Not every autumn fright experience needs to frighten you. Starting with iconic favorites such as Scooby-Doo to endearing shows such as Over the Garden Wall, plenty of Halloween-themed staples offer entertainment without requiring causing fear. Moreover, a increasing selection of eerie-charming titles featuring autumn atmosphere, though lacking the sleep-with-the-lights-on degree of fear. Gloomy Eyes was released in September, and stands as an outstanding cozy option to the truly terrifying titles of 2025.
An Original Self-Coop Adventure
Labeled as a “self-coop” puzzle game, Gloomy Eyes teams up a undead youth called Gloomy and a mortal child known as Nena as they begin an adventure to restore sunlight to their shadowy environment. Their appearance is similar to Funko Pops mixed with the puppets from a Laika film. Their fair-toned and baggy-eyed appearance draws inspiration from the appearance of Gothic fantasy movies, and the narrative is a archetypal family-friendly journey. The pair builds an strong bond over the course of the game’s numerous levels as Nena strives to prove to her clerical relative that, you know, maybe zombies are actually good.
Original Puzzle Mechanics
The innovative label stems from the game’s environmental puzzles. After Gloomy and Nena meet, gamers switch amidst the budding companions to overcome obstacles and move forward through the areas. Since he's not alive, Gloomy can’t walk through the illumination of a light source, while Nena may be grabbed by idle zombies unless a beam is focused on them.
It's necessary for them to collaborate effectively — well, gamers operate them together — to advance through areas. Nena could adjust or briefly disable lamps to open routes for Gloomy, while the thoughtful boy will utilize his supernatural ability to move objects in the environment, creating paths for Nena.
Engaging World Building
These challenges remind me a touch of The Gardens Between, in the fashion the stages are hovering, miniature structures that the camera pans around in coordination with your protagonists. Gloomy Eyes’ environments are highly entertaining, guiding the companions around a carnival and through a ghostly building, amid other locales. Players can use a “diorama view” feature that enables you to pull back and spin the areas, both to admire the designs and search for ways that may not have been obvious.
Slight Issues and Overall Gameplay
And that’s one of the sole problems with Gloomy Eyes. Comparable to other games with a fixed perspective, it’s not always clear where the characters are able to move. You may need to randomly encounter a few random items to discover which ones are interactable, as clues aren't consistently provided.
Nonetheless, those small speedbumps don't obstruct of a eerie-adorable fun adventure. Gloomy Eyes runs on the short side, with about several hours worth of brain-teasers. Subsequent stages integrate light stealth and action elements with the challenge completion, as Gloomy Eyes advances to a satisfying — and somewhat surprising — finale.
Availability and Summary
Players avoiding the scares of fear-inducing games won’t want to miss Gloomy Eyes. You can find it on Switch console, PlayStation 5, Windows PC, and Xbox, and is available at a reduced price for a discount on online stores.
The spooky-cute adventure is available on several consoles and offers a delightful choice for gamers in search of autumn enjoyment without the intense scares.
