Dive back into the eerie waters of Dredge with its latest expansion, The Iron Rig, a compelling DLC that not only deepens the haunting fishing adventure but also revolutionizes your gameplay with a sprawling new hub, over 50 fish to catch, advanced boat upgrades, and a gripping side-story that will keep you hooked for hours. Whether you’re a seasoned fisherman or a newcomer, this update offers a fresh reason to explore the mysterious archipelago anew and uncover the dark secrets lurking beneath the surface.
The Iron Rig is the second piece of downloadable content for developer Black Salt Games’ Dredge, out Thursday on Nintendo Switch, PlayStation 5, Windows PC, and Xbox Series X, and it’s a good reason to hop back into one of 2023’s best games. Regardless of where you are in your playthrough, you’ll be able to load up the DLC and steer a course straight to the northeast side of the map, where the rig is planted. The new content works as if you were arriving at any other island in Dredge, except that everything isn’t immediately unlocked. Instead, to open up new areas of the rig for repairs and upgrades, for instance, you must help the Ironhaven Corp. by supplying research materials, largely in the form of the wood, cloth, and other items you’ve been dredging up this whole time, or by catching fish across the accursed archipelago.
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Black Salt Games says on its Steam page that there are more than 50 new fish to catch, most of which can be found in a wretched, oozy oil that’s taken over several parts of Dredge’s map, emerged from the rifts created by the aforementioned oil rig. The Iron Rig is the sort of DLC that you’d technically be able to play right alongside the original game, as if it were shipped with it. It takes you back around the whole map, revisiting each location and its creatures, new and old. But if you’re playing it after completing nearly everything there is to do in Dredge, like I have, it’s a nice little jaunt back into a world I spent so much time in last year.
It’d been a while since I played Dredge, so it took a moment or two to get used to the gameplay again: Where do I sell fish again?What do I need to catch fish here?Oh yes, and don’t stay out all night on the ship. But once I got used to the rhythm of Dredge again, The Iron Rig felt like a smart little addition to the game, not only adding quality-of-life updates to old mechanics (like tea that staves off anxiety when you’ve ventured too far into the abyss too late at night) but also piecing on new ship upgrades to work towards, like a new hull and extra equipment with a short little mystery that unfolds over around four hours.
If you liked Dredge, you’ll like The Iron Rig. I haven’t played Dredge’s first DLC, The Pale Reach, but The Iron Rig is double the price, and, going off the numbers on The Pale Reach’s Steam page, nearly double the content. But if you’re looking for more Dredge after you finish The Iron Rig, you’re in luck: Documentarians NoClip released a free documentary on the design of Dredge this week, which you can watch on YouTube. Beyond that, you’ll simply have to wait for the Dredge movie adaptation, which was announced in April from the production company founded by Sonic the Hedgehog producer and dj2 Entertainment founder Dmitri M. Johnson.
Why is the Iron Rig update a must-play for Dredge fans in 2023
The Iron Rig update is a must-play for Dredge fans in 2023 because it significantly revitalizes the game’s endgame by introducing a sprawling new iron structure to explore and upgrade, alongside over 50 new fish species to catch and fresh environmental challenges. Unlike the previous DLC, The Pale Reach, which felt somewhat superfluous after completing the base game, The Iron Rig offers meaningful new ship and rig upgrades, crafting systems, and a compelling side story that encourages revisiting the entire map with renewed purpose. It also integrates quality-of-life improvements and new gameplay mechanics, such as managing a mysterious dark liquid contaminant, making the experience feel like a seamless extension of the original game. This expansion not only extends playtime but deepens the eerie, Lovecraftian atmosphere that made Dredge a standout in 2023, providing both returning players and newcomers a fresh and engaging reason to dive back in.
What new content and mechanics make the Iron Rig DLC essential for Dredge fans in 2023
The Iron Rig DLC is essential for Dredge fans in 2023 due to its rich new content and innovative mechanics that significantly expand the game’s scope and depth. Key new features include:
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A brand-new area, the Iron Rig, a large offshore platform that players help construct and upgrade over the course of a new side story involving the mysterious Ironhaven Corporation.
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Over 50 new fish species to catch, many found in a strange, gooey black substance contaminating parts of the map, adding fresh challenges and variety to fishing.
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Eight new craftable pieces of equipment, including new types of bait, nets, and rods, enhancing fishing strategies and capabilities.
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A new fifth tier of boat hull upgrades and researchable enhanced versions of existing abilities, allowing players to improve their vessel’s resilience and performance for harsher conditions.
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A crafting system requiring players to gather materials from wrecks and the environment to build and upgrade various facilities on the Iron Rig, which unlock new items, gadgets, and abilities.
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Twelve new achievements and new characters that enrich the narrative and provide fresh quests and interactions.
These additions not only deepen the eerie, Lovecraftian atmosphere of the base game but also integrate seamlessly, encouraging players to revisit all corners of the map with new objectives and gameplay layers, making The Iron Rig a substantial and engaging expansion for fans.
