DREDGE (2023, PC / PlayStation / Switch / Xbox)
💡 Tips and beginner guide
Fishing, boat upgrades, panic management, Leviathan avoidance and ending branches. Start with the troubleshooting table for common obstacles.
| Problem | Cause | What to do |
|---|---|---|
| The boat takes damage at night, or illusory rocks appear | High panic causes hallucinations and exposes the hull to damage | Equip and switch on lights, upgrading from Cracked Bulb toward Halogen Spotlight. Favor daytime travel; dock or return to reduce panic in dangerous waters. |
| A fin appears offshore, followed by a one-hit sinking | Leviathan can appear at high panic or near the map edge and deliver a fatal attack | Turn toward shallow water immediately after the fin warning. If necessary, use Manifest to return to base. Banish does not stop Leviathan; do not depend on speed alone. |
| Moving through Twisted Strand attracts an enemy and damages the boat | Mind Suckers detect movement | Stop when detected and wait for it to pass. Progress “The Bitter End” to deal with them using the related traps and mortar objectives. |
| Cannot catch fish in deep water | The equipped rod does not support the required Coastal, Oceanic, Abyssal or Hadal type | Expand coverage with Hydraulic Rod, Versatile Rod and Fathomless Winch. Shrine rewards also include special rods for deep-water fishing. |
| Fish and equipment quickly fill the hold | Insufficient cargo grid space or inefficient packing | Upgrade the hull at the Dry Dock for more space. Fit shapes together and swap equipment according to the trip’s purpose. |
| Handing over all relics led to the bad ending | The standard ending follows giving the Collector all five relics | For the secret ending, speak to the Old Mayor near P-10 and then the Lighthouse Keeper, and throw the Book of the Deep back at G-8. |
| Cannot catch aberrations | Ordinary spots have a low aberration chance | Look for green shimmering disturbed water and match the base fish’s time and method. Universal depleted-stock or nighttime bonuses are unverified. Check each pot’s actual Aberration Bonus tooltip. |
| A Rock Slab shrine does not respond to an offering | The fish do not match its carved silhouettes | Use the exact species required by that shrine, such as five Cod at The Marrows. Requirements differ by region. Completing the shrines is associated with Servant of the Shrines. |
Fish availability changes with time
Different fish appear by day and night. Aberrations follow the conditions of their base fish and are not universally night-only. Collecting aberrations matters for encyclopedia entries and achievements.
Check water types for each fish
Fish require different water types and supported equipment. Upgrading rods opens more types. In a new region, check the water type and methods for its local fish before choosing equipment.
Learn the fishing minigame’s timing
Read the current fishing method’s timing display and practice its marked input. Do not apply frame-following or bar-holding to every rod; check the equipped method.
Keep base-game and DLC bait separate
This guide does not verify every special bait acquisition route or effect. Do not assume that a particular merchant sells bait for any rare fish; check the current item description and whether it belongs to DLC.
Prioritize cargo expansion
Cargo space for catches and salvaged items is tight from the start, often filling before you return. Expanding it makes exploration and fishing trips more productive.
Improve lights early
At night, panic rises and rocks are harder to see. Better lights increase visibility and help manage panic during nighttime travel.
Engines matter for longer journeys
Engine upgrades increase speed and shorten map crossings. Consider them as trips grow longer. Fuel consumption and fuel-economy improvements are unverified and are not used in route planning.
Match rods to the fishing spot
Before buying, check supported water types, fishing speed and equipment space. A rod that does not support the local water type cannot catch those fish. Choose a combination that covers your planned trip.
Panic rises during nighttime travel
Darkness and unsettling creatures can raise panic. High panic brings illusory obstacles and strange lights that make sailing dangerous. Rest at a dock and use suitable lighting to manage it.
Waiting for dawn is a valid option
For long journeys, wait at a dock or nearby safe place until dawn. Nighttime crossings risk high panic and damage, so plan a daytime route. Fuel consumption is not assumed.
Prepare equipment for darkness
Check lighting and equipment before fog or frequent night travel. Complete panic immunity from a particular item is unverified; prepare both light and a return route.
Consider the Collector’s requests carefully
Completing the Collector’s requests leads toward the main ending, while a different chain of events opens the other ending. Following the main route first is an editorial suggestion rather than a requirement.
Finish side requests before the finale
Regional Pursuits offer their own rewards and equipment. Check unfinished side requests before the final sequence, especially those that improve your equipment.
Keep a save before the final branch
Preserve a pre-finale save if you want to revisit the other ending. Copying a save to another slot within the game remains unverified; check the save options on your platform.
▶ What kind of game is DREDGE?
Developed by Black Salt Games and published by Team17 in March 2023, DREDGE combines fishing with Lovecraftian horror exploration. Travel by small boat, sell catches by day and uncover mysteries amid nighttime threats. Explore The Marrows, Gale Cliffs, Stellar Basin, Twisted Strand and Devil’s Spine while collecting five relics. The retained Steam snapshot is Overwhelmingly Positive.
▶ Why do illusory rocks, strange lights and damage appear at night?
Panic increases during night travel, narrow passages and unsettling encounters. High panic brings hallucinations and hull danger. Improve lights such as Halogen Spotlight, favor daytime travel and dock to rest when needed. Manifest offers an emergency return to base.
▶ Why did a fin offshore lead to a one-hit sinking?
That is Leviathan, a threat near the map edge and in open water, including at high panic. Turn toward shallow water after its fin warning. Do not rely on speed or Banish; Manifest offers an emergency return. Avoid treating high panic as its only possible trigger.
▶ Why can I not catch deep-water fish?
Fish require the appropriate water type. Hydraulic Rod covers Oceanic, while Versatile Rod covers Coastal, Shallow, Mangrove and Volcanic. Abyssal and Hadal access involves the Research Assistant’s equipment progression; Fathomless Winch is another deep-water option. Regional Rock Slab shrines also reward special equipment. Check coverage before sailing.
▶ Giving all relics away led to the bad ending. How do I reach the secret ending?
Give the Collector five relics for the standard ending. For the other ending, collect them, speak to the Old Mayor near P-10 and Greater Marrow’s Lighthouse Keeper, then return the Book of the Deep to the sea at G-8. The Collector is implied to be the fisherman’s reflection.
▶ Why can I not catch aberrations?
Ordinary spots offer a low chance. Look for green shimmering disturbed water and match the base fish’s time, water type and method. Universal depleted-stock, nighttime and reinforced-pot bonuses are unverified. Aberrations generally sell for more than regular fish.
▶ How should I pack the cargo grid?
Fish and equipment occupy different shapes, including 1×1, 1×2, 2×2 and irregular forms. Place large or awkward fish first, then fit smaller catches into gaps. Remove overlapping equipment coverage when appropriate. Compare a valuable aberration’s price against its occupied space, and expand hull and cargo when capacity becomes the limiting factor.
▶ Which upgrades should come first?
A useful general order is cargo/hull capacity → engine speed → fishing coverage. More cargo improves each trip’s return; speed makes returning before night easier and reduces panic risk. Prioritize rods or nets that cover fish you can currently reach and use.
▶ What is an efficient daily routine?
Use a loop of sail → fish → organize cargo → sell and return before night. Staying too long can raise panic and cost fish or repairs. When panic rises, docking and resting can save more money and time than pushing on to one more spot.