Gloom

You play as a nameless dreamer with severe amnesia, wandering the Common Dream in search of lost pages of the Necronomicon and the Abyss. The story and the dreamer's past emerge gradually through the journey.

Fight through side-scrolling areas filled with hostile dreamers and eldritch beings. Combat centers on learning enemy patterns and managing attacks, dodges, parries, and stamina, with weapons and items available along the way.

Each run uses procedurally structured levels and permadeath, so a death means starting another attempt. Long-term progression is limited, making adaptation and learning the encounters central to getting further.

Players who enjoy Gloom often highlight its dreamlike atmosphere, pixel art, and music, along with runs they find engaging and easy to return to. Some also appreciate the cosmic-horror setting and piecemeal story. Reactions to the combat and difficulty are mixed: some enjoy learning enemy patterns, while others find the stamina demands, repetition, or limited between-run progression frustrating.