RPGamer reviewed Dread Delusion:

Dread Delusion Review

Use Your Delusion

There’s something to be said about the diminished art of a small open world. In the race for the ever-increasing size of game worlds, often overlooked is that the simple size of a landmass does little to provide interest to the player. A big space presents potential but that potential still needs to be realized. Ironically, a smaller open world has an easier time justifying itself, better able to fill its area with meaning while also suggesting a world much larger than what is strictly depicted. Dread Delusion doesn’t quite thread that needle perfectly, but in trying its hardest, it offers a lot in charm.

In the years following the God War, a conflict between the Apostatic Union and the Old Gods who previously ruled the world, the planet was left uninhabitable and the victorious Union was forced to the skies on floating islands known as the Skyrealms. Looking to wipe out the last remnants of the old ways, the Union begins an Inquisition on the Oneiric Islands, a small, tucked away part of the Skyrealms that has become the final holdout of outlaws, the Old Gods, and their followers. In their desperation, the Union begins recruiting prisoners to do their dirty work, which is where the player enters the picture. The player is sent to deal with mercenary captain Vela Callose, a woman who harbors a secret that could prove catastrophic. It’s up to the player to recruit her former allies in order to put a stop to her machinations.

[...]

The stars never fully aligned for Dread Delusion but it’s still an admirable effort. The world is intriguing, the dialogue surprisingly funny, and the sights something to behold. It’s also an adventurers dream, as the best parts of the game are seeing something new and bee-lining for it only to stumble across something else in the process. The game may end up a little too soft and mushy to wholly come together, but its ease can allow for a wider audience to come check out just how zany everything else is.

Score: 3.5/5

Thanks Couchpotato!

RPG Site reviewed Dread Delusion:

Dread Delusion Review

I fell in love with Dread Delusion when I came across the journal of an explorer, detailing his trek to the Underlands. It would be easy to cast Lovely Hellplace's writing as sardonic, but the heart of Dread Delusion's world is that of hope, even when it might seem hopeless; even if those hopes might be indistinquishable from delusions. 

To put things as simply as possible; Dread Delusion is an open-world RPG, wearing its inspirations - games like Morrowind and King's Field - proudly on its sleeve, while also still maintaining its own identity. There's an otherworldly aura to the floating isles and the kingdoms that inhabit them, as players explore the fringes of a society still struggling to come to grips with a world that has long since ended. Whether it's the Wikkans and their traditional worship of the gods being called upon by those who have forgotten the consequences, or the Union's frenzied actions to stamp such practices out that begs the question if the cure might just have been worse than the disease - not to mention the challenges facing the realm of the Endless, or the slow and undeniable decline of the Clockwork Kingdom.

[...]

Finally - the game is plagued with a number of bugs, especially in the late game. Admittedly these are being patched relatively quickly, but in the first few days following the 1.0 launch level geometry has failed to spawn, preventing the completion of vital sidequests, Truth Potions were completely unusable, and certain lifts for proceeding the main story have been almost completely blocked by misplaced assets. Controlling your airship once unlocked is especially finnicky; the camera has an absurdly low sensitivity, completely independent of your settings for on-foot. These will likely be fixed in due time, though it's hard to say exactly how long that might take. It's just such a shame that many of these bugs are present right at the finish line, diminishing what is absolutely a strong conclusion for what is already one of the best RPGs I've played this year.

Dread Delusion succeeds where it counts, even if bits and pieces still have some polishing left to do. For a crowded year for RPGs, Dread Delusion can still stand out from the crowd.

Score: 8/10

The adventure RPG Dread Delusion will be released today:

Dread Delusion

The world is broken. Its surface seethes with an undead curse, while humanity clings to flying continents in the sky. From mushroom forests to undead mausoleums, strange places and people await you. But will you find a way to heal this world - or seek power and profit for yourself?

With a beautiful retro 3D aesthetic, Dread Delusion is an open world RPG focused on player choice. Uncover a rich, interactive narrative through the game's quests, or pick a direction and explore by yourself.

Carve your own path. A keen mind or charming wit can prove just as useful as a sword; and your decisions will shape how the story unfolds.

Towns offer a needed respite for the weary traveller. Sleep through the night, trade goods, accept quests and speak with the locals.

Key Features:

• Embark on a central quest-line that will decide the fate of the land, or discover optional stories and challenges.
• With a varied skill system, there’s always an alternative to combat. Charm people, pick locks or use secret knowledge.
• Upgrade weapons - turn a rusty blade into a mastercrafted clockwork contraption.
• Amass a variety of powerful spells and potions to bend reality to your will. 

Available now:

• The Isle of Halloshire
• The Isle of the Endless Realm
• Leveling and Stats
• Basic smithing/alchemy
• Basic Factions AI for Enemies
• Questing 

Coming Soon:

• New Weapons, Armor, and Accessories
• The Clockwork Kingdom Isle
• The Forbidden Surface Ruins
• Constructible buildings
• Tweaks to Enemy AI
• Building on the Faction AI for Enemy Groups
• Further Fleshing out the Main Story Quest 

The Adventure RPG Dread Delusion will leave Early Access on May 14:

Leaving Early Access!

Delusionites, your time is coming

Thank you again to each and every one of you who made Dread Delusion’s early access a success! Your enthusiasm and feedback have been essential to helping create the final version of the game, and everyone at both Lovely Hellplace and DreadXP are eternally appreciative of each one of you who has taken this journey along with us.

Speaking of the final version of the game... May 14th. That's right, 1.0 is almost here.

With the game is leaving Early Access, there is also going to be a big update that goes live at launch. This includes some much-requested changes, the ability to finally (finally) complete a playthrough (with an ending!), new mechanics, and even more that we can share when the game comes out!

We look forward to players both seasoned and new getting their hands on the full version of the game soon, the road here has been long and fruitful but this marks not the end of this journey... but a new beginning.

Until then fellow Delusionites...

P.S.
Also you can get an airship. You can upgrade them. It's awesome.

Thanks Couchpotato!

The Early Access title Dread Delusion got a new major region:

The Clockwork Kingdom Update

Explore the Isle of Cogs and Madness

THE CLOCKWORK KINGDOM

For the first time since entering Early Access, Dread Delusion has got a whole new major region: The Clockwork Kingdom.

The ominous clanking of gears can always be heard in this cold, desolate place, for the Clockwork King has spread its perverse machinery and violent automation across the land.

This update adds the largest island yet. Along with a vast dystopian city, hundreds of characters, and five unique quests.

THE CITY OF FERROPOLIS
The sprawling city of Ferropolis is home to the Clockwork King and its countless denizens who toil to do their monarch's bidding. It's easily the most detailed, content-rich city yet seen in Dread Delusion.

Densely populated, Ferropolis is packed full of NPCs, items, and secrets.
Hit the shops! Trade wares on the black market or indulge in Bottled Visions from the upper city.
Visit the Missing Persons Noticeboard; can you track down a child who has been erased from memory?
Go before the Clockwork King in the Great Machinarium. Will you serve the mad King? Try to redeem him? Or orchestrate his downfall?

MAIN QUEST - THE SEARCH FOR CAXTON FROST
While the notorious sky pirate Caxton Frost seems to have vanished, in the mountains, you meet a curious man named Horace, who seems to have lost his memories. Could he hold the secret to finding Vela's old comrade?

New main story quest that spans the whole Clockwork Kingdom.
The journey to recover Horace’s memories will take you into the depths of the corrupted lands and through his dreams.

THE CORRUPTED LANDS
The King's magic has twisted reality itself, turning this place into a surreal nightmare festering with abominations of the flesh.
Travel to the Lost City of Progress, on the furthest end of the island. This new dungeon offers a devious challenge to those willing to brave its streets.
Piece together the City’s history and recover the exquisite artifacts abandoned there

SAFE PASSAGE
Simply getting to the Clockwork Kingdom is not without difficulty, for the gatebridge on the eastern edge of Hallowshire is closed tight.
A new quest will see you befriending the enterprising young sky trader Mikhail. Could this be your way in?
Find Mikhail's skiff at the dock along the bluffs at the edge of Hallowshire’s eastern farmlands.

Thanks Couchpotato!

Splattercatgaming checked out the open-world RPG Dread Delusion:

Dread Delusion - Open World Cultist Hunting RPG

In his 8th Dreadful Dev Diary, lead developer James Wragg dives into meaty new content and an updated combat system of Dread Delusion:

Dreadful Dev Diaries: Updated Combat and Content

Inverse checked out the open world RPG Dread Delusion:

Dread Delusion feels like Lovecraft made an Elder Scrolls game

Who needs a main story with all these side quests?

The residents of Hallow live their lives under the ever-present neuron star, the world is shattered and those that remain cling to life on islands in the sky. This is Dread Delusion, a new RPG in early access from developer Lovely Hellplace. Dread Delusion combines elements from Elden Ring, Elder Scrolls, and the retro aesthetic of the PS1. Even in its incomplete form, the game offers such deep worldbuilding that I felt compelled to turn over every rock and find every secret available to me. Who needs one thousand planets when a game like this can offer such expertly crafted experiences that still give the player a sense of scale?

As a newly released prisoner, it is your job to track down and apprehend the outlaw, Vela Callo. This is a setup that sounds right out of an Elder Scrolls game. Before being released to the world, you set your character's attributes based on a handful of backstory options, I choose to boost my Wisdom and Guile as I prefer to be sneaky. Once the short intro quest is completed, Dread Delusion opens its map, letting you explore to your heart's content. See that mountain? You can go there.

Retro is in - Dread Delusion is billed as a retro horror RPG with PlayStation 1 visuals. The basic mechanics of the game are heavily inspired by earlier Elder Scrolls titles. It harkens back to the tabletop roots of roleplaying video games with lockpicking visualized by a literal roll of the dice and players needing to boost stats to pass skill checks. The Oneiric Isles, the game’s setting, look and feel like the island of Vvardenfell from Morrowind, down to the giant mushrooms scattered across the landscape.

But Dread Delusion isn’t just a Morrowind clone; The Lovecraftian horror elements are as palpable as the RPG influences. Dread Delusion began life as one of several demos on the Haunted PS1 Demo Disc 2020. The Demo Disc was made to evoke an existential horror in the player through a collection of unsettling games all in the style of the PS1. In the case of Dread Delusion, the brand of horror is cosmic. The main struggle between people in Dread Delusion is between those who worship the gods, cosmic beings that can fulfill prayers to dangerous effect, and the Apostatic Union, a group of anti-occult militants that exercise power over much of the land. This struggle propels the player, but along the way, you will meet many regular people just trying to survive.

[...]

The open world RPG Dread Delusion has been released into Early Access:

Dread Delusion

The world is broken. Its surface seethes with an undead curse, while humanity clings to flying continents in the sky. From mushroom forests to undead mausoleums, strange places and people await you. But will you find a way to heal this world - or seek power and profit for yourself?

With a beautiful retro 3D aesthetic, Dread Delusion is an open world RPG focused on player choice. Uncover a rich, interactive narrative through the game's quests, or pick a direction and explore by yourself.

Carve your own path. A keen mind or charming wit can prove just as useful as a sword; and your decisions will shape how the story unfolds.

Towns offer a needed respite for the weary traveller. Sleep through the night, trade goods, accept quests and speak with the locals.

Key Features:

• Embark on a central quest-line that will decide the fate of the land, or discover optional stories and challenges.
• With a varied skill system, there’s always an alternative to combat. Charm people, pick locks or use secret knowledge.
• Upgrade weapons - turn a rusty blade into a mastercrafted clockwork contraption.
• Amass a variety of powerful spells and potions to bend reality to your will. 

Available now:

• The Isle of Halloshire
• The Isle of the Endless Realm
• Leveling and Stats
• Basic smithing/alchemy
• Basic Factions AI for Enemies
• Questing 

Coming Soon:

• New Weapons, Armor, and Accessories
• The Clockwork Kingdom Isle
• The Forbidden Surface Ruins
• Constructible buildings
• Tweaks to Enemy AI
• Building on the Faction AI for Enemy Groups
• Further Fleshing out the Main Story Quest