Are you in the mood for an open world action RPG with a dark fantasy setting with PlayStation 1 era graphics? Dread Delusion fits that incredibly specific criteria perfectly, and it’s coming out on Steam in only two weeks.
If the name rings a bell, that’s because Dread Delusion launched as an early access title back in 2022, and has been getting almost nothing but glowing reviews from players since. Set in a literally broken world made of floating islands, you decide the fate of it and its people as you explore the land, complete quests, and fight off monsters in first-person combat.
Dread Delusion promises a lot of freedom, not only with how you progress the story and complete quests but with how you build your character. While your arsenal can consist of spells, potions, and upgradable weapons, there are ways to bypass combat, such as through lockpicking and charming NPCs.
The full release also comes with a boatload of extra content, including a new realm to explore, new towns, new dungeons, new quests, new endgame content, and even more enemies to fight. So, anyone who’s been playing Dread Delusion since its early access launch has a reason to keep coming back to it.
Given all the positive user reviews, it looks like Dread Delusion more than follows through with its promises, and there’s something inherently charming about its retro-inspired visuals. While publisher DreadXP compares it to the likes of Bethesda’s The Elder Scrolls 3: Morrowind and FromSoftware’s King’s Field series, the blocky graphics and nightmarish enemy designs make me think of Nightmare Creatures.
Dread Delusion launches in full on May 14, 2024, as a PC exclusive via Steam for $19.99 / £15.49, though it will be discounted during Steam’s LudoNarraCon festival from May 9 to May 16. Neither DreadXP nor developer Lovely Hellplace have commented on a console port, but it is compatible with the Steam Deck if that’s your preferred method of playing Steam games.
