Not each spooky season adventure has to terrify you. From well-known tales such as animated detectives to endearing shows including Over the Garden Wall, numerous autumn-inspired titles provide fun without increasing anxiety. There’s also, a growing library of spooky-cute releases with Halloween vibes, but not the keep-you-awake degree of fear. Gloomy Eyes arrived in the fall, and acts as an superb cozy alternative to the intensely frightening titles of this year.
An Original Collaborative Solo Quest
Labeled as a “self-coop” brain-teaser, Gloomy Eyes unites a zombie boy named Gloomy and a human girl known as Nena as they embark on an adventure to return daylight to their shadowy environment. They look is similar to collectible figures combined with the characters from a Laika film. The light-complected and heavy-lidded appearance borrows heavily from the appearance of Tim Burton’s films, and the narrative is a archetypal all-ages tale. The pair forms an unbreakable bond over the course of the game’s numerous levels as Nena tries to show to her priest uncle that, hey, perhaps the undead are actually good.
Original Puzzle Mechanics
This unique description stems from the game’s world-based challenges. After Gloomy and Nena cross paths, gamers switch among the newfound friends to complete challenges and advance through the stages. As an undead, Gloomy cannot pass through the brightness of a streetlight, while Nena will get snatched up by wandering undead without a light is shone on them.
It's necessary for them to cooperate closely — well, players control them simultaneously — to finish levels. Nena could adjust or temporarily shut off illumination to open routes for Gloomy, while the open-brained boy will employ his undead power to rearrange objects in the surroundings, creating routes for Nena.
Captivating Level Design
The brain-teasers evoke memories a touch of The Gardens Between, in the way the areas are floating, diorama-like structures that the perspective pans around in conjunction with your protagonists. Gloomy Eyes’ settings are very enjoyable, leading the companions around a amusement park and through a haunted house, including other locations. The game includes a “diorama view” button that enables you to view from afar and spin the areas, simultaneously to enjoy the designs and look for ways that may not have been obvious.
Small Challenges and Complete Experience
Here lies one of the sole problems with Gloomy Eyes. Comparable to other games with a fixed perspective, it’s not always clear where the heroes may or may not travel. You may need to randomly encounter a few random elements to discover which ones are usable, as it’s not always intuitive.
Nevertheless, those small challenges don't hinder of a spooky-cute good time. Gloomy Eyes has a compact length, with approximately a few sessions worth of challenges. Later levels integrate subtle stealth and exciting moments with the puzzle solving, as Gloomy Eyes progresses to a rewarding — and somewhat unforeseen — finale.
Release and Summary
Players steering clear of the terror of terrifying releases should definitely try Gloomy Eyes. The game is out on Switch console, PS5, Windows PC, and Microsoft console, and is currently on sale for 25% off on game marketplaces.
Gloomy Eyes is out now on various systems and offers a enjoyable alternative for players looking for autumn enjoyment minus the fear factor.
