ActionFit check
Is Gloom worth it for you?
We tell you who should skip it, too.
Play it if you…
Good fit- Players drawn to dark fantasy settings who want a story revealed gradually
- Action-adventure players who enjoy challenging combat that calls for learning and adaptation
- Players interested in procedural level structures and permanent-death systems
Skip it if you…
Saves you a refund- Players who prefer a forgiving structure may find permanent death a poor match.
- Those who want a fixed level layout may not enjoy procedurally structured levels.
- Players seeking a game without combat should look elsewhere.
Our take on Gloom
Gloom departs from a fixed, predictable level sequence with procedural structure and permanent death. Its story also comes through a nameless dreamer's fragmented search, with the character's past and the setting's occult history revealed gradually.
What is Gloom?
Gloom follows a nameless dreamer with severe amnesia through the Common Dream.
The search for lost pages of the Necronomicon and a path to the Abyss leads through fights with deranged dreamers and eldritch beings, while the character's past and the Dream's occult history emerge piece by piece. Combat is challenging and calls for learning and adaptation. The levels have a procedural structure, and permadeath means a run can end permanently. Weapons, items, and foes contribute to a range of scenarios. The game uses stylized pixel art and accompanying audio, with a story inspired by H. P. Lovecraft.
How Gloom plays
- 01Procedural levels
- The level structure supports replaying the game across runs.
- 02Permadeath system
- The game uses a permanent-death setup similar to those found in modern roguelike titles.
- 03Gradual story reveal
- The dreamer's past and the Common Dream's occult history are disclosed in pieces.
- 04Adaptive combat
- Fights call for learning and adjusting to challenges.
Games like Gloom
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ActionPudding: Lyre Knight
KatatemaFor:Action-adventure players who prefer limited controls over complex input schemesSkip if:Players looking for complex controls or a highly technical action system
ActionSuper Bit Adventure: Paragons of Life
3rd Pinnacle GamesFor:Dungeon-crawler players who want permanent-death progressionSkip if:Players who want runs without permanent consequences may hit a wall after falling and having to retrace the correct route.
ActionSkyward Dream
KEFROST MANUFACTUREFor:Players who prefer first-person platforming over combat-focused actionSkip if:Players seeking combat-heavy gameplay may find the stated focus on platforming and exploration a mismatch.Picked by overlapping fit notes and genres, not an editorial comparison.
Gloom: platforms & release
Is Gloom worth it?
It is worth it if: players drawn to dark fantasy settings who want a story revealed gradually. Skip it if: players who prefer a forgiving structure may find permanent death a poor match.
Where can I download Gloom?
Use the Download Now button on this page: it opens Gloom's store page, where you can choose how to get it.
What platforms is Gloom on?
Windows, macOS and Linux.
