The gameplay is best described as a blend of Thief’s stealth, with System Shock 2’s combat, a dose of Lovecraftian weirdness, and some strong hints of Resident Evil 4 when it comes to the setting and atmosphere. Party like it’s (mostly) 1999Īt first glance, Gloomwood looks and plays just as you’d expect from a late ‘90s or early ‘00s first-person immersive sim, beholden to the limitations of early 3D game engines. It remains to be seen whether these abilities have any bearing on the narrative, or if I’m overthinking things, but they ensure the gameplay feels refined and as varied as the genre demands. This kicks off about 3-hours’ worth of classic immersive sim-ing as you discover the good doctor – presumably there to investigate a plague – is remarkably nimble and strong, lethal with a cane blade, and proficient with several firearms. A mysterious benefactor releases you from your cell, grants you a ring that functions as a handy light meter, and tells you to make for the lighthouse further up the coast. A group of cultish hunters, who seem to be kidnapping people for ransom and/or murder, are about to deliver him to a “client” in the town square. You play as a “doctor” – presumably the medical kind – who wakes up in a bloody pit in a rundown fishery. Gloomwood keeps the narrative elements vague and slowly doles out titbits to the player through rare NPC encounters and scattered notes. Hell, aside from some expected early access jank, my only concern for Gloomwood is how that unerring authenticity will be received by a broader audience.
I bring up those two classic titles as Gloomwoodwas clearly developed for an audience that knows what they want and already has a good idea of what they’re likely to get.
#GLOOMWOOD. FULL#
If you aren’t necessarily into this sort of game, check out the demo anyway – it’s self-contained enough to feel satisfying, and even if you never intend to play the full version, I think you’ll enjoy your time.Gloomwood is fantastic… but I say that as someone who is part of the target audience – an immersive sim fan that first cut their teeth on System Shock 2 and Thief II. If Szymanski and Rogers can maintain the demo’s sense of intrigue in Gloomwood proper, it’ll be one to remember. There’s enough – not too much, not too little, but enough – going on with this game.
I killed everything and everyone, and I still panicked. There’s a bit where you have to call an elevator and it sets off this god-awful alarm that will alert anyone left standing.The shotgun is impactful, and I liked blasting the shrieking Crowmen, but I’d be happy to try a canesword-only run. I can’t stress enough how great it feels to stab.
The latter has scarcer resources, higher enemy presence and damage, and no more vision cones.
#GLOOMWOOD. CRACK#
Similarly, you can quickly and loudly open doors, or calmly and quietly crack ’em. Holding the shift key makes your character walk, not run, so as to cut down on noise.
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