Gloomwood’s Biggest Update Yet
Gloomwood is one of those early access PC games that already feels special even before its full release. Often described as Thief with guns, it blends classic immersive sim design with a grim gothic setting and methodical stealth gameplay. The latest Hightown Update is the largest and most ambitious patch yet and it is a great excuse for PC gamers to jump back in or try it for the first time.
This update arrives after a short delay but lands right in time for the new year. The release trailer shows off a moody new district, new routes to explore and a chunky new weapon that looks perfect for careful long range play. For fans of classic PC stealth games and immersive sims, this update pushes Gloomwood even closer to must play territory.
Welcome to Hightown
The highlight of the patch is Hightown itself. The developers describe it as the largest and most vertical open area in the game so far. That verticality is important. It means more vantage points, more routes over rooftops, more balconies and stairways to sneak through and more opportunities to avoid or outsmart patrols instead of just fighting them.
Hightown also introduces what the team calls the most sophisticated and lethal enemy force yet seen in Gloomwood. Expect tougher guards, new enemy types and smarter positioning that forces you to really think about how you move and when you engage. This is the kind of level design and enemy layout that makes immersive sims shine. The space itself becomes a puzzle that you slowly learn to read and exploit.
Visually, Hightown sticks with Gloomwood’s signature look. It is grim, gothic and slightly retro, calling back to late 90s and early 2000s PC games without feeling dated. Players who tried the original demo years ago might get a hit of déjà vu. Fans on Reddit have noticed that parts of Hightown resemble the old demo areas, but side by side comparisons show how far the game has come since 2020. Layouts feel more detailed, lighting is more dramatic and the overall atmosphere has deepened.
For anyone who values level design that rewards observation and experimentation, Hightown is the sort of space you can replay many times, testing new routes and strategies. It is not just bigger for the sake of it. It is bigger in ways that give stealth minded players more options.
A New Hybrid Revolver Rifle
No big update feels complete without a new toy and Gloomwood’s Hightown patch delivers with a weapon that fits the setting perfectly. The new gun is essentially a revolver that has been modified with a rifle stock and a scope. It looks like something a desperate city guard or hunter would cobble together in their workshop, and that gritty feel matches the game’s world.
Functionally, this weapon fills an important gap in your toolkit. It gives you a more precise option for medium to long range fights without turning the game into a run and gun shooter. The developer has mentioned that it is especially handy for dealing with constable snipers, one of the more dangerous threats in Hightown’s higher vantage points.
In a stealth focused PC game, having a scoped weapon like this changes how you approach encounters. You can scout from a distance, quietly picking off isolated threats or disabling high ground enemies that would otherwise pin you down. It encourages patient planning rather than charging in. That is very much in line with Gloomwood’s Thief inspired roots, where preparation and positioning matter more than raw firepower.
Combined with the vertical design of Hightown, this new gun reinforces the feeling that the environment is a playground for creative problem solving. You can imagine climbing to a balcony, lining up a careful shot on a rooftop sniper and then sliding back into the shadows before anyone knows you were there.
Why PC Gamers Should Care
Gloomwood is part of a small but passionate wave of PC first immersive sims that aim to recapture the magic of older classics like Thief, System Shock and Deus Ex while still feeling fresh. It leans into deliberate gameplay, complex spaces and a focus on player choice instead of scripted set pieces.
The Hightown Update matters because it shows how the game is evolving in early access. Each patch has added smart systems and new mechanics, from improved enemy AI to strange powers that let you mutate yourself using monster abilities. Hightown continues that trend by upping the scale, complexity and challenge of the world.
If you enjoy:
- PC games that reward careful stealth and observation
- Level design with multiple routes and vertical exploration
- Old school immersive sims where you decide how to tackle situations
- Gothic, slightly retro visuals that run well on a wide range of hardware
then this is a good moment to put Gloomwood on your radar. It is still in early access, so you are not getting a finished story yet, but what is there is already substantial and the new Hightown area gives you a lot of space to experiment and learn the game’s systems.
For PC players looking ahead at upcoming releases, Gloomwood is shaping up to be one of the more interesting stealth and immersive sim options on the horizon. The Hightown Update is not just more content. It is a clear sign that the team is doubling down on the strengths that make the game stand out in the first place.
You can jump into Gloomwood on Steam now and see how far it has come since the early demo days. With Hightown live and more updates planned before full release, it is a great time to start exploring the shadows of this eerie city.
Original article and image: https://www.pcgamer.com/games/fps/happy-gloom-year-the-new-gloomwood-update-is-out-and-it-includes-the-games-largest-most-vertical-open-area-yet/
