Dredge

I think there are fewer real things more frightening than the sea. I’ll never go to space and witness the expanse of that void for myself, but I do regularly dip my toe into the Atlantic, and that’s about as close to that experience as I’m getting. I enjoy a good beach, but it’s everything beyond them that sends a chill down my spine. The sea goes so much deeper than we can really fathom (You’re fired—Ed), and hides so many freaky creatures and manners of life that are hard to conceive. Dredge taps into that for its nightmare fuel.

In this Lovecraftian mystery set at sea, you are tasked with the operation of a small ship adrift on cursed waters. On your utterly horrifying voyages, you will dredge (heh) up all manner of sea creatures, from mundane fish to…other stranger things that dare not be named or looked at. At night, a fog falls over the sea that restricts your sight, plays tricks on the mind, and deteriorates your sanity unless you rest or find a safe harbor. Dredge is never outright terrifying, but like my favorite horror, there’s a tinge of dread everywhere you go that more than makes up for the lack of jump scares. Dredge and all its DLC are available in a complete edition for $32.