DREDGE The Pale Reach DLC Review

Game: DREDGE The Pale Reach DLC
Genre: Action, Adventure, RPG. Simulation
System: Nintendo Switch (Also on Steam (Windows & Linux), Xbox and PS4 & PS5)
Developer|Publisher: Black Salt Games | Team 17
Age Rating: EU 12+ | US Everyone
Price: UK £5.99 | US $5.99 | EU € 5,99
Release Date: November 16th, 2023

Review code provided with many thanks to Team17. 

A Chilly Encounter in DREDGE The Pale Reach

Dredge was one of the surprise hits of the year for me. It is a game that somehow managed to mix relaxing fishing with eerie horror. And it appears that the game was well received by gamers across multiple platforms, hungry to see what was next from the team. We didn’t need to wait long; the developers recently released a cold and chilling DLC to prepare us all for the Winter season.

If you already own the game, this DLC is a short but nice compliment to one of the year’s most original and best games. For everyone else, consider this a reminder to look into the base game and then pick up this DLC. 

Something Lurks in the Ice

If you’re new to Dredge, I suggest checking out my review of the first game first to get up to speed on this unique fishing sim. The Pale Reach adds a new section to the game map and can be accessed anytime during a playthrough. A rather obvious red circle will point you in the direction you need to head on your mini-map. Once you arrive at the icy island, you will meet a familiar vendor who instructs you to collect some parts to create a means to smash through the ice barriers in your little boat. You’ll know the drill if you’re familiar with the main game. Search the area looking for items to collect whilst unearthing the lore of the land and helping the odd NPC in the process. And when you find a moment, don’t forget to do a spot of fishing.

There is a new eerie horror element to the icey experience. It comes in the form of an underwear-yeti-like creature with a giant horn on its head. This devious beast has a taste for fish and your boat, it would seem. As you explore the icy water, this hungry creature will use any opportunity to pounce on you unless you are quick to move out of the way or find a way to distract it. It’s a nice little adventure, but it doesn’t add anything new to the overall Dredge experience. I don’t really consider that a bad thing since the core design is already a winning formula. There is no rush to get the job done. You can take your time completing the small objectives. Just don’t forget to take a rest before night comes.

Unlike my first playthrough of the main game, I noticed the developers added a more casual mode, which removes the threat of the monsters, so you can just enjoy the fishing and exploration without the stress of the horrors. I loved the eerie elements, so I didn’t mind the stress, but this will make the game more accessible to others not ready to brave the horror. This feature appears to be patched into the main game and not exclusive to the DLC.

Conclusion: Dredge it up From Your Backlog

DREDGE: The Pale Reach doesn’t add much new to an already solid formula. There are new fish to discover, new rods to collect and a cool new tool for your ship. It’s about an extra two hours of gameplay to add to the main content. If the main game hooked you, this DLC is well worth dredging up your copy of the game from your backlog to play.

Final Verdict: I Like it a Lot