building.
This was such an enjoyable experience. There are goals and missions to complete, but they weren’t super high-stakes or difficult to complete. The overall graphics are gorgeous and soft and adorable. I love the Japanese-inspired architecture and street design. It’s nostalgic for me, and brings a sense of comfort. Overall, this game is perfect if you want a city-builder with more than just creative building.
Lightyear Frontier
Lightyear Frontier is the cozy farm sim set on an alien planet and uses mechs to farm! That’s right, you get to pilot your own fleet of mechs to get things done around the farm or go out exploring the gorgeous world around you. Build your new home and develop a flourishing farm by growing alien crops. Explore your surroundings and restore them by cleaning up pollution and clearing invasive weeds. Discover the secrets of the world, and do it all while playing solo or together with friends.
What’s better than a farm sim? A farm sim with semi-realistic art where you pilot a mech suit to farm and explore, of course! This is seriously such a fun concept, and the different advanced tools you have access to make things even more fun. Vacuum up some water or seeds. Use your spikesaw to obliterate rocks and bushes. It’s a very modern sci-fi take on farm sims, and I love it!
Night Stones
In Night Stones, you find yourself trapped in a dream in a world full of magic and a rich story. Upon waking, you find yourself still in this world and must discover the secrets of the world and find a way home. Explore the beautiful world of Mythica where you’ll encounter Night Stones. These stones will turn night into day, and vice versa, allowing you to meet new characters. Complete quests to gain new abilities that will help you to further your mission. There’s no combat in this game, but there are enemies you’ll need to outsmart to accomplish your goals!
This was such a short demo, but I loved it. Movement is smooth. Controls are super easy. The art is cartoony, but lovely. Animations looked great, too. All of it comes together to present such a good demo that makes me excited for the full game!
Kamaeru: A Frog Refuge
Kamaeru is an adorable farm sim where you farm, raise frogs, and preserve nature. Transform the surrounding wetland into a hospitable home for your amphibian friends. Meanwhile, feed, breed, and care for a variety of frogs. In fact, there are over 500 frogs for you to collect! You’ll need to figure out how to attract new types of frogs, then breed them together to unlock rare colors and patterns. Take pictures of your cute pals, and decorate the refuge to make the coziest little from rescue!
I loved the watercolor-like art in this game, and a comfortable creature collector. Playing is calm and easy. The frogs are adorable, plus restoring the wetlands is a fulfilling objective. Decorations are adorable and fun to place. There is a tic-tac-toe mini game to breed frogs together that adds a fun element, and there are more minigames mentioned to be coming with the full version. This makes me excited for the full version because it ought to be packed with a lot of great things to do.
Summerhouse
Summerhouse is a relaxing building game. That’s it! Build structures on a small scale to create cute neighborhoods. Set your neighborhoods near the sea, in the middle of the city, or nestled in the majestic mountains. There are no rules, no goals, and no objectives to this game. The focus is purely on creative building. So, kick-back and relax with some building!
This one reminds me a lot of Townscaper. You just simply unleash your creativity and build, but instead of creating whole cities and villages, you’re creating houses, apartment buildings, or shops. The art is beautiful and relaxing, and so is the music. This is a great game if you’re looking to get creative without the constraints of missions or timers.
- Nov 30, 2023
Fae Farm is a beautiful farming sim where you cultivate crops, craft items to decorate your home with or sell, and care for adorable farm animals. Befriend a varying cast of townspeople, and even romance some of them. Plus, you even get to venture into the faerie realm, where you’ll see faeries and fantastical creatures not seen in the human realm. Even delve deep into the mines to collect resources, fight enemies, and uncover mysteries!
What’s Great About the Game
The art in Fae Farm is absolutely gorgeous. It’s easy to fall in love with the game based on that alone. The scenery is varied. The NPCs all look different. Even your clothing options are lovely. Then, the furniture and decorating choices are great. You’re sure to find something that suits your style, whatever it may be. Adventuring into the fae realm is probably my favorite part. It’s so whimsical and magical. Even the dungeon is dreamy, though chock full of enemies. The art is absolutely what drew me to the game to begin with!
What I also really like about Fae Farm is that tools switch automatically for you. Walk up to a tree to chop, and you’ll immediately have your axe in hand. Then, go to a rock and poof! There’s your pickaxe! It’s a super handy mechanic that I would love to see in all farming sims. It saves time and lets me switch between activities much faster. Besides that, fast travel unlocks early game. There are several points across the map called Wayshrines that act as fast travel spots. You need to craft a seal from cave resources in order to activate the Wayshrine, but you can accomplish that easily early on. Having fast travel early in the game makes it genuinely useful and not just an afterthought. Plus, the mines have waypoints where you can place seals you’ve crafted in order to get to different levels without going through the whole mine. Think Stardew Valley’s mine elevator, but with more magic and teleporting!
What I Dislike
Unfortunately, Fae Farm has more aspects that I dislike than I like. In order to play multiplayer, or even just name your character, you need to create a Phoenix Labs account. Otherwise, your character’s name defaults to the account name that’s on the system you’re playing on. So, my character’s name is a string of random letters I used for my Steam name. It kind of ruins any romance when my husband calls me by name.
I once wasted a precious Fae Farm day sitting in the crafting menu or almanac menu thinking the game was paused. It certainly was not. The nice thing is that you aren’t negatively affected for passing out after bedtime, so all I truly lost was a day of play time. It didn’t decay friendship points with my critters, and it didn’t ruin any quests. Then there’s the sales tables. The limited sales table spots really get in the way of me mass selling a hoard of items I’ve held onto for too long. It doesn’t inhibit money-making, just clearing out that stack of 600 fibers I probably don’t need so many of.
The exuberant laughing at everything is obnoxious, though. When I accomplish something, I laugh. When talking to an NPC, they laugh instead of speak. None of it is funny! I’d prefer if they muttered some nonsense like Sims do. Unfortunately, the laughing just lends itself to the overall soul-less feel the game has. The NPCs have no deep backgrounds, and their dialogue is repetitive and shallow. There’s not even a point to befriending anyone unless you’re trying to marry them. And there’s only a handful of marriage candidates. Even the festivals feel lifeless. They’re not exciting and engaging. Everything feels very surface level.
Final Thoughts
Don’t get me wrong, Fae Farm is somewhat fun. I’ve put some hours into it, but I’d hoped for a lot more polish for that AAA price tag. A better story with more meaningful characters would have made this game an absolute gem. I’d also like for everyone to have a nose, please! Everything feels so shallow and surface level. I don’t need some deep, dark secrets to go into it, just a little more substance that makes me want to talk to people or do things. And when you add up several minor gripes, things feel lackluster, and that’s what we have here.
Overall, I’d give it:
You can find Fae Farm on Steam and Switch now!
Check out another of my reviews on a magical game: Witchy Life Story!
- Nov 22, 2023
Have you ever wanted to start your own space colony from the ground up? Cozynauts let’s you do that! Your corporation has sent you out into the galaxy to discover new materials. You land on a new, desolate planet and believe it’d make the perfect place for a new colony. The only problem is your space pod only has room for you. So, you get to build this colony from scratch!
Set out on a grand adventure as you traverse this alien planet in search of resources. At first you’ll need to carry your items by hand. As you progress, though, Cozynauts offers a variety of upgrades. Eventually you’ll be able to build a hover cart that will follow you as you gather. Then, you can build a whole production line to streamline the process. Of course you get to craft a variety of items, too. Expand your colony by building houses and other amenities like shops. Just don’t forget to supply them with oxygen! Then, pretty up the place by crafting decorations for the colony.
When you’re not gathering resources and building your colony, Cozynauts offers some other great cozy gameplay. Grow crops in the greenhouse and cross-breed them to discover new crops. Use those crops to make delicious meals to restore your stamina. Catch alien bugs and fish with your net and fishing pole, then donate them to the data center collection, sell them, or use them in recipes. Not all critters are friendly, though, so be careful! You can also adventure into the underground to gather different materials and critters. Fight enemy robots and mini bosses, while searching for the remnants of an alien civilization.
Play solo or invite a friend to join you in your colony-building endeavors!
Coming Soon
Cozynauts is currently listed on Steam where you can add it to your Wishlist. It has a planned release date of some time in the beginning of 2024!
Cuisineer is a dungeon-crawling restaurant game that I think is perfectly cozy!
- Sep 7, 2023
In Dolphin Spirit: Ocean Mission, you’re on holiday on the beautiful tropical island of Maupiroa. Your vacation isn’t going to be easy, but you have your grandpa to lean on for help, as well as the other island inhabitants! Embark on an amazing adventure to learn about the folklore and traditions of the island to save it from destruction. Immerse yourself in the heritage of your ancestors to uncover the secrets of the magic totems.
Dive into the depths of the sea and explore with your dolphin friend Keanu. Discover the hidden treasures as you explore the gorgeous, colorful underwater landscapes. You’ll learn about marine life and ecology. Take time to help the inhabitants of Dolphin Spirit: Ocean Mission with conservation efforts. Figure out how to preserve the endangered lives of marine life by using your powers. Even take pictures of all the critters you come across in to fill out your codex!
Coming Soon!
This beautiful game is releasing in just 3 short weeks on September 28th! You can find it on Steam, Epic Games, Nintendo Switch, and PlayStation.
For more ocean exploration, check out Beyond Blue. And if you want more creature photography, try Alba: A Wildlife Adventure!
- Jun 14, 2023
Welcome to Everdream Valley, an inviting and cozy little piece of the world where your grandparents have a farm. Unfortunately, Grandma and Grandpa went on vacation for a while, and the farm has fallen into disrepair. They need help restoring the farm, and your parents have volunteered you! You’ll get to spend the whole summer with your grandparents, restore the farm, take care of adorable animals, and experience the magic that comes out at night!
An Abundance of Animals
I’m not sure I’ve played a game with quite so many animal options. Stardew Valley has a handful of the barnyard staples, Wylde Flowers has recently added more options, and so on. Everdream Valley, though, has a heavy focus on the animals, and I love it. There are pigs, cows, chickens, horses, ducks, deer, geese, alpacas, sheep, bees, wild boar, magpies, beavers, frogs, beetles, butterflies, mice, snails, and different kinds of fish. Nevermind the different variations of the farm animals. Each one has several different breeds, which makes for a colorful barnyard. Nevermind that they’re round, and you can pet them. You’ll even get to choose from a variety of dog breeds, and have a cute little kitty running around
At the time I played this beautiful game, the only way to get new animals was by visiting the merchant, then pet them to make them follow you, and run to the farm. Chickens you can carry, thankfully, as petting only makes them follow you for a whole 20 seconds.
Pair the 20 second time with the fact that they’re essentially feral unless they’re on your farm with their wooden sign. So they run if the 20 seconds is up, and you need to chase them to pet them again. This mechanic made some of the quests where you fetch critters, well, annoying. However, the Everdream Valley team listened to the constructive criticism and introduced a magic flute that makes animal following SO much easier. Play the flute and they’ll follow. Play the flute again and they stop following.
The Map
The map is HUGE… and lifeless. There are quite a few areas to run around and discover new animals, useful items to grab, and bushes and trees to take back to your orchard. From a beautiful forest, to lush fields, and winding rivers, Everdream Valley has a beautiful atmosphere, but the map is almost too big. You can’t walk through the rivers (which look more like shallow streams), so you’re stuck using a single bridge to access each area past the farm. Unfortunately, the bridges are usually not in a convenient position, so trekking across the map is a time-consuming undertaking. It is nice to just wander around and take in the beauty of nature, though.
That said, things feel a little empty, too. There’s you, Grandma, Grandpa, and the merchant at the farm. That’s all you have to interact with, besides the animals. It makes for a lonely experience, though it does allow you to focus on farming and quests instead of running around to build relationships with people. So, maybe it’s more of a nice little break from the norm.
The Minigames
Every night you dream of a talking scarecrow who shows up with a handy roulette wheel. Spin the wheel to see where your dreams take you. Perhaps you’ll be a duck fighting to get her ducklings in a row, or a goat jumping across an obstacle course, or even your trusty dog defending the farm from thieving wolves.
The way these minigames are used make for an interesting change from the usual. What minigame you play will be different night to night (unless you have bad luck like me), and you can even skip them altogether. You forfeit any rewards you would have gotten from them, but I really enjoy having the option to just not do the minigame when I’m not feeling like completing them. Some of them are a little annoying, too
I’ll admit I’m not the most dexterous gamer, so maybe it’s on me, but I felt like the goat minigame was difficult when simply walking knocked over obstacles, which reset the game. Or the magpie game was difficult to maintain an appropriate flying height without crashing to the ground. My biggest complaint is the wolves not only stealing your sheep if you don’t chase them off in the dream, but they break SO many fences. I dreaded spinning that minigame, but much like the addition of the magic flute, the Everdream Valley team listened and added a mode that made the wolves a lot more lenient.
Final Thoughts
I know I brought up a few issues I had with the game, but overall the game is nice. There’s no pressure to complete quests as soon as possible. Run around and explore, farm, and decorate your treehouse whenever you wish, and complete those quests as you feel like it. And we can’t forget Grandma and Grandpa. Aside from giving out quests, they’re not just there for random conversation. Every morning Grandpa actually gives you crops and animal products they’ve collected, which you’ll need to sell to earn money to buy more animals.
What’s really great about this game is their development team. It’s not a perfect game, but instead of ignoring player feedback, the devs accept it graciously, then actually implement changes. From the magic flute for easier animal following, to the more lenient dream wolves option, Everdream Valley has seen quite a few excellent quality of life changes in their recent update. There’s now object rotation to make decorating easier and better. You can now turn off animal breeding, too, if you’re being overrun by babies. And for those of us who get motion sick, a crosshair has been added to give us a visual anchor for smoother, more enjoyable gameplay.
There’s a LOT of great work going into this game, it seems, and I’m excited to see what new features get added.
Overall, I’d give Everdream Valley
You can find Everdream Valley on Steam and PlayStation, with an upcoming release on Nintendo Switch.
Want more reviews? Check out this Roots of Pacha review, as well as this one on Ooblets.
- May 10, 2023
Learn Magic, Farm, and So Much More
Welcome to Brookhaven, a curious little town on a beautiful island full of friendly villagers and dangerous creatures. However, Brookhaven only exists inside a dark storybook, and a wizard has trapped you inside. Within the pages of this book you’ll encounter a cast of unique people with magical powers. Settle down and forge friendships, fall in love and start a family, explore, farm, and so much more in Brookhaven Grimoire!
The community of Brookhaven includes those who use magic. It is the backbone of this society, after all, and you’ll be able to join in by learning how to perform magic. You’ll also get to engage in a wide variety of activities. Fish for a variety of fish species in different areas of the world. Forage for mushrooms, flowers, and herbs. Grow vegetables, herbs, flowers, nuts, and fruit trees, then cook up a storm with your ingredients. You’ll also use these items in alchemy recipes, quests, or give them as gifts to villagers of Brookhaven Grimoire. You’ll also get to tend to a wide variety of animals on your farm who’ll provide you with animal products you can use, gift, or sell. There are 21 different creatures for you to raise, so no shortage of variety.
There are also over 100 mythical creatures for you to encounter on your adventures through Brookhaven Grimoire. Perhaps you’ll get to see some mermaids and werewolves in your search for dungeons to complete. Summon minions to help you in battle. Acquire supernatural abilities from one of five different supernatural creatures you can run into. And don’t forget your magic! Perhaps with all of these abilities, you’ll be able to uncover the mysteries of this storybook world and find a way back home.
Available Now!
This dark-style fantasy sim game is available now on Steam!
For more dark farm sim fun, checkout Voltaire: The Vegan Vampire and Critter Crops: Mystery of Mullery Mansion!
- Apr 12, 2023
DREDGE is a short, but fantastic fishing adventure with some creepy and sinister undercurrents. You play as an unnamed fisherman and captain of your very own fishing trawler. Take your little fishing boat out into the open ocean to fish up over 100 different types of fish. Explore the beautiful, but mysterious archipelago to unearth some mysteries.
Conduct research on new parts for your boat. Buy upgraded engines to move faster, purchase new fishing poles and trawl nets to fish better, and collect building materials to make your boat better able to hold more items. Don’t forget to stop by and speak to the residents of the islands. They may have some quests or pieces of knowledge to impart. Someone even wants you to dredge up artifacts from the past, but can you truly trust them?
Just don’t get caught on the open sea at night. Nothing good happens at night.
The Overall Game
Black Salt Games really did well with the atmosphere and spookiness of DREDGE. The game isn’t meant to be overtly scary, just have hints of eeriness and an underlying sinister feel to it. And it achieves that.
The archipelago is plagued with secrets and mysteries. The art is beautiful, but really builds that creepy atmospheric feel. The NPC portraits depict tough, weathered people. Some are craggy and aging, some are youthful, but haggard, proving that life in tiny fishing villages isn’t always easy.
The dynamic lighting really helps set the scene, too. The main island, The Marrows, has clear seas and bright, beautiful skies. It lulls you into a false sense of security, but as you adventure around, things aren’t quite so safe. The dark hidey holes of Gale Cliffs hide some interesting fishing prospects, but also something a little more ominous. Stellar Basin with its bioluminescent creatures and white sands looks like a sweet beach getaway. At first. The yellow swampy haze of Twisted Strand hides some haunting mysteries. And Devil’s Spine, an island with volcanic vents and rivers, bathed in a fiery red light, holds an even more grim story.
Along with the unnamed nighttime terrors and the mysterious behaviors of the man who tasks you with uncovering the past, it all adds up to achieve that eerie spookiness without being an absolutely terrifying experience.
It’s a Simple, Easy Game
There is not a lot to DREDGE. You don’t control a character, there are no 3D NPCs to visit, no walking through villages or across islands. You only control your little fishing trawler while out to sea. When in port, it’s a simple 2D menu-type interaction. Your options for buildings and people are set out in front of you, and you simply scroll and tap the button to choose which option you want. I honestly liked it a lot. It simplified things. Do I need to visit the fishmonger to sell a load of mackerel? Slide over and click. Is a visit to the Shipwright for new fishing poles in order? Scroll and click. No mindless running across town to get to different people because I forgot something.
There’s also no over complicated crafting systems or gameplay in DREDGE. You explore the different islands in different biomes, you collect information and quests from the handful of people you come across, you dredge up items from the depths, and you fish! It’s perfect for those days when you don’t want to play something complicated, but want to play something.
The Fishing
There are 125 different types of fish to catch in DREDGE, and they all live in different areas. From the shallows of the main island to the deep dark depths of a volcanic island, and even the swamps of a totally different island. There’s no shortage of fish.
The fishing system is easy to use, too. The game implements a few different types of catching mini games, but they’re all essentially the same. You click a button to reel in the line when the timing is right and the necessary zones are lined up. That’s it. It can get repetitive, but it doesn’t hinder the enjoyment of the game, I think.
Final Thoughts
DREDGE is the first game for indie studio Black Salt Games, and it’s a good one. It’s a little short and slightly repetitive, but I think it’s worth a playthrough.
The spooky factor is just enough that the game feels creepy and a little off, but is pretty low-stakes. I’m a fairly anxious gamer, so it’s perfect for me. Even just hearing the music change in Breath of the Wild as a Guardian sees me is enough to get me anxious! It’s really why I like to mostly stick to the cozy games. Plus, the fishing is easy to do. There’s no fighting to match the bobber with the fish like in Stardew Valley. It can be repetitive, but it’s a fishing system I enjoy much more.
I also wish there was a little more to DREDGE. It has so many upgrades for you to get, but there’s really no use for a large portion of them. I want a reason to need those upgrades, other than personal satisfaction.
Ultimately, I give it:
You can find DREDGE on Steam, Nintendo Switch, Playstation, and Xbox.
For more fishing, check out Luna’s Fishing Garden, and for something slightly spooky, check out Critter Crops.
