dredge was the first game since tears of the kingdom that demanded all of my attention for days on end. for two and a half days, i was stuck exploring each corner of the map, dredging up any treasure i could find, and completing the entire dredgedex. it felt like every time i found a new mutated abomination, i would say to myself "now THIS is my new favorite".

the art style, music, atmosphere, moment-to-moment gameplay, subtle storyline, and mystery all worked together outstandingly to create an experience that i will not forget anytime in the future. it perfectly toed the line of creepy/eerie and disconcerning. i constantly felt as though i was shifting between comfortable and not, which added to my enjoyment here, as for each moment exploring held an ominous tone, as did the times of safety and calm when at a dock/town.

only "complaint" would be how the story's interconnectedness and progression toward the end started to feel less woven together than it did previously - call it a side effect of long play sessions or it's coinsiding with my satisfaction with time with the gameplay.