Dread Delusion Review (Steam)

Dread Delusion is a game that stands out with its beautiful pixel art graphics and a 3D world viewed from a first-person perspective. The game is a 1.55GB download and comes with Steam achievements and full controller support. The graphics settings are comprehensive, including resolution, camera motion slider, fullscreen, v-sync, wobbly 3D, wobbly textures, and retro resolution. There’s also a field of view slider and the ability to remap controls for both the keyboard and the controller.

The game starts with you choosing your childhood dream roles, which affects your stats and buffs. The gameplay is action-adventure with interactive icon prompts and multiple choice encounters and discussions. The game features in-game cutscenes, character interactions, and still art screenshots. It also has a full inventory system.

The world of Dread Delusion is big and beautiful, filled with memorable locations. Character interactions are told a lot like the old choose your own adventure books, adding in details and feelings. There’s a stamina system in play for blocking, fighting, running, and jumping. You have four Delusion attributes – might, wisdom, guile, and persona. You can collect glimmer to increase them. The game is full of secrets and alternate routes within the world. There are tutorial signs as you play, and the game doesn’t push you into going and doing certain tasks.

The d-pad is used for quick selecting and using potions and handheld items. Crystal points replenish mana and are used as checkpoints. Sleeping replenishes health and lets you pick the time of day you wake up, though beds out in the wild can be unsafe. Lock picking is a dice roll against your stats. Dungeons and interior locations are well-designed with puzzle elements, unlocking shortcuts, etc. The melee combat is hack and slash, and enemies will use potions to heal. Shops let you buy and sell items and gear. There’s a main quest line with many optional side quests. There is a cool story reason for you dying and coming back each time. It’s possible to get your own airship and customize and upgrade it. You can upgrade and enhance spells and gear with alchemy and blacksmiths. You can gather materials and resources from the world.

However, the game does have some drawbacks. The lock picking feels too random, and you don’t see the mechanics in the background. Getting any guidance in the world can be tough, and it’s possible to feel lost. The movement is slow, making running the ideal speed for the game. There’s no way to change the font in the game. Pop in and pop up can be really distracting and immersion-breaking. There’s also no way to assign or mark particular quests.

Overall, Dread Delusion is a game with a rich, beautiful world and a deep, interactive gameplay system. It offers a lot of freedom and customization to the player, but it also has some areas that could be improved, such as the lock-picking mechanic and the lack of guidance in the world. Despite these drawbacks, the game’s strengths make it a memorable and engaging experience.