Shroom and Gloom Early Access Review - Mushroom Mayhem in a Roguelike Dungeon Deckbuilder
Shroom and Gloom
Platforms: PC, Mac
Release Date: 9/10/26
Developer: Team Lazerbeam
Publisher: Devolver Digital
There are three things in this world that can be tough sells for your average Joe: deck-builders, rogue-likes, and mushrooms. Throwing all three into the same chili pot could be challenging for some. Shroom and Gloom grabs the challenge by the mycelium. The question is, is this a “fungus” or a…uh, “grumpy gus?”
The game has a lot of fungi in it, is what I’m getting at.
As with other rogue-likes, the story is a little opaque right off the bat—requiring multiple runs before you start to piece together what’s going on. If you’re okay with feeling disoriented for a while, you should be okay. If you’re the sort of goofy gus who asks classics such as, “What’s happening?” “What’s that guy gonna do?” or “Does she die?” when watching a movie, you might find yourself frustrated. Just know that you’re the problem, though.
What’s driven home from the get-go are the vibes, which are more crucial than any sort of plot points in a game like this, I think. Shroom and Gloom is, well, gloomy, foreboding, hopeless, and dreadful; perfectly so, I should say. You may not know exactly how you’ve found yourself in these dark, thorny tunnels…but you’re absolutely positive that you need to get out now, now, right now. Your surroundings are at once endless and suffocating. The walls seem to encroach on your periphery with every step, yet the paths ahead of you extend on, and on, and on. It occurred to me that it inadvertently captures the feeling of chasing (or being chased) in a dream.
What’s definitely like a dream is the game’s hand-drawn art style, which—as you can see—is pretty impeccable. I feel like most teams would fall back on gloomy, washed-out palettes to bolster a sense of dread, but Shroom and Gloom makes a beeline for bold, vibrant tones more at home on Saturday morning cartoons, and creature designs reminiscent of “Aaahh!!! Real Monsters!” for that matter; which is the real genius. The game is already hopeless enough, and it was a stellar move to cut the flavor with its visuals. It’s a little dissonant, but that’s what makes it cool. Shroom and Gloom is hands-down my favorite game to look at so far; and that’s saying something, because usually I’m a sucker for pixel art.
But we’re not here to print screen some new wallpapers; we’re here to play some game. What we have here is a rogue-like and a double deckbuilder. So if you’re not a fan of building decks, congratulations: you’ve got two to juggle. But it’s not gratuitous. One deck is for combat, the other is for rest areas. You see, as you make your way through the tunnels, you’ll periodically come across these rest areas, which contain an assortment of ways to upgrade your cards, refill HP, and so on. The catch, though: these rest areas aren’t totally safe. You’ll have to strategically play cards in your hand to create warmth, discover secrets, and negate hazards. If you don’t, you’ll either have to move on before you’re ready or bite the bullet, rest, and take damage as you rest and reshuffle your deck.
For instance, say there’s a dirt pile over here that could contain a new, powerful card for me (there’s no way to know). I don’t have a shovel or other relevant card in my hand. So, I’ll need to rest and draw a new hand. Well, I used some cards to create warmth, but not enough to keep me safe if I rest. I can either rest, take some damage, and hope I draw a shovel…or just use a tool to break the lock on the door at the end of the room and continue on my journey. OR! Maybe I have a tool that could either unearth the dirt pile or get out of the room, but only one. I have a choice to make. Essentially, these rest areas aren’t really restful because you end up having to make even more tough decisions than you do in combat. If you (sorry) play your cards right, you might just find yourself strong enough to make it farther than your last run. But if you’re like me, every decision is going to nag at you afterward.
Overall, the cards play well off each other and will unlock your inner tactician. If you second-screen this game, I don’t think you’ll get crazy far.
That’s not to say the gameplay is super engaging for long stretches. I found myself zoning out before too long. For folks like me, this game is most suited to short play sessions a couple of times a day. Others may be able to marathon this title, but I’m not one of them. It’s not a roguelike thing, either. Hades 2 or Rogue Prince of Persia? I can sit myself down and easily lose an afternoon. Shroom and Gloom? The deckbuilding is fun, but I don’t think its card play and atmosphere are enough to keep me in my chair for more than an hour.
Shroom and Gloom feels like a game that was fun to make, and it adeptly walks a few tightropes. It’s a world you would never want to inhabit, but can’t help but get sucked into, in large part due to the art style. Once you’re in, the deckbuilding is fun to play around with over the course of multiple runs. Still, the nature of the game may be difficult for some people to grapple with for long periods of time. If that’s you, it’s okay to pull this game off the shelf for a run or two, then put it away for a couple of hours when you’re in the zone again. If you’ve been following this game for a while or are absolutely in the right headspace for what it’s putting down, you’re going to give this game a silver lamp of greatness. For me, and for your average Joe…it’s good. This is a good game. I enjoyed my time with it, but I don’t necessarily need to spend more time with it after I’m done. And I think you may end up feeling the same way. That’s why I’m awarding it the bronze genie lamp of approval.
WHAT I LIKED
The art style is impeccable
The deckbuilding can be intricate
The atmosphere is effective, whether you love it or not
THINGS TO CONSIDER
Some folks could lose steam after a run or two
Gameplay outside of the card mechanics is a little simplistic
May not stick to your ribs like other games
WHO’S THIS FOR?
Folks who love the vibes of classic Tim Burton, projects to chisel away at, and tactical thinking.
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