Not every spooky season adventure needs to frighten gamers. From iconic favorites like Scooby-Doo to charming series such as Over the Garden Wall, many Halloween-themed titles are enjoyable without causing fear. There’s also, a growing library of eerie-charming games with autumn atmosphere, yet without the sleep-with-the-lights-on level of terror. Gloomy Eyes arrived in the fall, and acts as an excellent comfortable alternative to the intensely frightening games of this year.
A Distinctive Single-Player Cooperative Adventure
Labeled as a “self-coop” brain-teaser, Gloomy Eyes unites a undead youth named Gloomy and a mortal child called Nena as they embark on an adventure to return daylight to their shadowy realm. Their design is similar to Funko Pops combined with the characters from a Laika film. Their pale-skinned and baggy-eyed aesthetic borrows heavily from the visual style of Tim Burton’s films, and the plot is a archetypal all-ages adventure. The duo builds an strong bond over the span of the game’s multiple stages as Nena attempts to prove to her religious guardian that, hey, perhaps living-impaired beings can be friendly.
Innovative Problem-Solving Features
The “self-coop” label originates from the game’s environmental puzzles. When Gloomy and Nena encounter each other, you’ll swap among the newfound friends to solve puzzles and advance through the stages. Being a zombie, Gloomy can’t walk through the light of a lamppost, while Nena may be grabbed by wandering undead except if a beam is shone on them.
They have to work in tandem — actually, players control them simultaneously — to finish levels. Nena could adjust or briefly disable lamps to create passages for Gloomy, while the thoughtful youth will use his zombie strength to rearrange objects in the surroundings, revealing paths for Nena.
Captivating Environment Creation
These challenges evoke memories a little of The Gardens Between, in the fashion the stages are suspended, model-like constructions that the view rotates in coordination with your heroes. Gloomy Eyes’ worlds are highly entertaining, leading the friends around a fair and through a haunted house, among other places. The game includes a “diorama view” feature that enables you to zoom out and rotate the stages, both for enjoy the visuals and search for ways that may not have been clear.
Small Hiccups and Complete Experience
This represents one of the only hiccups with Gloomy Eyes. Similar to other games with a locked camera, it’s not always clear where the heroes can and cannot go. Gamers could require to just bump into a several various elements to figure out which ones are usable, as the game doesn't always indicate.
Nonetheless, those minor obstacles don't obstruct of a ghostly-charming good time. Gloomy Eyes is relatively brief, with roughly several hours worth of brain-teasers. Later levels integrate light hidden movement and exciting moments with the puzzle solving, as Gloomy Eyes progresses to a fulfilling — and moderately unforeseen — ending.
Accessibility and Summary
Gamers shying away from the terror of terrifying releases ought to experience Gloomy Eyes. It’s available on Switch console, PS5, computer, and Microsoft console, and is currently on sale for a quarter off on digital platforms.
Gloomy Eyes is available on several consoles and offers a pleasurable alternative for fans looking for autumn enjoyment without the intense scares.
