Dry Drowning is a psychological investigative visual novel set in a futuristic dystopian city. Follow the story of Mordred Foley, unscrupulous private detective haunted by his dark past, and look into a series of macabre serial killings inspired by Greek mythology.
Modeled estimate, not a reported figure. How we estimate →
Discounts
Every price cut of more than 20% we have observed, in each market that quoted one, with this game's chart position on either side of it. These are episodes, not a model: a sale is one event, and one event cannot tell you what the next one will do.
About
Genres
Sums Steam only; GOG, Nintendo publish no volume signal, so the true total is higher by an unknown amount.
| Store | Price | Audience | Score | Chart | Est. revenue |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
SteamYou are here | $1.99−90% | 518reviews | 81% | — | $13.4K |
| $3.99−80% | 48ratings | 68% | — | not modelled | |
Engagement
Reviews
Themes across 44 recent reviews and how positive each mention is. A keyword signal, not full sentiment analysis.
Reviews
The visuals and music are good. The gamepad support is well done. It's a professional work in that regard. However, the world building, plot, prose and dialogue are laughable. From the first line of text on screen it's obvious that prose is not going to carry the experience. For a visual novel this is dangerous territory. The world building is mostly established through glossary entries given out to the player. If limited to extra information presented with context this would be fine. Plenty of great games do it. However the way it's done here makes a rookie mistake: Core details about the world are thrown at the player at the start of the game without reason or context. Since players are not yet invested in the characters or world, they're not going to care about the history of your fictional city. Further more, if the information isn't relevant to story and isn't interesting to read, nobody is going to care. Nobody wants homework before reading a story. The plot makes do with recycling old tropes. That's fine but the key to success is making it interesting. You can't lean on them to carry your story. The characters don't have any sort of depth or personality which makes it interesting to watch them navigate the story. The quality of the prose is extremely low. Even forgiving the multiple typos, of which any amount is an embarrassment, the narration is the sort of purple prose you could make an ugly carpet out of. It's thick and clunky. It draws attention to itself and doesn't complement the space it takes up. It speaks too much while saying nothing. It wastes your time. Is there worse out there than Dry Drowning? Sure. There's worse. Is it an engaging story? Maybe, if your love of pseudo-noir stories set in a vaguely cyberpunk city outweighs your need for a good read. The visuals are nice and there is a mystery to unravel but you really should ask yourself: Do I want to play a game that is 90% text when the prose is awful and the plot and characters are paper-thin?
Media
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Price dynamics, follower growth, revenue and sales trajectories with interactive tooltips
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Reviews, worldwide (the counter carries no country): 0.11/day in the week to Aug 4 → 0/day in the week after.
For scale, across Steam · Top Sellers · Brazil over the last 30 days: the 25 chart moves that followed a price cut of more than 20% went a median of 10 places towards #1, and the 2,413 moves with no price cut behind them went 2 away. One store, one chart, one country — it is the only place we have enough observations to say even that.
Prices outside the United States have been collected since 6 August 2026 and chart positions since 19 July 2026, so a cut older than that has no market to compare and a market that joined later has no history yet. Nothing here is converted between currencies.
Stats
All-time low is the lowest price we've recorded for this game since we started tracking it.
Languages: English, Italian, Simplified Chinese, Japanese, Korean, German
| $24.99 |
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| not modelled |
Matched by title — a reused name can pair the wrong games. * is a critic aggregate. Prices and positions are each store's United States storefront; Epic charts worldwide. Audience and Score too, except Steam's, which is worldwide.
Hours played at review time, across 44 reviews with recorded playtime.
positive critical· bar length = how often the theme comes up
[h1][b] Reseña de Dry Drowning[/b][/h1] [h2]Resumen del Juego[/h2] Dry Drowning es una aventura indie con alma de novela visual: mucho texto, decisiones “importantes” y una vibra noir/cyberpunk que te mira desde la sombra como detective cansado de la vida. Aquí no vienes a “disparar y lootear”, vienes a leer, sospechar, elegir… y luego preguntarte si tus elecciones importaban o si el guion ya te tenía agarrado del cuello desde el minuto uno. La propuesta se sostiene en misterio e investigación con toques psicológicos y de terror, en un futuro lo suficientemente turbio como para justificar que todos tengan secretos y traumas. Primera impresión: elegante y pretencioso (en el buen sentido), como ese amigo que cita filosofía en una peda… pero sí sabe contar un chisme. Si te gustan las historias interactivas con detectives, suspenso y rompecabezas ligeros, aquí hay carnita. Si tu idea de “jugabilidad” es saltar, disparar o hacer parrys, Dry Drowning te va a ofrecer el equivalente lúdico a pasar página con actitud. [h2]Lo Noir y lo “Noir”[/h2] Lo Bueno: Estética futurista/noir con misterio e investigación que sí se siente coherente Enfoque narrativo tipo ficción interactiva: ideal para quien disfruta leer y decidir Categorías bien puestas para la experiencia: un jugador, logros y Steam Cloud para llevar tu drama a todos lados Compatibilidad total con mando: para leer conspiraciones tirado en el sillón Lo No Tan Bueno: 0 jugadores actuales: el “mundo abierto” se siente más como “mundo abandonado” Si esperas acción, aquí la adrenalina viene en forma de diálogos y sospechas… o sea, café narrativo Las “elecciones importan” pueden sentirse más como “importan, pero no te emociones” Al ser aventura/novela visual, la rejugabilidad depende 100% de cuánto te obsesione ver variaciones de la historia [h2]Tabla de Evaluación[/h2] [table] [tr][th]Aspecto[/th][th]Puntuación (0-10)[/th][th]Comentario[/th][/tr] [tr][td]Jugabilidad[/td][td]6[/td][td]Interacción narrativa sólida, pero es más leer/decidir que “jugar”.[/td][/tr] [tr][td]Dificultad / IA[/td][td]6[/td][td]Más reto mental por investigación que por sistemas o enemigos.[/td][/tr] [tr][td]Contenido[/td][td]7[/td][td]Historia con suficiente misterio y ramificaciones para sostenerse.[/td][/tr] [tr][td]Gráficos / Video[/td][td]7[/td][td]2D con estilo: sirve al noir futurista sin querer presumir músculo técnico.[/td][/tr] [tr][td]Historia[/td][td]8[/td][td]Lo mejor del paquete: suspenso, psicología y detectiveo con intención.[/td][/tr] [tr][td]Ambientación[/td][td]8[/td][td]Cyberpunk/noir bien amarrado: sucio, tenso y atractivo.[/td][/tr] [tr][td]Efectos (VFX)[/td][td]6[/td][td]Cumplidores; no es un festival visual, es atmósfera primero.[/td][/tr] [tr][td]Música[/td][td]7[/td][td]Acompaña el suspenso y el tono sombrío sin estorbar.[/td][/tr] [tr][td]Voces[/td][td]6[/td][td]No es el gancho principal; la fuerza está en el texto y el ritmo narrativo.[/td][/tr] [tr][td]Diversidad[/td][td]6[/td][td]Hay variedad de tonos/temas, pero no es su carta más fuerte.[/td][/tr] [tr][td]Rendimiento[/td][td]8[/td][td]Al ser 2D/aventura narrativa, debería correr sin drama en general.[/td][/tr] [tr][td]Rejugabilidad[/td][td]7[/td][td]Si te pica la curiosidad por decisiones y finales, vuelves; si no, una pasada basta.[/td][/tr] [tr][td][b]Total Puntuaciones (Muy Bueno)[/b][/td][td][b]6.8[/b][/td][td]Una aventura narrativa con estilo y colmillo, pero no para quien busca acción.[/td][/tr] [/table] [h2]Conclusión (Muy Bueno)[/h2] Dry Drowning es de esos indies que no te piden reflejos, te piden paciencia y gusto por el misterio. Cuando le entras en su frecuencia (noir futurista, investigación, tensión psicológica), funciona: engancha, intriga y te deja con esa sensación de “ok, aquí sí había una idea”. Ahora, lo controversial: con 0 jugadores actuales, esto se siente como encontrar una joya en un callejón… o como preguntarte si nadie está aquí porque ya lo jugaron o porque el juego te exige leer más de lo que el internet moderno tolera. Aun así, con 380 recomendaciones totales, hay evidencia de que no es un delirio aislado: a mucha gente le gustó lo suficiente como para levantar la mano. Si lo tuyo son novelas visuales, detectives y elecciones con sabor a paranoia, vale la pena. Si vienes por “mundo abierto” esperando libertad total, aquí la libertad es narrativa, no de andar brincando bardas. [h3]Recomendación de Compra (Recomendado con reservas)[/h3] Puntuación Total: 6.8/10 Número de jugadores activos al momento de hacer esta review: 0 Descuento máximo registrado: -80% Veredicto: [i]Cómpralo si te gusta leer misterio noir; evítalo si buscas acción o compañía.[/i] Si te atrae la ciencia ficción oscura y la investigación tipo detective con decisiones, Dry Drowning te va a dar una experiencia muy decente y con personalidad. Solo entra sabiendo que es más “thriller interactivo” que “videojuego de reflejos”, y que la comunidad activa está tan silenciosa que podrías escuchar tus propias sospechas.
立绘风格比较“古早”，但个人就吃这套，喜欢~ 音乐及气氛渲染也很不错，女主角的钢琴独奏挺好听，主角识破谎言、揭露真相时的快节奏的诡异配乐，在几个小时的游玩时间里每每让我起鸡皮疙瘩。 四个结局中，B结局情感相对充沛些，女主失去爱人后手染鲜血的绝望/堕落/成长令人心塞。 个人还是最喜欢A结局，男女主角、女女配角无人死亡，有情人终成眷属，多好~~~ —————————————————— 然而总体来讲，剧情是真的一言难尽。 “神话献祭”、“赛博朋克”、“反乌托邦”这几个很大很有内容的命题，游戏中没能很好的融合在一起，彼此间割裂感明显。 政治方面。。。。。 感觉编剧像是一个草草翻过几遍《1984》就开始愤世嫉俗的中二高中生，政治见解充满主观臆想、幼稚到令人发指，就是把她们能想到的所有负面词汇都塞到自己想象中的“东亚法西斯”“专制独裁政拳”里去了。 ——玩的时候感觉制作组明明对于某东方大国一无所知，还能如此理直气壮地疯狂影射嘲讽。如此低级的意识形态输出现在看来还挺搞笑的。不过那几年意大利（欧洲）也正是白左思潮甚嚣尘上的时候，数年过去，制作组们也该“睁眼看世界”了吧。 至于隐藏结局。。。。吐槽不能！
Dry Drowning is a stylish, atmospheric visual novel with meaningful choices, great presentation, soundtrack, and strong writing. The puzzle elements are a bit thin, but if you’re here for narrative tension, moral dilemmas, and a moody cyber-noir world, it delivers.
Criminally short, but fascinating. The art direction and the soundtrack are top-notch.
3个结局和隐藏结局我都打了，感觉有些情节并没有说清楚，潘多拉最初为什么杀人，是出于爱好还是一开始就有抗争的意识在我不得而知。总体而言剧情还是挺有意思的，最好的结局虽然也不算好但是还存有希望。 最后我要槽一句，小游戏成为一个好市民我卡关了很久，上网找攻略居然发现游戏更新过以后UI和小游戏关卡都大改过，好市民难度增加，所以网上的攻略视频失去了参考价值我只能硬着头皮玩到第10关，强行拖长游戏时间让人很不爽。
在潘多拉盒子的深处，或许真的有希望...
画面有一种说不出来的丑。玩法单一，后期重复膈应
Dry Drowning is a dense, atmospheric investigative visual novel that leans heavily into psychological noir and dystopian cyberpunk, delivering a story-driven experience that prioritizes moral ambiguity and player choice over conventional gameplay systems. Developed by Studio V in collaboration with VLG and published by Leonardo Interactive alongside WhisperGames, the game is unapologetically mature in both theme and tone. It explores a bleak future shaped by fear, prejudice, and political extremism, presenting a narrative that is as much about internal decay as it is about solving crimes. Set in the oppressive city of Nova Polemos, the game introduces a society on the brink of collapse, where ideological conflict and social unrest dominate everyday life. The worldbuilding is one of Dry Drowning’s strongest elements, conveyed through dialogue, environmental storytelling, and the constant tension between factions. Rather than offering exposition dumps, the game allows players to absorb the setting organically, slowly piecing together how technology, propaganda, and paranoia have reshaped the city. This creates an immersive backdrop that feels hostile and morally compromised, reinforcing the sense that no decision is ever entirely clean or safe. Players assume the role of Mordred Foley, a disgraced private investigator struggling with guilt, addiction, and a ruined reputation. Mordred is deliberately written as an unreliable and deeply flawed protagonist, and the story frequently forces players to confront the consequences of his past actions. His partnership with Hera adds emotional grounding and contrast, as their dynamic balances cynicism with fragile hope. Rather than positioning the player as a heroic figure, Dry Drowning emphasizes personal failure, compromise, and the cost of survival in a broken system, making its character work feel raw and uncomfortably human. Narrative choice is central to the experience, with an extensive branching structure that allows decisions to meaningfully shape the story. Dialogue options, investigative conclusions, and moral stances influence character relationships, political outcomes, and the eventual fate of Nova Polemos itself. While the overarching mystery remains focused, the paths toward resolution vary significantly, encouraging multiple playthroughs. Choices are rarely framed as clearly right or wrong, often forcing players to weigh empathy against pragmatism, or truth against stability. This commitment to consequence gives the narrative weight, even when the outcomes are grim. Gameplay elements are intentionally minimal but thematically integrated. Investigations involve interrogations, evidence examination, and the use of Mordred’s unsettling ability to detect lies, represented through surreal visual distortions and symbolic masks. These moments reinforce the game’s themes of deception and fractured perception, blurring the line between objective truth and personal bias. While these mechanics are simple and occasionally feel secondary to the dialogue, they provide just enough interaction to maintain engagement without undermining the narrative focus. Artistically, Dry Drowning relies on striking hand-drawn visuals and expressive character portraits rather than animation-heavy presentation. The art style emphasizes mood over detail, using color, lighting, and composition to convey psychological tension. This approach pairs effectively with the game’s strong soundtrack, which subtly shifts in tone to reflect emotional beats and narrative escalation. Sound design and music work together to heighten unease, often making quiet moments feel just as oppressive as overtly dramatic scenes. The game’s pacing and density can be demanding. Large amounts of text, complex political themes, and frequent moral dilemmas require patience and attention, and the experience may feel overwhelming for players unaccustomed to narrative-heavy visual novels. Some investigative mechanics can interrupt the flow rather than enhance it, and not every branching path leads to dramatically different content. However, these shortcomings are outweighed by the ambition of the writing and the sincerity of its themes. Ultimately, Dry Drowning is not designed to be comfortable or easily digestible. It is a deliberate, challenging narrative experience that asks players to sit with discomfort, uncertainty, and ethical compromise. Its strength lies in its willingness to explore dark subject matter without simplification, presenting a world where choices matter precisely because none of them are ideal. For players who appreciate noir storytelling, dystopian settings, and choice-driven narratives with emotional and political depth, Dry Drowning offers a haunting and memorable journey that lingers well beyond its final decision. Rating: 7/10
不好玩，玩到第二章的时候就失去了兴趣，ui真的很简陋啊。 我一开始是奔着反乌托邦来的，但是剧情太散乱了，有点看不懂在讲什么，然后玩完第一章就没兴趣打开了。
Players by region
Where this game's players are, estimated from review languages.
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