Steam drops free taster for Bloodborne-esque RPG we can't stop thinking about

Hundreds of free demos are added to PC storefront Steam every week; some are worth playing and some simply aren’t.

One title that falls into the former category is Dreadmoor, a first-person RPG adventure that’s the talk of the office here at GAMINGbible.

Developed by Dream Dock, Deadmoor is an upcoming dark first-person RPG fishing adventure in the style of hit game Dredge.

You may be wondering where our Bloodborne comparison comes into play then.

Well, Dreadmoor’s Lovecraftian world feels very much of a similar ilk to Bloodborne’s - and that’s a comparison from our resident Bloodborne expert Sam Cawley who went hands-on with Dreadmoor at this year’s Summer Game Fest.

And now you can see what all the fuss is about for yourself courtesy of this brand-new free demo.

Dreadmoor is set within a flooded, post-apolcayptic, decaying world; you’ll attempt to traverse this rotting world “claimed by sea and decay” all while engaging in fishing, survival crafting, and combat.

There’s so much more to Dreadmoor than simply fishing and, of course, it’s not like any fishing you’ll do in real life with some monstrous catches hiding in these waters.

Players will travel between island settlements, catching fishes to trade, upgrading their vessel, crafting essential equipment, and fending off mutant creatures.

Combat plays out in real-time and threats can appear at any moment. You may be quietly casting your line only for a nightmarish creature to leap up from the waters below.

All throughout Dreadmoor, you’ll be able to source and collect a wide variety of materials. These can be transformed into ship parts, medicines, tools, weapons, and more.

When you do dock your ship from time to time, there’s even the option to powerwash it clean. You don’t want those pesky mollusks taking up residence on your baby after all.

Dreadmoor’s demo features an exclusive quest - and it’s been branded “fun” and “amazing”

What makes Dreadmoor’s demo particularly interesting is that it includes its very own questline.

“The demo takes you to a remote settlement and the surrounding islands, which you can explore both by boat and on foot,” devs tease of this free offering.

“Fish unfamiliar waters, scavenge for useful materials, meet a local engineer, and upgrade your ship at the dry dock. Then explore the Submerged Lands to learn more about the world and face unsettling events after nightfall.”

It’s already impressed gamers, with positive feedback flooding in.

“An amazing slow-burning adventure with great fishing mechanics, cool boat controls, and really interesting exploration. It's just a solid game overall with a few minor bugs. See ya on release,” wrote one player.

Another added, “Fun, lots of potential here for sure!”

As for our own thoughts, here’s what we said after our Summer Game Fest hands-on: “While it’s easy and fair to compare Dreadmoor to Dredge, it has plenty of its own gimmicks to keep it afloat. It also looks gorgeous. If you’ve ever wondered what Yharnam from Bloodborne would look like if it were flooded for a hundred years, this would probably be it.”

We continued, “Dreadmoor has well and truly got me on its hook, and I’m excited to play it again.”

Dreadmoor is due to launch in full this year on PC although an exact release date is yet to be narrowed down.