This Ghostly-Charming Brain-Teaser Functions as the Ideal Alternative to Halloween Horror

Not all autumn fright experience must frighten players. Starting with iconic favorites like mystery-solving cartoons to endearing shows such as Over the Garden Wall, numerous autumn-inspired staples are enjoyable without needing raising your heart rate. There’s also, a expanding collection of ghostly-adorable titles featuring autumn atmosphere, yet without the truly terrifying level of fear. Gloomy Eyes arrived in recent months, and stands as an superb cozy option to the deeply scary releases of this year.

Gloomy Eyes image
Screenshot: Creators, Production Team, Design Group, Game Company

A Unique Collaborative Solo Quest

Described as a “self-coop” puzzle game, Gloomy Eyes teams up a undead youth called Gloomy and a living girl named Nena as they start an quest to restore sunlight to their shadowy realm. Their appearance resembles Funko Pops combined with the characters from a animated feature. Their pale-skinned and tired-looking appearance is influenced by the appearance of Tim Burton’s films, and the story is a quintessential suitable for everyone journey. These two forms an enduring bond over the span of the game’s 14 chapters as Nena tries to prove to her priest uncle that, look, maybe zombies are actually good.

Original Gameplay Systems

This unique label originates from the game’s environmental puzzles. After Gloomy and Nena encounter each other, you’ll swap among the budding companions to overcome obstacles and progress through the levels. Being a zombie, Gloomy can’t walk through the brightness of a lamppost, while Nena may be grabbed by loitering creatures unless a beam is directed on them.

It's necessary for them to cooperate closely — actually, gamers operate them simultaneously — to finish levels. Nena may move or briefly disable lamps to create passages for Gloomy, while the open-brained character will utilize his supernatural ability to shift around obstacles in the surroundings, revealing routes for Nena.

The game screenshot
Screenshot: Creators, Studio, 3DAR, Be Revolution/Untold Tales

Engaging Level Design

These challenges evoke memories a bit of The Gardens Between, in the fashion the levels are hovering, miniature designs that the perspective pans around in coordination with your protagonists. Gloomy Eyes’ settings are very enjoyable, leading the friends around a amusement park and through a spooky mansion, amid other places. Players can use a “diorama view” option that enables you to zoom out and rotate the stages, simultaneously to appreciate the artwork and search for ways that may not have been apparent.

Minor Hiccups and General Experience

And that’s one of the few hiccups with Gloomy Eyes. Similar to other titles with a fixed perspective, it’s not always clear where the protagonists can and cannot go. You may need to just bump into a few random items to discover which ones are interactive, as it’s not always intuitive.

Nonetheless, those small speedbumps don't hinder of a ghostly-charming good time. Gloomy Eyes has a compact length, with roughly a few sessions worth of challenges. Later levels integrate light stealth and exciting moments with the puzzle solving, as Gloomy Eyes marches toward a rewarding — and somewhat unexpected — ending.

Accessibility and Summary

Those steering clear of the terror of intense horror releases won’t want to miss Gloomy Eyes. The game is out on Nintendo platform, PlayStation 5, PC, and Xbox Series X, and is currently on sale for a quarter off on online stores.

This charming title is out now on multiple platforms and offers a delightful choice for players seeking Halloween fun without the intense scares.

Kenneth Chapman
Kenneth Chapman

A life coach and motivational writer with over a decade of experience helping people unlock their potential and build fulfilling careers.