4.5/5 ★ – beardedgoddess's review of Dread Delusion.

This is a game that does several things extremely well—namely exploration and world building. We also have great writing, art style, and music (particularly the Clockwork Kingdom theme). This was honestly an extremely well-made game that continuously surprised me with how it remained solid throughout its almost 30-hour run time. Not once did it feel like the quality had dropped. There were new things going on until the very end. Every nook and cranny was packed full of things worthy of exploration. Every inch of space in this map offers something that justifies its existence. I see a lot of complaining about the combat. It’s almost the only thing that one could criticize and that criticism comes off as completely hollow. With everything on offer, what gave you the impression that this game would benefit from a dynamic combat system? The world, the writing, and artistry… the combat is only there to augment the core part of this experience, which is the experience itself. You swing a sword or shoot a bow—it’s enough. For me, this game exemplifies how indie games are almost the only ones worth playing right now. Large studios have become so formulaic that you know what you will get before you even turn it on. Consumers are so concerned with graphics that games like this will fly under the radar. Imagine what large studios could do with all that money, talent, and time if they did not spend it all on graphics reflecting reality and actors. This game was so damn good and immersive that it stands heads and shoulders over its contemporaries, while looking like a UHD PS1 game. If you want a unique Elderscrolls-like experience but with good writing, art style, and lore, give this a shot.