Dry Drowning on Steam - User reviews, Price & Information
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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.
Dry Drowning is a futuristic, adventure and mystery game
developed by Studio V and VLG
and published by Leonardo Interactive and WhisperGames.
Released on August 02nd 2019 is available only on Windows
in 6 languages: English, Italian, Simplified Chinese, Japanese, Korean and German.
It has received 493 reviews of which 400 were positive and 93 were negative resulting in a rating of 7.6 out of 10. 😊
The game is currently priced at 16.79€ on Steam, but you can find it for 11.98€ on Instant Gaming.
The Steam community has classified Dry Drowning into these genres:
System requirements
These are the minimum specifications needed to play the game. For the best experience, we recommend that you verify them.
Windows
- Requires a 64-bit processor and operating system
- OS: WINDOWS® 10 (64bit)
- Processor: Intel® Core™ i3-4160
- Memory: 4 GB RAM
- Graphics: Intel® HD Graphics 4400
- DirectX: Version 11
- Storage: 2 GB available space
User reviews & Ratings
Explore reviews from Steam users sharing their experiences and what they love about the game.
Reviewing (mostly) every game (or DLC) in my library, part 36: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️/10 Dry Drowning is an Italian psychological visual novel and detective thriller developed by Studio V, set in a dark, dystopian future. It blends visual novel storytelling with investigation gameplay, moral choices, and a very noir-meets-cyberpunk aesthetic. You play as Mordred Foley, a disgraced private investigator haunted by his failures and morally gray choices. The story kicks off when a series of killings by a serial killer named Pandora begins, echoing cases Mordred failed to solve years ago. Set in the oppressive city-state of Nova Polemos, the game tackles themes of fascism, redemption, psychological trauma, and identity, while forcing you to make difficult moral decisions along the way. Overall, Dry Drowning is a flawed but ambitious cyber-noir mystery. It tries to say something meaningful about guilt, fascism, and justice—and it mostly succeeds. While it lacks polish in places, the moral weight of its decisions, its bleak setting, and its stylish presentation make it stand out in a crowded visual novel space. 🍷 Pros: [*] Compelling noir/cyberpunk setting: The world of Nova Polemos is gritty, politically unstable, and hauntingly atmospheric. [*] Heavy moral choices with consequences: Your decisions truly shape the narrative, including who lives, who dies, and what kind of person Mordred becomes. There are three endings, all drastically different. [*] Investigation gameplay: Beyond dialogue choices, you’ll examine crime scenes, interrogate suspects, and deduce who’s lying. It’s light in terms of mechanics but adds a nice layer of interactivity. [*] Psychological horror elements: The game visually distorts when characters lie (like showing grotesque masks), adding to the intensity and unease. There's a surreal, unhinged quality that fits the tone. [*] Original art style: Character designs are sharp, bold, and unique. Backgrounds are bleak but visually interesting, enhancing the dystopian mood. [*] Strong themes: Identity, authoritarianism, guilt, and personal responsibility are all explored with surprising nuance. [*] Cool (and apt!) title. The phrase dry drowning refers to a person who suffocates without water actually entering the lungs—a slow, invisible suffocation. It’s a potent metaphor for living under repression, choking on regret and guilt, and slowly being undone by a system or your own conscience. [*] Wonderful Greek allusions and characterization. Mordred Foley: the Cursed Knight, famously the traitorous son (or nephew) of King Arthur in Arthurian legend. His rebellion leads to the fall of Camelot, and in many versions, he deals the fatal blow to Arthur—but dies himself in the process. [*] Our Mordred Foley also has a past steeped in failure and betrayal. He destroyed his own Camelot and just like the mythological Mordred, is a symbol of self-destruction. Arthurian Mordred is a knight without honor. Foley is a detective—a kind of modern knight, tasked with uncovering truth and protecting the innocent—but he’s disgraced. This twisted mirror of the noble knight archetype reflects the game's core themes: moral ambiguity, redemption, and decay. [*] We also have Hera Kairis: the Disillusioned Queen. Hera, in Greek mythology, is the queen of the gods, the goddess of marriage and family—but she’s also jealous, vengeful, and wounded by Zeus’s betrayals. Hera in Dry Drowning is Mordred’s partner and lover (based on your choices), and her name choice ties into multiple levels. First, justice and loyalty. Mythological Hera often punishes those who wrong her or break sacred vows. In the game, Hera is committed to justice in her own way—but her loyalty to Mordred is strained by his past sins and ongoing flaws. [*] She, however, is no sidekick. She’s sharp, moral, and frequently more principled than Mordred. Her name subtly emphasizes her role as a moral compass, but one who struggles with the emotional and ethical toll of the world around her. The ancient cycles of power, vengeance, and tragedy are still playing out in a futuristic setting. [*] Pandora: The name of the serial killer comes from the woman in Greek mythology who opened a box (or jar) and released all the evils of the world. The killer sees society as corrupt and wants to "reveal the truth," no matter the cost. Like the myth, the murders leave destruction in their wake, but also, potentially, hope. [*] Nova Polemos. The city’s name is also loaded. "Nova" = new, and "Polemos" = Greek for war. So: New War. Fitting for a dystopian society simmering with unrest, resistance, and moral battles. 💻 Cons: [*] Stiff writing and translation quirks: While the story is strong, the English localization is awkward at times. Some dialogue can feel clunky or overly expositional. [*] Pacing issues: The game occasionally drags, especially in scenes heavy with lore or exposition. Balancing action, investigation, and narrative tension could be tighter. [*] Limited gameplay depth: The investigation mechanics are serviceable but simplistic—more visual novel than detective sim. [*] Edginess overload: Some players may find the tone a bit too grimdark or melodramatic, especially in how characters are written or how trauma is presented.
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While the gameplay isn't groundbreaking, the art direction is really good and the story was really engaging, I give it props
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The storytelling is top-notch and captivating, but what really stands out are the countless meaningful interactions. Your choices have a profound impact on the story and how other characters perceive you, making every decision feel significant. This level of consequence adds a ton of replay value. The investigation mechanics are straightforward—not overly complex—but they do the job. However, where the game truly excels is in its presentation. The noir-inspired comic style perfectly complements the dark, moody narrative, while the original soundtrack elevates the atmosphere even further. The music shifts seamlessly between tension-building during pivotal moments and reflective during quieter investigation scenes, creating a deeply immersive experience.
Expand the review
Dry Drowning stands out with its cyberpunk vibe, psychological themes, and atmospheric music, though the lack of full audio is divisive. Its classic point-and-click gameplay feels familiar, but the story is hit-or-miss depending on your taste. Great for visual novel and light mystery fans, but perfectionists might find its flaws frustrating.
Expand the review
A fun detective game, I like the overall story, and I love that your decisions have consequences. The main character is a stereotypical 'I'm a detective who is tormented by a cold case and I love cigarettes' which i wasn't the biggest fan of, at times the writing feels a bit edgy cringe, but I enjoyed the game overall
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Frequently Asked Questions
Dry Drowning is currently priced at 16.79€ on Steam.
Dry Drowning is currently not on sale. You can purchase it for 16.79€ on Steam.
Dry Drowning received 400 positive votes out of a total of 493 achieving a rating of 7.63.
😊
Dry Drowning was developed by Studio V and VLG and published by Leonardo Interactive and WhisperGames.
Dry Drowning is playable and fully supported on Windows.
Dry Drowning is not playable on MacOS.
Dry Drowning is not playable on Linux.
Dry Drowning is a single-player game.
There are 2 DLCs available for Dry Drowning. Explore additional content available for Dry Drowning on Steam.
Dry Drowning does not support mods via Steam Workshop.
Dry Drowning does not support Steam Remote Play.
Dry Drowning is enabled for Steam Family Sharing. This means you can share the game with authorized users from your Steam Library, allowing them to play it on their own accounts. For more details on how the feature works, you can read the original Steam Family Sharing announcement or visit the Steam Family Sharing user guide and FAQ page.
You can find solutions or submit a support ticket by visiting the Steam Support page for Dry Drowning.
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Additionally, we incorporate data from the SteamSpy API, which offers insights into game sales and player statistics. This helps us present a comprehensive view of each game's popularity and performance within the gaming community.
Last Updates| Steam data | 14 June 2025 07:12 |
|---|---|
| SteamSpy data | 10 June 2025 11:23 |
| Steam price | 14 June 2025 20:27 |
| Steam reviews | 14 June 2025 20:03 |
If you'd like to dive deeper into the details about Dry Drowning, we invite you to check out a few dedicated websites that offer extensive information and insights. These platforms provide valuable data, analysis, and user-generated reports to enhance your understanding of the game and its performance.
- SteamDB - A comprehensive database of everything on Steam about Dry Drowning
- SteamCharts - Analysis of Dry Drowning concurrent players on Steam
- ProtonDB - Crowdsourced reports on Linux and Steam Deck Dry Drowning compatibility
Game modes
Features
Online players
1
Developer
Studio V,
VLG
Publisher
Leonardo Interactive,
WhisperGames
Release
02 Aug 2019
Platforms
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