Fungal dungeon crawler fans, rejoice: Shroom and Gloom, a mould-tinged roguelike deckbuilder with a clever double-deck twist, has officially launched into early access on Steam. If you’ve been hungry for a card game that dares to do something structurally different in a post-Slay the Spire world, this spore-soaked crawler might be exactly what’s sprouting in your library next.
What Is Shroom and Gloom?
Shroom and Gloom is a first-person roguelike dungeon crawler from indie studio Hobbyist Games, and its whole identity is built on fungus. You descend into dank, spore-choked depths, battle corrupted mushroom monsters, and try not to lose your mind as the gloom creeps in. The game first turned heads with a free early build that made the rounds online, and now it has grown into a fuller early access release.
The Double Deckbuilder Hook
The feature that sets Shroom and Gloom apart from the deckbuilder crowd is right there in its design: you’re managing two decks at once. Rather than shuffling every card into one pile, your cards are split between a deck for exploration and a deck for combat. Traversing the dungeon, interacting with the environment, and digging through the murk all draw from one pool, while fighting off fungal horrors taps into the other.
It’s a simple-sounding change, but it adds a fascinating layer of resource management. Every card you add during a run has to be weighed against the needs of both decks — do you strengthen your ability to survive the journey, or your ability to win the fights at the end of it? That tension is exactly the kind of hook that keeps roguelike players saying “one more run” well past bedtime.
Aesthetic: Fairy Tale Grim Meets Fungal Horror
Beyond the mechanics, Shroom and Gloom earns attention for its look and tone. The visuals have a stylised, almost papercraft-like charm, but it’s wrapped around genuinely unsettling imagery — bulging caps, creeping rot, and Things growing where they shouldn’t. It’s a game that balances goofy mushroom humour with creeping dread, and that tonal tightrope walk is a big part of its personality. There’s a surprising amount of wit buried under the mould.
Solid Timing for a Deckbuilder Boom
Launching now is smart. The roguelike deckbuilder genre is enjoying a genuine renaissance, with hits like Balatro, Monster Train, and Slay the Spire proving that players have an endless appetite for card-based runs — as long as the formula feels fresh. Shroom and Gloom’s dual-deck structure plus its first-person dungeon crawling gives it a distinct identity rather than being another Spire clone, which is precisely what the genre needs more of.
As an early access title, expect the usual caveats: ongoing development, balance shifts, and new content still to come. But for players who enjoy watching a game evolve — and who want a say in that evolution through feedback — jumping in early is part of the appeal.
How to Get Shroom and Gloom
Shroom and Gloom is available now in early access on Steam. If you need to top up your Steam Wallet before diving into the spores, you can pick up Steam gift cards at TURGAME.com — a quick and easy way to fund your fungal adventures.
Whether you’re a deckbuilder devotee or just here for the weird mushroom vibes, this one is worth keeping on your radar as it grows through early access.
Source: Rock Paper Shotgun