Not every spooky season experience has to terrify players. Including beloved classics such as animated detectives to endearing shows such as Over the Garden Wall, numerous autumn-inspired favorites offer entertainment without needing increasing anxiety. Additionally, a expanding collection of ghostly-adorable releases with Halloween vibes, though lacking the truly terrifying intensity of horror. Gloomy Eyes arrived in September, and stands as an outstanding cozy choice to the intensely frightening games of 2025.
An Original Collaborative Solo Journey
Labeled as a solo collaboration problem-solving title, Gloomy Eyes unites a living-impaired child named Gloomy and a mortal child called Nena as they begin an quest to bring the sun back to their dark, dark realm. Their appearance is similar to collectible figures blended with the figures from a stop-motion animation. The pale-skinned and heavy-lidded aesthetic draws inspiration from the appearance of Tim Burton’s films, and the plot is a archetypal family-friendly adventure. The duo forms an enduring bond over the duration of the game’s 14 chapters as Nena tries to prove to her priest uncle that, look, maybe zombies are actually good.
Original Puzzle Mechanics
The “self-coop” label stems from the game’s interactive problem-solving. Once Gloomy and Nena meet, you’ll swap among the budding companions to overcome obstacles and progress through the levels. Since he's not alive, Gloomy can’t walk through the illumination of a lamppost, while Nena may be grabbed by idle zombies without a beam is shone on them.
It's necessary for them to work in tandem — well, gamers operate them together — to complete stages. Nena might relocate or temporarily shut off lights to create passages for Gloomy, while the thoughtful boy will use his zombie strength to move obstacles in the environment, revealing paths for Nena.
Immersive Level Design
The puzzles remind me a touch of The Gardens Between, in the way the stages are suspended, miniature designs that the camera moves across in sync with your protagonists. Gloomy Eyes’ worlds are quite fun, leading the friends around a carnival and through a ghostly building, amid other locales. Players can use a “diorama view” button that permits you to view from afar and turn the stages, both to appreciate the designs and hunt for routes that may not have been obvious.
Small Issues and Complete Gameplay
Here lies one of the few difficulties with Gloomy Eyes. Similar to other releases with a fixed perspective, occasionally it's confusing where the protagonists are able to move. Gamers could require to just bump into a multiple different items to discover which ones are interactive, as clues aren't consistently provided.
Nevertheless, those slight speedbumps don't obstruct of a spooky-cute fun adventure. Gloomy Eyes is relatively brief, with roughly a few sessions worth of brain-teasers. Advanced areas combine minor hidden movement and exciting moments with the puzzle solving, as Gloomy Eyes progresses to a rewarding — and moderately surprising — ending.
Availability and Summary
Gamers steering clear of the scares of intense horror games ought to experience Gloomy Eyes. It’s available on Nintendo Switch, PS5, Windows PC, and Xbox, and is presently discounted for a discount on digital platforms.
Gloomy Eyes has been released on several consoles and delivers a delightful alternative for fans seeking Halloween fun minus the fear factor.
