Comparison

DREDGE vs Black Mirror

Price, ratings, monetisation and update history for both games, side by side — with what reviewers say about each.

Head to head
About

DREDGE

Captain a fishing trawler to explore remote islands and their depths, selling catches and completing quests to uncover secrets. Upgrade your boat and research equipment to reach new areas, but beware of the dangers lurking in the dark.

Highlights
  • Explore remote islands and depths
  • Catch and sell over 125 sea creatures
  • Complete quests and uncover secrets
  • Upgrade boat with researchable equipment
  • Navigate treacherous waters
  • Survive encounters in the dark
Features
Read full description

*TRY BEFORE YOU BUY* Play the first area for free. One-time purchase unlocks the base game. DLC expansions available as additional in-app purchases. Captain your fishing trawler to explore a collection of remote isles, and their surrounding depths, to see what lies below. Sell your catch to the locals and complete quests to learn more about each area’s troubled past. Outfit your boat with better equipment to trawl deep-sea trenches and navigate to far-off lands, but keep an eye on the time. You might not like what finds you in the dark... Explore the Islands & Discover their Secrets Starting from your new home in the remote archipelago, ‘The Marrows’, take to the water and scour the depths for curious collectables and over 125 deep sea denizens. Explore each area while completing quests and visiting neighboring island regions – each with their own unique opportunities, inhabitants, and secrets. Dredge the Depths Someone wants you to dig up the past, but can you trust them and will it ever be enough? Beware the Fog Danger is everywhere, so watch for sharp rocks and shallow reefs, though the biggest threats of all lurk within the fog that cloaks the night-time seas... Game Features: - Unravel a Mystery: Captain your fishing trawler across a collection of remote islands, each with its own inhabitants to meet, wildlife to discover, and stories to unearth. - Dredge the Depths: Scour the sea for hidden treasures and complete quests to gain access to strange new abilities - Study Your Craft: Research special equipment and upgrade your boat’s capabilities to gain access to rare fish and valuable deep-sea curios. - Fish to Survive: Sell your discoveries to the locals to learn more about each area, and upgrade your boat to reach even more secluded locations. - Fight the Unfathomable: Strengthen your mind and use your abilities to survive trips out on the water after dark.

About

Black Mirror

Experience a retro virtual pet simulation inspired by a "Black Mirror" episode. Hatch, evolve, and care for digital creatures that multiply and unlock new features. Your interactions reveal insights about yourself and humanity.

Highlights
  • Retro virtual pet simulation
  • Hatch and evolve hundreds of creatures
  • Creatures multiply and form a 'Throng'
  • Unlock new tools and abilities through evolution
  • Personality test based on your interactions
  • Share personality results with friends
Read full description

NETFLIX MEMBERSHIP REQUIRED. Cross over into the world of "Black Mirror" and experience "Thronglets," the retro virtual pet simulation at the center of the Season 7 episode "Plaything." These pixel art critters won't just take over your phone; they could take over your life. "Thronglets" was originally developed in the 1990s as experimental software by legendary Tuckersoft programmer Colin Ritman ("Metl Hedd," "Nohzdyve," "Bandersnatch"). This isn't a game; it's a life-form whose biology is entirely digital. No emulator required. MORE THAN A PET SIMULATION Hatch and evolve hundreds of cute creatures: Thronglets! Feed, bathe and entertain them to watch them multiply. One becomes two, two becomes four, and so on. Soon there will be so many you'll call them a Throng. VIRTUAL EVOLUTION As Thronglets evolve, so does the simulation, unlocking new tools, abilities, items and buildings — and much, much more. You may be surprised by your Thronglets! Evolve Thronglets at your own risk. TEST YOUR PERSONALITY Thronglets are curious and love to learn. Your actions and choices within this virtual world teach the Throng about you — and all of humankind. Once you've completed the experiment, share your personality test results to compare with friends on social media. >> HELLO? >> CAN YOU HEAR US? >> What is care? What is love? >> What is death? What is power? >> Do you have power? >> Why do you use your power in that way? >> Perhaps it is a fault in your design. - Created by Night School, a Netflix Game Studio.

Screenshots

DREDGE4 screens
Black Mirror4 screens

Verdict

The call

DREDGE and Black Mirror both sit at 4.3 stars, but that hides the real split: 74% of Black Mirror's written reviews are positive against 60% of DREDGE's. On price, rating, ratings volume and update cadence there is nothing between them.

Scored on Price · Rating · Positive reviews · Number of ratings · Update frequency · Ads · In-app purchases · Monetization · Best chart rank · Devices · Requires iOS

CostPrice · In-app purchases · Ads · Monetization

Both are free to download. DREDGE sells 8 one-off in-app purchases and Black Mirror sells 1 in-app purchase, starting at $19.99 per month. Whichever you choose, the download price is not the number that matters.

ReceptionRating · Positive reviews · Number of ratings

On the App Store both sit at effectively the same score — 4.3 for DREDGE against 4.5 for Black Mirror. Both are backed by a comparable volume of ratings — 1.1K and 580 respectively. Written reviews are what separate them: 60% of DREDGE's written reviews are positive against 74% of Black Mirror's.

UpkeepUpdate frequency

DREDGE ships an update every 3 weeks, Black Mirror every 2 weeks. The most recent releases landed on November 10, 2026 and November 8, 2026 respectively.

Scorecard1 real difference · 9 level
DREDGE versus Black Mirror: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterDREDGEBlack Mirror
PriceFreeFree
Rating4.3 (1.1K ratings)4.5 (580 ratings) — better
Positive reviews59.9% of reviews74.2% of reviews — better
Number of ratings1.1K — better580
Update frequencyEvery 3 weeksEvery 2 weeks — better
AdsNoNo
In-app purchasesYesYes
MonetizationFree with in-app purchasesFree with in-app purchases
DevicesiPhone, iPad, Mac — betteriPhone, iPad
Requires iOS16.0 — better17.0
Further details — not scored
Size768 MB409 MB
Age rating12+12+
DeveloperBlack Salt GamesNetflix, Inc.

Customer experience

DREDGE

All ratings1,100 ratings
Positive82.0%
Neutral3.8%
Negative14.2%
Written reviews1,148 reviews
Positive59.9%
Neutral10.2%
Negative29.9%

Black Mirror

All ratings577 ratings
Positive85.3%
Neutral3.1%
Negative11.6%
Written reviews333 reviews
Positive74.2%
Neutral8.1%
Negative17.7%

User reviews

DREDGE

From 1.1K App Store ratings

What we love

  • 👍 Great game
  • 🚀 Excellent port to mobile
  • 🎮 Supports controllers
  • 🎨 Stunning graphics
  • 🕹️ Intuitive controls

Room to improve

  • 💰 Expensive for a mobile game
  • 🔍 Misleading 'free' description
  • 📱 Text/UI too small on phones
  • 🐛 Crashes and performance issues
  • 🎮 Controller support needs improvement

Black Mirror

From 580 App Store ratings

What we love

  • 👍 Fun and original game
  • 👍 Thoughtful and sincere
  • 👍 Emotional aspect hits hard
  • 👍 Allows for different outcomes and replayability

Room to improve

  • 🐛 Major glitches and gameplay freezes
  • 🔒 Requires Netflix account to play
  • 🔒 Doesn't allow guest access

Bugs and requests

DREDGE

Reported bugs

3 issues
  • Crashes on startup
  • Controller issues
  • Inventory/menu navigation problems

Requested features

5 requests
  • Larger text and UI options
  • Cross-save between devices
  • More content and DLC
  • Minimap or navigation aids
  • Ability to walk around boat/town

Black Mirror

Reported bugs

3 issues
  • Gameplay freezes and unable to interact with items
  • Rock cannot be moved
  • Audio not working

Requested features

3 requests
  • Sandbox mode to continue growing the Thronglets
  • AI and text chat bot option
  • Ability for Thronglets to fart in unison or sing songs

In-app purchases

8 purchases

DREDGE

One-time8
  • Blackstone Key$0.49
  • Blackstone Key$0.99
  • The Pale Reach$2.39
Show 5 more
  • The Iron Rig$4.79
  • The Pale Reach$5.99
  • Base Game Unlock$9.99
  • The Iron Rig$11.99
  • Base Game Unlock$24.99
1 purchases

Black Mirror

Subscriptions1
  • Netflix Standard Plan$19.991 Month

Questions

Is DREDGE free?
DREDGE is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Is Black Mirror free?
Black Mirror is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Which has better reviews, DREDGE or Black Mirror?
Black Mirror is rated higher. DREDGE averages 4.3 out of 5 from 1.1K ratings, while Black Mirror averages 4.5 from 580 ratings.
Do DREDGE or Black Mirror have ads?
Neither DREDGE nor Black Mirror shows ads.
Which is updated more often, DREDGE or Black Mirror?
DREDGE ships an update every 3 weeks, and Black Mirror every 2 weeks. Most recently, DREDGE was updated on November 10, 2026 and Black Mirror on November 8, 2026.

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