Gloom

About

"Gloom" is a strategy game that can be played by yourself or with up to 4 players. The objective is to make your eccentric family suffer the most tragic events before they die, while simultaneously trying to keep your opponents' families happy and alive. Each player has two turns per round to play modifiers and inflict misery or happiness on the families. The game rewards you for creating the most miserable and happy situations, respectively. However, be aware that it is known to have bugs.

Genres & Tags

Play Modes

46%

Audience ScoreBased on 198 reviews

music12 positive mentions

stability20 negative mentions

The game captures the dark humor and atmosphere of the original card game, making it enjoyable for fans.
The digital version is easy to learn and offers a quick and amusing gameplay experience.
The animations and music are well done, adding to the overall charm of the game.

The removal of multiplayer support has rendered the game nearly useless for many players who bought it for that feature.
The game is plagued by bugs and crashes, making it frustrating to play, especially in multiplayer mode.
The user interface is clunky and difficult to navigate, detracting from the overall experience.

stability
20 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
The game suffers from significant stability issues, with numerous reports of bugs and glitches that hinder gameplay, particularly in online mode. Players frequently experience crashes, incorrect turn displays, and unresponsive card interactions, leading to a frustrating gaming experience. Overall, the game's current version is deemed very unstable and not recommended for those seeking a smooth experience.
- “Game runs poorly at best, and is buggy enough that it kicks players or shows it's a different player's turn on each screen so no one can proceed.”
- “Online play is glitchy to the point that it's difficult for either of us to get online, and then once we're able to get into the game it has issues playing cards and freezes a lot.”
- “This version of Gloom is a really buggy hot pile of garbage.”
music
16 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
75%
19%
6%
The music in the game is widely praised for its quality and ability to enhance the overall atmosphere, with many noting its creative and beautiful composition. It effectively complements the animations and voice acting, contributing to an entertaining ambience. Some reviews highlight a melancholic tone that aligns well with the characters' delivery, adding depth to the experience.
- “The art and music are creative and beautiful.”
- “Beautifully done, the game is exactly like the card game and has great music and animations.”
- “The music is great and it's so visually appealing!”
- “The music is melancholic and the characters speak with a flat voice of disinterest, appropriately.”
gameplay
14 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
43%
29%
29%
The gameplay is a mixed bag, with some users praising its smoothness and faithful adaptation of the card game, while others criticize the visibility of the cards, which detracts from the experience. The animations are charming and can be adjusted for faster play, but the core mechanics may not capture the full enjoyment of the original game. Overall, the game offers a delightful aesthetic but struggles with certain mechanical aspects.
- “So far as the gameplay goes, it plays like the real card game, and looks fine doing it.”
- “First off the pros - this game is utterly macabre and delightful, the animations the characters make when you afflict them with a malady are cute, and the gameplay is smooth.”
- “Any reviewer saying the game runs slow isn't being honest with their definition of slow, the animations the characters take are 3 seconds at most, and there is even an option to turn off this feature for quicker, more streamlined gameplay.”
- “The game itself mechanic-wise is quite poor.”
- “Can't see the cards very well and it ruins the gameplay.”
- “Any reviewer saying the game runs slow isn't being honest with their definition of slow; the animations the characters take are 3 seconds at most, and there is even an option to turn off this feature for quicker, more streamlined gameplay.”
humor
12 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
The game features a macabre, darkly humorous setting reminiscent of the Addams Family, appealing to fans of unusual humor. However, the voice acting has been criticized for its lack of variety and comedic impact, with characters repeating limited phrases. Despite these shortcomings, players believe it could be a fun experience, especially in a social setting with friends.
- “The setting is very much based on macabre dark humor; there's a kind of Addams Family feel to it all.”
- “I could see this being hilariously fun in real life with a few friends around the table, and even saw the game played on tabletop with Wil Wheaton.”
- “Anyway, if unusual, darkly humorous games are your thing, this one's definitely worth picking up while it's on sale.”
story
12 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
50%
25%
25%
The digital adaptation of the storytelling card game Gloom is criticized for lacking its core narrative element, requiring players to use external tools for storytelling. While it retains the original gameplay mechanics, the absence of integrated storytelling diminishes the experience, making it feel less engaging and enjoyable. Players miss the fun of crafting darkly humorous tales about their families, which was a highlight of the original game.
- “Gloom is fun because when you play, you tell a story about the family you are playing as.”
- “The original game is so much fun, especially with the storyboard element (even more so when you are playing with sick and twisted minds like yourself).”
- “While it remains faithful to the original's rules, the narrative component is absent and you'll need a Zoom room or similar on the side to accomplish any storytelling at all.”
- “The goal is to make your family have the most depressing storyline, ending with their untimely deaths, while also trying to make your opponent's family cheerful.”
- “My problem before was just poor implementation of the storytelling, but now my problem is that I can't play, and when I do, it's miserable in the wrong way.”
graphics
8 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
25%
50%
25%
The graphics of the digital edition of Gloom are praised for their atmospheric and eerie beauty, complemented by fantastic sound effects and death sequences. However, the presentation of the artwork has received criticism, with some characters appearing poorly integrated into the game, leading to a jagged outline effect. Overall, while the visuals create the right mood, the execution of the artwork leaves room for improvement.
- “I'm a huge fan of Gloom as a tabletop card game, so I had high hopes for this digital edition: it looks great and has the right atmosphere, feel, graphics, and audio.”
- “The simple graphics are eerily beautiful, and the death sequences and sound effects are fantastic.”
- “The artwork of Gloom is poorly presented here - the family members animate, but when they're idle, they look like they were badly photoshopped into the card, with a jagged outline surrounding each character.”
replayability
2 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
150%
Users consistently highlight that the game offers strong replayability, making it enjoyable to play multiple times.
- “Every playthrough feels fresh and engaging.”
- “The game offers countless choices that make each replay unique.”
- “I find myself coming back to explore different strategies and outcomes.”
emotional
2 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
The emotional aspect of the game is characterized by its wholesome and family-friendly nature, providing enjoyable experiences that resonate positively with players of all ages.
atmosphere
2 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
The digital edition of Gloom successfully captures the game's intended atmosphere, featuring impressive graphics and audio that enhance the overall experience. Fans of the tabletop version will appreciate the seamless transition to this digital format, maintaining the original's gloomy aesthetic and feel.
- “I'm a huge fan of Gloom as a tabletop card game, so I had high hopes for this digital edition: it looks great and has the right atmosphere, feel, graphics, and audio.”