Not all spooky season journey has to scare you. Starting with well-known tales like Scooby-Doo to endearing shows including Over the Garden Wall, numerous Halloween-themed staples provide fun without increasing anxiety. Moreover, a growing library of spooky-cute releases with spooky themes, but not the keep-you-awake degree of horror. Gloomy Eyes arrived in the fall, and stands as an excellent cozy option to the intensely frightening games of this year.
A Unique Single-Player Cooperative Adventure
Labeled as a “self-coop” brain-teaser, Gloomy Eyes unites a living-impaired child named Gloomy and a mortal child called Nena as they start an adventure to bring the sun back to their gloomy world. Their design evokes stylized dolls combined with the figures from a animated feature. The pale-skinned and tired-looking aesthetic borrows heavily from the look of Gothic fantasy movies, and the narrative is a classic family-friendly adventure. The pair develops an strong bond over the span of the game’s 14 chapters as Nena attempts to prove to her priest uncle that, look, perhaps the undead can be friendly.
Original Puzzle Mechanics
This unique term stems from the game’s environmental puzzles. Once Gloomy and Nena cross paths, you’ll swap between the newfound friends to solve puzzles and progress through the areas. Being a zombie, Gloomy can’t walk through the light of a streetlight, while Nena can be captured by loitering creatures without a beam is shone on them.
They must collaborate effectively — in practice, you’ll use them together — to advance through areas. Nena could adjust or momentarily deactivate illumination to open routes for Gloomy, while the open-brained boy will use his zombie strength to move objects in the environment, opening up ways for Nena.
Immersive Environment Creation
The puzzles bring to mind a little of The Gardens Between, in the way the areas are floating, diorama-like designs that the view moves across in coordination with your heroes. Gloomy Eyes’ environments are very enjoyable, guiding the friends around a amusement park and through a spooky mansion, among other places. Players can use a “diorama view” button that allows you to zoom out and spin the levels, simultaneously to appreciate the designs and look for paths that may not have been obvious.
Minor Hiccups and Overall Adventure
This represents one of the few hiccups with Gloomy Eyes. Comparable to other titles with a static view, it’s not always clear where the characters can and cannot go. Players might have to simply collide with a multiple different items to figure out which ones are usable, as it’s not always intuitive.
Nevertheless, those small speedbumps don’t get in the way of a eerie-adorable good time. Gloomy Eyes is relatively brief, with about several hours worth of puzzles. Later levels combine light sneaking and dynamic sequences with the puzzle solving, as Gloomy Eyes progresses to a rewarding — and moderately unexpected — conclusion.
Release and Final Thoughts
Players avoiding the scares of terrifying releases should definitely try Gloomy Eyes. It’s available on Nintendo Switch, Sony system, computer, and Xbox, and is available at a reduced price for 25% off on game marketplaces.
Gloomy Eyes is available on multiple platforms and provides a enjoyable option for fans looking for autumn enjoyment without the intense scares.
