Not each spooky season journey needs to frighten players. From beloved classics such as mystery-solving cartoons to delightful stories such as Over the Garden Wall, many Halloween-themed staples offer entertainment without causing fear. Moreover, a increasing selection of ghostly-adorable releases with spooky themes, though lacking the truly terrifying degree of terror. Gloomy Eyes arrived in recent months, and stands as an superb comfortable alternative to the deeply scary games of 2025.
An Original Collaborative Solo Quest
Known as a solo collaboration puzzle game, Gloomy Eyes pairs up a living-impaired child named Gloomy and a mortal child named Nena as they start an quest to restore sunlight to their shadowy world. Their appearance resembles collectible figures mixed with the puppets from a Laika film. Their pale-skinned and tired-looking style draws inspiration from the appearance of Tim Burton’s films, and the story is a quintessential family-friendly tale. These two builds an unbreakable bond over the duration of the game’s numerous levels as Nena strives to show to her religious guardian that, hey, maybe zombies aren’t half bad.
Creative Gameplay Systems
The “self-coop” label comes about from the game’s environmental puzzles. When Gloomy and Nena cross paths, players alternate between the budding companions to overcome obstacles and move forward through the levels. Being a zombie, Gloomy is unable to traverse through the illumination of a streetlight, while Nena may be grabbed by wandering undead except if a light is directed on them.
They must work in tandem — in practice, players control them together — to complete stages. Nena might relocate or briefly disable lights to open routes for Gloomy, while the intellectually curious boy will employ his undead power to shift around items in the world, revealing ways for Nena.
Engaging World Building
The puzzles remind me a little of The Gardens Between, in the way the areas are hovering, model-like structures that the camera moves across in conjunction with your heroes. Gloomy Eyes’ worlds are quite fun, taking the duo around a amusement park and through a spooky mansion, among other locations. There’s a “diorama view” feature that allows you to pull back and spin the areas, both for admire the designs and look for routes that may not have been clear.
Minor Hiccups and General Experience
This represents one of the only problems with Gloomy Eyes. Like other games with a static view, sometimes it's unclear where the characters are able to move. Players might have to randomly encounter a multiple different objects to determine which ones are interactable, as it’s not always intuitive.
Nonetheless, those small challenges don't obstruct of a eerie-adorable good time. Gloomy Eyes is relatively brief, with about three to five hours worth of puzzles. Advanced areas blend together subtle sneaking and exciting moments with the problem-solving, as Gloomy Eyes marches toward a satisfying — and moderately unexpected — ending.
Release and Summary
Players steering clear of the scares of intense horror titles won’t want to miss Gloomy Eyes. It’s available on Nintendo Switch, Sony system, Windows PC, and Xbox Series X, and is available at a reduced price for a discount on game marketplaces.
The spooky-cute adventure has been released on multiple platforms and delivers a enjoyable alternative for players seeking autumn enjoyment minus the intense scares.
