Dredge is an eerie fishing game where you can catch some rather unnatural fish.  I already wrote a post about the creepiest aberrations in the main game, and now it’s time to list the worst abominations that you can catch in the DLC, Pale Reach and Iron Rig.  Whether you’re carefully navigating the icy landscape of the Pale Reach or hooking fish scared to the surface by the oil rig’s massive drill, the DLC doesn’t disappoint when it comes to horrifying fishies that’ll make me lose my appetite for seafood.  (Keep in mind that this list contains spoilers for the Iron Rig DLC.  Just be wary of #3…)

10: Axial Matron – You know the later entries are going to be pretty unsettling if the first one on the list has “mouths within mouths” and a “terminal grip”.  Expelling smaller mouths from its main maw, this fish resembles the xenomorph from the Alien movies.  And unless I’m mistaken, it sounds like once it grabs on, it never lets go.

9: Ivory Impaler – Somehow, a metal spike juts from this vicious creature’s mouth, meaning an unlucky tumble into the water could mean getting punctured like a fisherman-kebab.  With a “name unremembered”, this fish has a face I’d also like to unremember.

8: Feral Lizardfish – This fish is growing limbs.  Do you know what that means? It means that, soon enough, aberrations will be able to climb out of the water and right onto land.  You know, where us humans dwell.  And then, no one will be safe…

7: Clutching Nautilus – I always liked nautilus due to how unique these cephalopods are.  But strangely enough, I’ve never had the desire to give one a handshake.  And now that I’ve seen a nautilus whose tentacles have been transformed into a human hand, I know why.  Whenever fish take on human characteristics, I’m always deeply unsettled.

6: Broken Arapaima – Some of the most disturbing fish are the ones that are suffering, and this description implies that this fish’s muscles have tensed to the point of breaking bones.  As creepy as it might be to reel these things in, you have to admit that the situation is so much worse from the poor fish’s perspective. 

5: Excoriated Fiend – This horrifying mass of muscles has no skin or scales.  From the exposed flesh to the misshapen teeth set beneath beady eyes, this thing would make any fisherman not only lose their lunch…but never sleep again.

4: Grisly Shark – This mutated shark has far too many mouths, with teeth forcing their way through its skin to make way for more maws than anyone ever needs.  This poor thing is as awful to behold as it is pitiful.

3: #230 – This unnamed abomination was human once.  The scientist working on Ironhaven’s oil rig, to be more precise.  The most disturbing thing about this guy is the fact that its mere existence proves that these mutations are not strictly limited to sea creatures.  Humans can be transformed, as well, and probably any other kind of land animal.  Make sure you don’t feed your pets any of these infected fish if you don’t want an aberrated kitty cat!

2: Unveiled Vetulicolia – Like the Grinning Gar from my last list, I’m clearly not a fan of things with big mouths and teeth, and those weird yellowed gums make me decidedly queasy.  But it gets worse…

1: Famine’s End – The Iron Rig DLC introduces aberrations for the exotic fish.  They’re all pretty unsettling, but this one is by far the worst.  This “devourer in the deep” is pretty much just one massive mouth with a tail.  Imagine falling into the water and seeing this thing darting your way through the deep.  Next thing you know, it’s swallowed you whole, and your world becomes nothing but hot, wet darkness.  Just pray that you’ll be digested quickly…