Dredge captured the hearts of many with its eerie and atmospheric, yet somehow cozy gameplay loop. More than a year later, the game is still tons of fun to revisit, and the upcoming The Iron Rig expansion featuring an oil rig is promising, with a lot of exciting potential. With the game’s second expansion arriving next week, now is as good as time as any to revisit the frosty first expansion – The Pale Reach.
In The Pale Reach players can explore a desolate, ice-covered region far to the south. This frozen wasteland introduces a new biome, with its own set of challenges, creatures, and secrets. The expansion stays true to the core gameplay loop of Dredge, which involves upgrading your ship, fishing for both ordinary and aberrant species, and uncovering the story through interactions with NPCs and found journals.
One of the strongest aspects of Dredge has always been its atmosphere, and The Pale Reach continues this trend. The Lovecraftian influences are evident, with chilling (Sorry for that pun) environments and monstrous entities lurking beneath the ice.
The core gameplay of Dredge remains largely unchanged in The Pale Reach, which can be both a strength and a weakness. If you enjoyed the original game’s mix of exploration, resource management, and light horror elements, you’ll find more of the same here. However, those hoping for significant gameplay innovations may be disappointed.
One notable addition is the introduction of ice fishing, which comes with new equipment and a fresh set of aquatic creatures to catch. These new species, including their aberrant variants, are as imaginative as those found in the base game. The DLC also introduces the concept of icebreaking, where players must gather parts to equip an ice plow on their ship, allowing them to navigate through frozen waters.
For those who loved the original game’s mix of horror and exploration, The Pale Reach is a solid addition that stays true to the spirit of Dredge. It’s a cold region that can be explored at any part during the player’s journey, and at a low price-point, it’s a welcome addition.
