Not each autumn fright adventure has to frighten players. Starting with beloved classics such as Scooby-Doo to delightful stories including Over the Garden Wall, many autumn-inspired staples are enjoyable without requiring raising your heart rate. Additionally, a growing library of ghostly-adorable titles featuring autumn atmosphere, though lacking the keep-you-awake level of terror. Gloomy Eyes was released in the fall, and serves as an excellent comfortable alternative to the intensely frightening releases of 2025.
An Original Single-Player Cooperative Quest
Described as a “self-coop” problem-solving title, Gloomy Eyes unites a undead youth called Gloomy and a mortal child known as Nena as they embark on an adventure to bring the sun back to their gloomy environment. Their design evokes collectible figures mixed with the characters from a animated feature. The pale-skinned and heavy-lidded appearance draws inspiration from the appearance of Tim Burton’s films, and the plot is a archetypal all-ages tale. These two develops an unbreakable bond over the duration of the game’s multiple stages as Nena attempts to demonstrate to her priest uncle that, hey, perhaps zombies can be friendly.
Innovative Gameplay Systems
The innovative label comes about from the game’s environmental puzzles. When Gloomy and Nena meet, players alternate between the budding companions to overcome obstacles and progress through the stages. Since he's not alive, Gloomy can’t walk through the illumination of a streetlight, while Nena will get snatched up by idle zombies without a light is focused on them.
They have to collaborate effectively — in practice, you’ll use them together — to advance through areas. Nena may move or momentarily deactivate lamps to clear paths for Gloomy, while the open-brained boy will use his zombie strength to rearrange objects in the world, creating ways for Nena.
Immersive World Building
These challenges remind me a bit of The Gardens Between, in the way the levels are suspended, model-like structures that the camera moves across in sync with your heroes. Gloomy Eyes’ worlds are very enjoyable, guiding the duo around a carnival and through a spooky mansion, among other locales. The game includes a “diorama view” feature that permits you to view from afar and rotate the areas, both to appreciate the artwork and hunt for paths that may not have been clear.
Minor Hiccups and General Adventure
Here lies one of the only problems with Gloomy Eyes. Comparable to other releases with a fixed perspective, occasionally it's confusing where the protagonists may or may not travel. You may need to simply collide with a multiple different elements to figure out which ones are usable, as the game doesn't always indicate.
Nonetheless, those small challenges don't obstruct of a spooky-cute fun adventure. Gloomy Eyes runs on the short side, with roughly a few sessions worth of brain-teasers. Later levels blend together minor stealth and exciting moments with the challenge completion, as Gloomy Eyes advances to a rewarding — and somewhat unforeseen — conclusion.
Release and Conclusion
Gamers shying away from the terror of fear-inducing releases ought to experience Gloomy Eyes. You can find it on Switch console, PlayStation 5, PC, and Xbox Series X, and is available at a reduced price for 25% off on online stores.
Gloomy Eyes is available on several consoles and delivers a delightful choice for fans looking for spooky entertainment without terrifying moments.
