Gloom

About

Gloom is a single player action adventure game. It was developed by Hunchback Studio and was released on April 13, 2017. It received positive reviews from players.

"Gloom" is a single-player action game with an intriguing HP Lovecraft-inspired story, presented through procedural levels and challenging combat. The game offers a wide array of weapons, items, and foes for unique scenarios, and a permadeath system similar to modern roguelike titles. Its delightful pixel art and outstanding soundtrack create a unique atmosphere .

Genres & Tags

Play Modes

Single-Player

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83%

Audience ScoreBased on 568 reviews

gameplay58 positive mentions

grinding18 negative mentions

Gloom features a unique blend of 2D action and roguelike elements, reminiscent of Dark Souls and Bloodborne, providing a challenging yet rewarding gameplay experience.
The game's atmosphere is enhanced by its haunting soundtrack and minimalist art style, creating an engaging and immersive world filled with intriguing lore.
Combat mechanics are satisfying and require players to learn enemy patterns, making each run feel fresh and encouraging mastery over time.

The game suffers from a lack of permanent progression, leading to repetitive gameplay as players must restart from the beginning after each death.
Controls can feel clunky and unresponsive at times, particularly with the timing of attacks and dodges, which can lead to frustrating encounters.
The limited number of enemy types and items can make the gameplay feel stale after a few runs, reducing overall replayability.

gameplay
178 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
33%
50%
17%
The gameplay of Gloom is a blend of challenging, souls-like mechanics with a roguelite structure, featuring dodge rolls, parry systems, and a stamina management system that some players find rewarding yet clunky. While the game offers a gripping atmosphere and engaging lore, it suffers from issues like unpolished mechanics, a lack of enemy variety, and frustrating permadeath, which can detract from the overall experience. Despite its flaws, many players appreciate the addictive nature of the gameplay and the depth provided by item combinations and strategic combat.
- “The actual gameplay is very much souls inspired with dodge rolls, a parry system, and it's even got guns and melee that feels pulled straight out of Bloodborne.”
- “Gloom is extremely difficult; however, each death makes you more determined to keep playing because of how strategic and patterned the gameplay is.”
- “Great atmosphere, top-notch soundtrack, pretty fun gameplay that didn't feel repetitive, controls are tight, you can and must experiment with different builds and play styles because items are RNG generated, enemies and bosses are intuitive and fun.”
- “You feel exhausted and strained before the gameplay even starts, and since this game seems to be about living through nightmares and dreams, perhaps that's what the intended atmosphere was; however, it just doesn't translate well into the gameplay.”
- “The gameplay is linear and tedious, the music is mediocre at best, and the enemies are boring.”
- “The stamina mechanic is garbage and makes the game slower than it needs to be.”
music
160 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
65%
33%
2%
The music in the game has received mixed reviews, with many praising its atmospheric and haunting qualities that enhance the overall experience. While some players find the soundtrack to be phenomenal and fitting for the game's dark aesthetic, others criticize it for being repetitive or bland. Overall, the music is often highlighted as a standout feature that contributes significantly to the game's immersive atmosphere.
- “The music perfectly matches the look & feel of Gloom and its world: it's dark, depressing, somber, yet atmospheric and gorgeous.”
- “The soundtrack is gorgeous and the background set pieces are beautiful, which saddens me considering how little of the game is there.”
- “The music was my favorite part of the game, amazing tracks that stay in your head and don't get boring even after hearing them many times.”
- “The atmosphere and music is so drab and dull that it's so tiring to play even after just 10 minutes.”
- “The music is bad.”
- “The gameplay is linear and tedious, the music is mediocre at best and the enemies are boring.”
graphics
136 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
46%
50%
4%
The graphics of the game are characterized by a simple yet effective art style that complements its dark and atmospheric themes, often drawing comparisons to titles like "Limbo." While many players appreciate the unique aesthetic and well-crafted visuals, some critique the minimalistic approach and lack of detail in animations. Overall, the visuals are generally well-received for their ability to create an engaging atmosphere, despite some opinions on their originality and execution.
- “The graphics are top-notch, and the fighting is actually pretty engaging for the first 3 hours.”
- “The lore, atmosphere, visuals, and music are top-notch.”
- “The graphics are amazing and I can't find anything I don't like about this game.”
- “The 8-bit black and white graphics are uninspired and poorly designed.”
- “It can be pretty unforgiving, and the monochromatic and simple graphics may turn some people away.”
- “It's like if Rogue Legacy had terrible controls and artwork.”
story
98 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
33%
63%
4%
The game's story is intricately woven through item descriptions and lore, requiring players to piece together the narrative themselves, reminiscent of titles like Dark Souls and Bloodborne. While some find the storytelling method engaging and the lore rich, others criticize it for being cryptic and lacking a cohesive narrative. Overall, the unique setting and eldritch horror themes contribute to a compelling experience for those who appreciate subtle storytelling and exploration of lore.
- “The reimagined version of Lovecraft’s dreamlands crafted by Aleksi Sirviö is a monochromatic delight, complete with an engaging storyline and phenomenal music.”
- “The story is its best aspect, and I found myself enjoying reading the Necronomicon more than anything else in the game.”
- “The game's story, hidden in its item descriptions and the depictions of its characters, is genuinely fascinating and one of the more interesting settings I've had the pleasure to glimpse into.”
- “Even the story is uncreative and generally amateurish; it's barely even told to the player, but these days poor plot telling has become a trend.”
- “The story is largely communicated through optional text associated with discovered items and defeated bosses, which can be reviewed through the menu; while not mind-blowing, this lore succeeds in assembling the different regions, characters, and enemies into a cohesive whole.”
- “The story and world aren't explicitly detailed for you during the main game, but instead can be pieced together yourself by reading through the weapon and item logs in the journal.”
atmosphere
96 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
56%
41%
3%
The atmosphere of the game is consistently described as dark, gloomy, and heavily influenced by Lovecraftian themes, creating an intense and immersive experience. While many players appreciate the haunting visuals, compelling lore, and atmospheric music, some find the overall tone to be exhausting or monotonous over extended play. Overall, the game's atmosphere is a standout feature that enhances its roguelike mechanics and storytelling, though opinions vary on its execution and impact on gameplay.
- “The dark and eerie atmosphere drips with intensity.”
- “Gloom is a challenging and atmospheric game that is packed with more lore than you might give it credit for at first glance.”
- “The atmosphere and soundtrack is top-notch.”
- “The atmosphere and music is so drab and dull that it's tiring to play even after just 10 minutes.”
- “You feel exhausted and strained before the gameplay even starts, and since this game seems to be about living through nightmares and dreams, perhaps that's what the intended atmosphere was; however, it just doesn't translate well into the gameplay.”
- “'Gloomy', derelict atmosphere and art direction.”
replayability
26 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
46%
42%
12%
The game's replayability is a mixed bag; while some players find it enjoyable and addictive due to varied buffs and relics, others criticize it for repetitive environments and limited enemy variety. Although it offers some replay value through achievements and alternate endings, many feel it lacks the depth and content found in more established roguelikes. Overall, it has potential for replayability but may not sustain long-term interest for all players.
- “An enjoyable game with a surprising amount of replay value.”
- “The varied buffs and relics you can get add a ton of addictive replayability, always debating which ones to grab and what kind of combinations you can create out of them.”
- “Rogue-likes live and die based on their replayability, and I can see Gloom staying fresh and fun for a long time to come.”
- “It's an alright game that is burdened by a lot of minor flaws; it especially struggles with replayability, as all the rooms are the same and each floor only has 4-5 enemies.”
- “Since if the player beats the game, they likely won't need to play it anymore since it has no replay value, so it just artificially stops them from winning.”
- “While this game is delightful, it still feels a bit young compared to its de facto parents, having neither the difficulty of Dark Souls-style games nor the sheer content and replayability of The Binding of Isaac.”
grinding
18 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
Players find the grinding aspect of the game to be a mixed experience; while it can initially feel tedious and repetitive, especially in the early stages, it becomes more engaging as players learn which items to pursue and develop strategies against bosses. The lack of persistent unlocks contributes to a less rewarding grind compared to traditional roguelites, leading some to lose interest during the grind for necessary tokens and synergies. Overall, the grind is seen as a necessary but sometimes frustrating part of the gameplay loop.
- “Then it becomes a little tedious, even grindy.”
- “Needless to say, some synergies are stronger than others, and you're going to find yourself grinding for the one for a bit of time, since the game is pretty challenging.”
- “At first, I was grinding run after run trying to get good, so I was starting to lose interest.”
stability
6 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
The game's stability is heavily criticized, with users reporting significant issues such as clunky and slow combat, character movement freezing for half a second, and buggy menus that hinder gameplay. Overall, these stability problems detract from the experience, leading players to feel that even the low price is not justified.
- “I only paid $3 for this and it's not even worth that; combat is clunky and slow; every movement you do 'freezes' your character for a half second so even if you react quickly enough your character doesn't.”
- “Buggy menus.”
- “Fortunately you can change those, but the menu to do so is buggy and very poorly designed.”
optimization
4 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
50%
50%
The game's optimization is notably poor on Linux, as controllers only function with Proton, which severely hampers performance. Players have reported significant lag and slow-motion gameplay during critical boss fights, indicating a lack of effective optimization across platforms.
- “Controllers don't work on Linux unless Proton is used, and using Proton gives absolutely abysmal performance in the game.”
- “I had some performance issues during my [spoiler]abyss[/spoiler] boss fights, leading to me playing that boss fight in slow-motion.”
humor
2 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
The humor in the game is often centered around its difficulty, with players noting that while it could be a source of comedic relief, the challenge is so overwhelming that it detracts from the enjoyment.