Gloomgrave
- September 25, 2023
- netmancer
- 2h median play time
Get on Steam
Get on itch.io Store"Gloomgrave is a single-player Horror Role Playing game available on Google Play, iOS, and Steam. The demo version offers 50+ items, 15+ monsters, and 15+ perks across 9 challenging depths. With its retro pixel aesthetic and awesome soundtrack, it takes approximately 2 hours to beat."
PC
Web Browser
Windows
Reviews
- Charming pixel art and nostalgic feel reminiscent of classic dungeon crawlers.
- Engaging gameplay loop with randomized levels that enhance replayability.
- Great value for the price, providing a fun experience for casual gaming sessions.
- Lacks depth and content, making it feel repetitive and short after a few runs.
- User interface and mechanics are poorly explained, leading to confusion about stats and effects.
- Movement can be tedious, and there are issues with class progression and character resets.
- gameplay40 mentions
- 20 % positive mentions
- 70 % neutral mentions
- 10 % negative mentions
Gameplay reviews highlight a mix of strengths and weaknesses. While the mechanics are generally well-designed and the game offers a charming presentation, many players find the gameplay to be shallow and lacking clarity, particularly regarding certain mechanics like accuracy and the hunger system. Additionally, issues with enemy AI and a lack of in-game tutorials contribute to a sense of frustration, suggesting that future updates could benefit from deeper mechanics and better explanations.
“While the controls took a little to get used to, once I got the hang of it, the flow of the actual gameplay is amazing.”
“Totally addictive game, well-designed game mechanics and art/music.”
“The mechanics are good and the play style doesn't seem to be unfair.”
“It's a charming presentation, but the gameplay is pretty shallow, and some mechanics (cloaks, dodge+weight+perks, accuracy) are either inconsistent in their behavior (accuracy seems to affect melee, but not ranged), or simply unclear what (if any) gameplay effects they have.”
“As it is, the enemy AI is extremely poor, and the gameplay boils down to 'get bigger numbers'.”
“I really do like this game, however, there's no in-game tutorial or explanation for the mechanics.”
- music30 mentions
- 67 % positive mentions
- 23 % neutral mentions
- 10 % negative mentions
The music in the game is widely praised for its atmospheric and relaxing qualities, creating a comfy and immersive experience that enhances gameplay. Many reviewers highlight the soundtrack as a standout feature, describing it as enchanting and addictive, with a nostalgic vibe reminiscent of 'rainy day' video game music. Overall, the music is considered the highlight of the game, contributing significantly to its enjoyable and chill ambiance.
“The soundtrack is great, sitting somewhere between comfy and immersive, sort of reminding me of 'rainy day' type of VGM (from when I was a young and supple chubby boy, free of responsibilities like 'work' and 'parenting').”
“Accompanied by great music, the game loop felt relaxing and enjoyable.”
“Developed by one person and one musician?”
“One for the game itself and the other for the music.”
“The music is by far my favorite part of the entire thing.”
- graphics20 mentions
- 60 % positive mentions
- 35 % neutral mentions
- 5 % negative mentions
The game's graphics feature a charming and simple 2D-3D pixel art style that enhances the fun and quirky nature of encounters. While many players appreciate the retro aesthetic and cohesive art style, some find it lacks uniqueness and are bothered by the flat color palette. Overall, the visuals are generally well-received, contributing positively to the game's atmosphere.
“It has a charming yet simple 2D-3D pixel art graphics making each encounter fun and even a bit goofy at times depending on what you fight.”
“The pixel aesthetic is very cool and I'm looking forward to seeing what the new areas and monsters look like.”
“Super simple, cohesive art style makes it very easy on the eyes.”
“I also feel like the art style isn't very unique, and the flat purple color palette bothers my eyes.”
- atmosphere12 mentions
- 50 % positive mentions
- 25 % neutral mentions
- 25 % negative mentions
The game's atmosphere is widely praised for its beautiful art and music, creating a charming and immersive experience. While the atmosphere enhances the enjoyment of dungeon crawling and inventory management, some players find the combat simplistic and exploration tedious. Overall, it is described as a captivating rogue-like/dungeon crawler that excels in creating a rich and engaging environment.
“A beautiful game with a beautiful atmosphere.”
“The art and atmosphere are cute, but the combat is extremely simple and the exploration is tedious.”
“Fantastic small scale rogue-like/dungeon crawler that is dripping in atmosphere.”
“Really adds to the atmosphere.”
- replayability10 mentions
- 10 % positive mentions
- 60 % neutral mentions
- 30 % negative mentions
The game offers a playtime of 4-8 hours, with randomized levels enhancing its replayability, especially for the low price of $4. However, some players feel it lacks depth and becomes less engaging after achieving all objectives, limiting its long-term replay value.
“I don't think it needs any more content at this price - for $4 it's pretty much perfect for a solid 2-8 hours of play depending on how much replay value you find (I also play on my phone).”
“Currently lacking depth and replayability.”
“After getting all the achievements, the game is not immensely replayable.”
“You can finish it in 4-8 hours, but I really don't mind that because the levels are randomized, making it comfortably replayable.”
- grinding4 mentions
- 0 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 100 % negative mentions
Players find the grinding aspect of the game tedious, citing repetitive movement and simple combat mechanics that detract from the overall experience. While the art and atmosphere are appreciated, the lack of engaging exploration contributes to a sense of monotony.
“The art and atmosphere are cute, but the combat is extremely simple and the exploration is tedious.”
“The movement can be tedious.”
- stability2 mentions
- 0 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 100 % negative mentions
The game's stability has been criticized for being buggy and lacking content, which detracts from the overall enjoyment. Users feel that it currently feels too empty, impacting the gameplay experience.
“It reminds me a bit of Barony, but in its current state, it is just too empty and a little buggy to enjoy.”
- story2 mentions
- 100 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 0 % negative mentions
The story is seen as having potential, but reviewers feel it would benefit from additional environments, enemies, weapons, and quests to enhance the overall experience.
