Dread Nautical Review

Last week, I managed to play Dread Nautical, an exciting RPG with turn-based combat from Zen Studios. This game will definitely appeal to connoisseurs of H. P. Lovecraft, as well as those who love mysticism and puzzles. It is also worth noting that the game is available not only on the PC in the Epic Store but also on consoles (Nintendo Switch, PS4 and Xbox One), as well as on the Mac (Apple Arcade).

Dread Nautical Gameplay

Trapped on a ship with the symbolic name Hope, the player will have to figure out what happened to the crew of the ship and how to get out of here. The player will have to choose one of the 4 survivors, for which he will explore the ship and try to find clues. Each of them owns his own unique perks and stats that will affect the style of the game. Having woken up in a kind of safe place and talking with Jed, a guy who saved you, you will go to study the ship.

The game is a series of levels, which are presented in the form of floors on the ship. Each time the level is generated in a new way, while there is one unchanging element – foghorn. When the character uses it, he falls unconscious and wakes up in the Lobby, where he met Jed.

Over time, the player will be able to turn this place into a real base, with a crafting station, a place to relax for new survivors and various other things, such as the ability to treat other members of the squad and level up. In addition to equipment, the game has 3 types of resources – supplies (food), which are needed for our survivors, scraps (the main resource for improving buildings and equipment) and runes (an analogue of experience points).

The graphics are quite simplistic and cartoony, but thanks to the colours this does not affect the atmosphere of the game. The only negative is the lack of detail, many opponents and elements merge into one, and it is difficult to consider them in two ways.

Combat system

As mentioned earlier, Dread Nautical has turn-based combat. It is divided into the player’s move, in which he can walk in any sequence with all the characters he controls and the opponents move. Also, if there are neutral NPCs on the level, they will gain the right to make a move after the player.

The game has a huge number of different types of weapons, from broken bottles and crowbars, ending with firearms and Molotov cocktails. A big plus is that you can switch between weapons at any time without losing action points. There is no ammunition in the game, and the entire equipment, including armor, has its own durability, which is restored by fixing it in Lobby.

In my opinion, combat mechanics is very simplified and annoying through several levels, especially in a contrast with interesting plot development and interaction with other NPCs.

True horror

What really catches you in the game is its plot component. The atmosphere of the mysterious ship is perfectly conveyed, which is harmoniously supplemented by music. Exploring part of his deck, finding new survivors and looking for answers to the mysterious behaviour of the crew is very interesting.

Each survivor has his own type of behaviour and before he agrees to join you, you will need to persuade him. All dialogues are voiced, and a mysterious voice constantly accompanies the player, trying to inspire the player with a sense of fear.

Pros&Cons