Not every autumn fright journey must scare players. Including iconic favorites such as animated detectives to endearing shows like Over the Garden Wall, plenty of Halloween-themed favorites are enjoyable without needing causing fear. Additionally, a growing library of spooky-cute games with Halloween vibes, yet without the sleep-with-the-lights-on intensity of terror. Gloomy Eyes debuted in the fall, and acts as an superb relaxing option to the truly terrifying releases of the current season.
A Distinctive Self-Coop Journey
Labeled as a “self-coop” puzzle game, Gloomy Eyes unites a undead youth called Gloomy and a human girl called Nena as they start an adventure to bring the sun back to their gloomy world. Their design is similar to Funko Pops mixed with the figures from a Laika film. Their pale-skinned and baggy-eyed aesthetic borrows heavily from the look of Tim Burton’s films, and the story is a classic all-ages adventure. The pair forms an strong bond over the duration of the game’s numerous levels as Nena strives to show to her clerical relative that, hey, maybe the undead are actually good.
Creative Problem-Solving Features
The “self-coop” term originates from the game’s interactive problem-solving. After Gloomy and Nena meet, gamers switch among the budding companions to solve puzzles and progress through the levels. Since he's not alive, Gloomy cannot pass through the brightness of a lamppost, while Nena can be captured by idle zombies unless a lamp is focused on them.
It's necessary for them to cooperate closely — actually, players control them together — to complete stages. Nena may move or momentarily deactivate illumination to clear paths for Gloomy, while the intellectually curious character will utilize his supernatural ability to move objects in the surroundings, creating routes for Nena.
Engaging World Building
The brain-teasers remind me a touch of The Gardens Between, in the fashion the stages are hovering, miniature designs that the view moves across in conjunction with your heroes. Gloomy Eyes’ worlds are very enjoyable, taking the companions around a fair and through a haunted house, among other locales. The game includes a “diorama view” button that permits you to view from afar and rotate the areas, both for appreciate the artwork and search for routes that may not have been apparent.
Small Challenges and Overall Adventure
This represents one of the only problems with Gloomy Eyes. Like other releases with a fixed perspective, occasionally it's confusing where the heroes are able to move. Gamers could require to just bump into a multiple different items to figure out which ones are interactable, as clues aren't consistently provided.
Nonetheless, those minor speedbumps don't obstruct of a ghostly-charming fun adventure. Gloomy Eyes has a compact length, with roughly several hours worth of challenges. Advanced areas integrate light hidden movement and exciting moments with the problem-solving, as Gloomy Eyes marches toward a satisfying — and slightly surprising — finale.
Availability and Final Thoughts
Players steering clear of the frights of intense horror titles won’t want to miss Gloomy Eyes. It’s available on Nintendo Switch, Sony system, PC, and Xbox, and is presently discounted for 25% off on digital platforms.
The spooky-cute adventure has been released on several consoles and provides a enjoyable alternative for gamers seeking spooky entertainment without terrifying moments.
