Following yesterday’s Dredge review, we’re back with a review of The Pale Reach DLC, out now on PC and consoles. This wasn’t a scheduled post to immediately come after the review, but it was all over before I knew it.
Ok, so my boat was adequately equipped beforehand and was hooning around the new ice biome with the grace of a swan in a silky kimono. That gave a slight edge, but The Pale Reach introduces new machinery and fishing gear.
Situated on the ice, the rods and nets are different (don’t worry about the pots) and available to purchase from the travelling merchant or any shipyard. The icebreaker/cutter is a part you have to collect and rebuild.
Dredge: The Pale Reach DLC: Let’s Start With An Icebreaker
Look at your map to the south, and there will be a large, ominous question mark. Set a course, and within a short time, the conditions shift, and there’s snow in the air. The first thing to do is meet up with the merchant and, at the least, buy an ice rod.
The same fishing principles apply, and stock can be fished manually or with a specific net. A map of the area isn’t on display, though exploration never hurt anybody (totally inaccurate!), and it will duly update with the quest.
Without going into the story, there’s not much to do here. The Pale Reach is a nice addition; however, put aside the new species and equipment specific to that area, and it’s another area, albeit a slightly smaller one.
This is common for most DLC, so perhaps I’m comparing this a tad to Lake: Season’s Greetings DLC, which was almost the same length as the base game. The Pale Reach DLC was over in one sitting, including finding all species in the area.
It was kinda cool to see I was one of the 0.1% in the achievements, though not for long. It’s a little bit easy.
Get Back To Open Waters
This was a fair excuse to dive back into Dredge, although I never really left, and with one of the new artefacts, you have access to a new source of fast travel.
The Pale Reach DLC is worth adding to your collection. If I had played Dredge in March when it came out and was waiting for new content, I might have been mildly disappointed because it’s short and relatively easy.
Nevertheless, all the more reason to pick it up again if you’ve had a break. Now that I’m clearing up the remainder of the achievements, I find myself playing this to chill to, even taking abhorrent selfies – albeit in-game with the camera.
Yes, I am a little late to the party, but Black Salt Games’ Dredge is a contender for the GOTY. The Pale Reach DLC makes it all the more worth recommending, and one of the best games to play on the Steam Deck.
