Gloamfall is a fantasy extraction game that blends action, RPG, and adventure elements on PC. Players enter procedurally generated worlds for short expeditions, gathering resources while a lethal fog closes in and forces confrontation with other players and enemies before extraction.
Gameplay
Each round places participants in a fresh map featuring forests, quarries, goblin strongholds, and crypts. The twenty-minute window begins with fog advancing ring by ring, narrowing safe areas and pushing survivors toward limited exit points. Loot collected remains at risk until extraction succeeds, and calling an extraction beacon alerts the entire map, requiring players to defend the site as it activates.
Combat relies on stamina for melee actions, with dodge invulnerability frames, active blocking, and parries that convert defense into counterattacks. Timing governs combos rather than button mashing, while heavy attacks deliver staggers with noticeable impact. Weapon options include sword, hammer, axe, bow, and magic staff, each carrying distinct movesets and pacing suited to different threats. Enemies range from goblins and skeletons to dinosaurs, trolls, ogres, and wild beasts, all with readable attack patterns, plus occasional champions that activate during a round.
Death removes only the items found in that round, which drop at the death location for others to claim. Gear and runes brought into the expedition stay with the player permanently, preserving builds across failures. Between rounds, a personal hideout under a crag serves as a hub for selling finds, gambling at the forge, socketting runes, stocking potions, sparring with friends, and summoning a mount.
Game Modes
The core experience centers on multiplayer expeditions where players cooperate with friends or compete against others for resources. Server authority handles loot distribution, hit registration, enemy placement, and carried items to maintain fairness without external advantages. The setup supports group play alongside individual runs, with extraction attempts often turning into contested holds against rivals crossing the map.
Progression ties directly to retained personal gear and runes, allowing consistent builds while each round introduces new risks and rewards. The system emphasizes risk versus reward in every outing, as successful extractions secure temporary hauls without endangering permanent equipment.
Multiplayer and Progression
Players interact in shared sessions that mix cooperation and competition. Friends can join expeditions together, while the map-wide visibility of extraction beacons encourages direct confrontations over valuable loads. Retained personal items ensure deaths sting without resetting overall progress, keeping the focus on skillful play and map awareness rather than gear loss.
The hideout provides ongoing activities that support long-term development. Selling, forging, rune management, and potion preparation occur outside expeditions, while the Pit offers practice against other players. These systems reinforce the extraction loop by preparing stronger setups for future rounds.
Is It Worth Playing?
Gloamfall suits players who enjoy extraction gameplay with persistent character elements and stamina-based combat that rewards timing and positioning. The combination of procedural maps, defensive extraction holds, and retained builds creates repeatable sessions where each death carries consequences but never wipes progress. Those drawn to action RPG mechanics in a multiplayer setting with clear risk-reward tension will find the core loop engaging, particularly if they value fair server-driven systems over client-side advantages. The free software nature under GNU GPL v3 further supports accessibility for those interested in the underlying voxel engine from Veloren, though official servers require the Steam version.
