Gloom
- October 31, 2018
- Sky Ship Studios
- 5h median play time
Get on Steam"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.
iPad
iPhone
Phone
Mobile Platform
Tablet
Reviews
- The game captures the charm and atmosphere of the original card game, with great animations and voice acting.
- It's easy to learn and can be a fun way to pass time, especially for fans of the card game.
- The digital version allows for quick setup and play without the need for physical components.
- 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.
- stability10 mentions
- 0 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 100 % negative mentions
The game's stability is heavily criticized, with numerous reports of bugs and glitches that significantly hinder gameplay, particularly in online mode. Players experience frequent crashes, card interaction errors, and issues with game progression, leading to a frustrating experience overall. Despite some enjoyment of the game itself, the pervasive instability makes it difficult to recommend.
“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.”
- music8 mentions
- 75 % positive mentions
- -12 % neutral mentions
- 38 % negative mentions
The music in the game is widely praised for its quality and ability to enhance the overall atmosphere, with many noting its creativity and beauty. It effectively complements the animations and voice acting, contributing to an engaging and immersive experience. The melancholic tones align well with the game's themes, making it a standout feature.
“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, which fits the tone.”
“The music feels repetitive and lacks variety, making it hard to stay engaged.”
“While the visuals are stunning, the music fails to enhance the experience and often feels out of place.”
- gameplay7 mentions
- 43 % positive mentions
- 14 % neutral mentions
- 43 % negative mentions
The gameplay has received mixed reviews, with some users noting poor visibility of cards that detracts from the experience, while others appreciate the smooth mechanics that closely resemble the real card game. The game's macabre style and character animations are praised, and options for faster gameplay are available, enhancing the overall enjoyment for players.
“Great concept, style, and game mechanics, all transferred to PC.”
“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.”
“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.”
- humor6 mentions
- 100 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 0 % negative mentions
The game features a darkly humorous tone reminiscent of the Addams Family, appealing to fans of macabre comedy. While the voice acting and character dialogue are criticized for being repetitive and lacking depth, the overall humor can be enjoyable, especially in a social setting. It's recommended for those who appreciate unusual humor, particularly when played with friends.
“I got the video game for the funny voice acting and animations.”
“The setting is very much based on macabre dark humor; there's a kind of Addams Family feel to it all.”
“Anyway, if unusual, darkly humorous games are your thing, this one's definitely worth picking up while it's on sale.”
- story6 mentions
- 50 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 50 % negative mentions
The digital adaptation of the card game Gloom retains its original mechanics but significantly lacks the storytelling element that made the physical version enjoyable. Players miss the engaging narrative aspect, which allowed for creative and darkly humorous storytelling, leading to a less satisfying experience overall. While the goal remains to craft the most tragic family tale, the absence of a proper storytelling framework diminishes the fun and creativity that defined 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.”
- graphics4 mentions
- 50 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 50 % negative mentions
The graphics of the digital edition of Gloom are praised for their atmospheric and eerie beauty, complemented by fantastic sound effects. However, some users criticize the presentation of the artwork, noting issues with character animations and jagged outlines that detract from the overall visual experience.
“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.”
“The AI is not smart, will play cards even if it makes themselves lose, etc. Disappointing because I like the artwork, but the broken AI is a game killer.”
- replayability1 mentions
- 300 % positive mentions
- -500 % neutral mentions
- 300 % negative mentions
Users consistently highlight the game's strong replayability, indicating that it offers engaging content that encourages multiple playthroughs.
“Every aspect of the game is replayable, offering new experiences each time.”
“The game encourages multiple playthroughs with its diverse choices and outcomes.”
“Each run feels fresh and exciting, making you want to dive back in for more.”
“The game lacks meaningful choices, making each replay feel like a chore rather than an adventure.”
“Once you've completed the main story, there's little incentive to go back and play again.”
“The limited variety in gameplay mechanics means that replaying the game feels repetitive and dull.”
- emotional1 mentions
- 100 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 0 % negative mentions
The emotional aspect of the game is characterized by its wholesome and uplifting nature, making it enjoyable for players of all ages and fostering a sense of family togetherness.
- atmosphere1 mentions
- 100 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 0 % negative mentions
The atmosphere of the digital edition of Gloom is highly praised, with users noting its impressive graphics, audio, and overall feel that effectively captures the essence of the original tabletop card game.
“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.”
