Gloom Deluxe
| Developer: Black Magic | Graphics: |
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| Publisher: Guildhall | Sound: |
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| Year: 1996 | Difficulty: |
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| Genre: First person shooter | Lastability: |
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| Number of players: 2 simultaneous | Rating: |
7/10 | |
Gloom, released in 1995, was the first serious attempt at bringing Doom-style action to the Amiga (the not-so-serious attempt would be Death Mask). It’s pretty primitive, both graphically and in its level design. Ammo is unlimited, the weapons all feel the same, and the action quickly becomes repetitive. That said, after two years of waiting, it was warmly received.
It’s still a decent stress reliever—fast-paced, brutal, and nerve-wracking (some sound effects are straight from Aliens), but… not much to look at. Thankfully, the following year saw the release of a Deluxe version, which we’ll focus on instead.
Graphically, the Deluxe version is much more tolerable. You even get a proper HUD with the classic weapon view at the bottom of the screen. Allegedly, it’s better optimized (though my emulator doesn’t seem to care). On the downside, I couldn’t figure out how to strafe anymore, and the charming little blood splatters on the screen have vanished—no idea why. There’s also a mode for use with the ill-fated Virtual i-O glasses. We’ll see if Google Glass fares any better…
(Update for 2023: we’ve seen!)
Like its predecessor, this version supports two-player modes, whether in deathmatch or co-op (split-screen or local network).
You can find a special edition online that tweaks the sound effects and changes how the monsters look. I don’t recommend it. Same goes for the sequel, Ultimate Gloom—forgettable. In fact, I didn’t even mention it. Oh! Look over there!
Other first-person shooters would follow: Alien Breed 3D (I and II), Fears, Breathless, Nemac 4, Genetic Species. These were parting salutes from the Amiga, which was nearing the end of its lifecycle and could no longer compete with the PC—at least in this genre.
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