Horror-fishing RPG Dreadmoor is finally preparing to set sail, with its November 9 launch just 24 hours away as of this writing. While its early access launch has been eight years in the making, developer Dream Dock appears confident that the biggest hurdles are now behind the project, estimating that Dreadmoor will reach version 1.0 within six to 12 months.
Dreadmoor is an action-horror RPG from Kyrgyzstan-based developer Dream Dock and Cyprus-based publisher Digital Vortex Entertainment. Set in the Submerged Lands, a post-apocalyptic region of flooded settlements, crumbling infrastructure, and mutated wildlife, the game puts players in command of a fishing trawler traveling between isolated communities and trading catches for supplies. Reminiscent of the desolate landscape of The Island from Fallout 4‘s Far Harbor DLC, the region has been transformed by a mysterious biological threat known as the Sea Blight.
Fishing in Dreadmoor Can Be Deadly
In More Ways than One, to Put It Mildly
Fishing forms the backbone of Dreadmoor‘s survival mechanics and, consequently, its core gameplay loop. Players must constantly search for productive fishing grounds, select appropriate bait, and reel in valuable species, many of which have mutated in disturbing ways. Some cause trouble even after capture, since creatures stored together in the trawler’s hold may devour one another. Larger predators pose a far greater danger, potentially turning a routine expedition into a fight to avoid becoming their next meal. Combined with ruined coastal communities, hostile mutations, and an oppressive atmosphere, Dreadmoor kind of has the vibe of a survival RPG from the perspective of Fallout 4: Far Harbor‘s fishermen.
Its gameplay differs considerably, however, with the emphasis on navigating hazardous waters and confronting Lovecraftian creatures beneath the surface making it more reminiscent of a post-apocalyptic, fishing-focused Subnautica. The similarities extend to exploration and resource gathering, as players can supplement their fishing income by scavenging abandoned buildings, caves, and shipwrecks for scrap metal, blueprints, and other valuables. Recovered materials can be used to craft specialized lures, reinforced harpoons, medicine, and survival gear, while the trawler itself can be upgraded with improved engines, hull reinforcement, and lighting. This combination of exploration, crafting, and survival mechanics gives Dreadmoor a more varied gameplay loop than its horror-fishing label might suggest.
The game’s Lovecraftian influences emerge through its grotesque creatures and the Sea Blight, which has transformed much of the local wildlife. Traveling after dark adds hazards, making the timing of expeditions another survival factor to consider. Like the terrifying sea monsters encountered in Dredge, these threats make the waterways themselves highly unpredictable. Unlike that acclaimed fishing-horror hybrid, however, Dreadmoor raises the stakes with real-time combat, allowing players to confront hostile creatures at sea or on land, and sometimes even requiring them to do both as part of a single encounter if a particularly cranky critter ends up pursuing them ashore.
What to Expect From Dreadmoor’s Early Access Release
Dreadmoor will enter Steam Early Access with one major explorable region, its complete core gameplay loop, and a story campaign with a defined ending. Players can continue fishing, exploring, collecting rare specimens, and upgrading equipment after completing the campaign. Dream Dock has set the launch price at $19.99 in the U.S. and €20.49 in Germany, with an optional Supporter Pack priced at $4.99 and €4.89, respectively. The 12 languages will be supported at launch, including English, Spanish, French, and German, as well as Japanese, Korean, and Chinese—both Simplified and Traditional. Publisher Digital Vortex Entertainment plans to raise the game’s price after version 1.0 arrives, which is currently estimated to happen sometime between mid-2027 and late 2027 or early 2028.
- Developer(s)
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Dream Dock
- Publisher(s)
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Dream Dock
