Dredge is one of the best PC horror games, and now it’s free if you’re quick

Looking back at my favorite indies from the past few years, it’s impossible Dredge not to slip right into my mind. If you love fishing mini-games, Eldritch horrors, or both, this is a must-play. Now, thanks to Epic Games’ celebratory generosity, Dredge is free to keep, but only if you’re super fast.

Starting out as a cozy, peaceful fishing sim, your first goal in Dredge is to land some fish that you can sell in the local village to repair your modest boat. However, you will quickly realize that fishing at night is definitely not advised in this horror game. When the sun goes down, the gently lapping waves and picturesque scenery transform into a truly eerie environment that becomes a hunting ground for some sinister sea monsters.

As a result, make sure you don’t overstay your welcome on the waves and end each day in a harbor sanctuary. Dredge’s world design (and the prospect of finding new species of fish) entices you to explore and venture into uncharted waters. But without the right upgrades, your boat may not be able to reach the more remote areas.

Not only are the scares and exploration spot on, but the actual fishing in Dredge is super enjoyable. Filling your compendium with all the species and some of their corrupt, mutated variants is super satisfying, and putting your daily haul into a grid-based inventory system is like a recurring puzzle.

I can’t sing Dredge’s praises enough, and right now you can get it for free on the Epic Games Store. You have to be quick though – this offer lasts for just 24 hours and ends on Wednesday 25 December at 8am PT/11am ET/4pm GMT/5pm CET. You can grab this excellent freebie right away here.

Next to Dredge, you can see some of the best indie games and the best single player games out there.

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