I originally had some pretty big complaints with this, mostly amounting to a lack of actual role-playing depth and pretty atrocious combat, but upon reflection (and upon playing most of what's already available) I think that's a somewhat unfair assessment. I think that Dread Delusion almost suffers a little from how heavily it wears it's influences on it sleeve, and that's not really the game's fault, but I went into this expecting it to be "indie Morrowind", when in truth it like, almost borrows more mechanically from Breath of the Wild? Don't get me wrong, there's a lot of old-school TES in here- the creatively designed world, the allusion to a grand history you might not be able to piece together right away, the perspective and general visual aesthetic- but what's really emphasized, above all else, is exploration and discovery. Not even nook or cranny holds something truly fascinating, but just like in BotW there's always something peppering the landscape, enticing you to seek further. Pockets of compelling quests or locales are dotted around the map, but between them are less major locations, puzzles and collectables to keep the world from feeling empty. There's a very real sense of discovery and awe here once it "clicks" and the full scope of the (currently unfinished) world hits you. As of now, I'd say this is still something really, truly special. I can't wait to see where it goes next.

Reviewed on Apr 18, 2023


Comments