Not all Halloween horror journey has to scare players. Starting with iconic favorites such as mystery-solving cartoons to endearing shows including Over the Garden Wall, numerous Halloween-themed favorites are enjoyable without raising your heart rate. Additionally, a growing library of eerie-charming releases featuring spooky themes, but not the truly terrifying level of terror. Gloomy Eyes arrived in September, and acts as an outstanding cozy alternative to the intensely frightening releases of this year.
An Original Collaborative Solo Quest
Labeled as a solo collaboration puzzle game, Gloomy Eyes teams up a zombie boy known as Gloomy and a living girl called Nena as they embark on an adventure to restore sunlight to their gloomy realm. They look resembles Funko Pops combined with the puppets from a stop-motion animation. The light-complected and heavy-lidded style draws inspiration from the appearance of Tim Burton’s films, and the story is a quintessential all-ages adventure. The pair forms an enduring bond over the course of the game’s numerous levels as Nena attempts to prove to her priest uncle that, hey, perhaps zombies can be friendly.
Original Gameplay Systems
The “self-coop” label originates from the game’s interactive problem-solving. When Gloomy and Nena meet, gamers switch amidst the budding companions to overcome obstacles and progress through the areas. As an undead, Gloomy cannot pass through the light of a streetlight, while Nena will get snatched up by loitering creatures unless a beam is focused on them.
They have to work in tandem — actually, you’ll use them together — to complete stages. Nena could adjust or temporarily shut off lights to open routes for Gloomy, while the open-brained character will use his zombie strength to move items in the surroundings, opening up paths for Nena.
Engaging World Building
The brain-teasers remind me a little of The Gardens Between, in the manner the levels are suspended, diorama-like designs that the perspective rotates in sync with your heroes. Gloomy Eyes’ worlds are very enjoyable, guiding the duo around a fair and through a ghostly building, among other places. The game includes a “diorama view” feature that permits you to view from afar and rotate the areas, simultaneously to admire the artwork and hunt for ways that may not have been obvious.
Slight Issues and General Gameplay
Here lies one of the sole problems with Gloomy Eyes. Like other games with a locked camera, sometimes it's unclear where the heroes are able to move. Players might have to just bump into a few random objects to discover which ones are interactive, as clues aren't consistently provided.
Nevertheless, those minor obstacles don't hinder of a spooky-cute good time. Gloomy Eyes runs on the short side, with approximately a few sessions worth of challenges. Subsequent stages integrate subtle hidden movement and dynamic sequences with the puzzle solving, as Gloomy Eyes advances to a satisfying — and slightly unforeseen — finale.
Availability and Final Thoughts
Those shying away from the frights of terrifying titles should definitely try Gloomy Eyes. It’s available on Switch console, PlayStation 5, PC, and Xbox, and is available at a reduced price for a quarter off on game marketplaces.
This charming title is out now on multiple platforms and delivers a delightful option for fans in search of Halloween fun minus the intense scares.
