Not every autumn fright experience has to terrify gamers. From beloved classics such as animated detectives to endearing shows such as Over the Garden Wall, numerous Halloween-themed favorites provide fun without causing fear. Moreover, a growing library of spooky-cute releases including spooky themes, though lacking the truly terrifying intensity of horror. Gloomy Eyes arrived in the fall, and stands as an outstanding comfortable choice to the intensely frightening titles of 2025.
A Unique Self-Coop Quest
Labeled as a single-player cooperative problem-solving title, Gloomy Eyes pairs up a zombie boy known as Gloomy and a living girl known as Nena as they start an quest to bring the sun back to their shadowy world. Their design is similar to stylized dolls blended with the characters from a stop-motion animation. The pale-skinned and baggy-eyed style is influenced by the look of Burtonesque cinema, and the story is a classic all-ages tale. The duo forms an unbreakable bond over the span of the game’s numerous levels as Nena strives to prove to her clerical relative that, look, possibly zombies can be friendly.
Original Gameplay Systems
The “self-coop” description stems from the game’s interactive problem-solving. Once Gloomy and Nena meet, gamers switch among the budding companions to complete challenges and progress through the areas. Being a zombie, Gloomy can’t walk through the brightness of a streetlight, while Nena can be captured by wandering undead except if a light is directed on them.
They have to collaborate effectively — well, gamers operate them in tandem — to finish levels. Nena may move or briefly disable lights to create passages for Gloomy, while the open-brained character will utilize his supernatural ability to shift around obstacles in the surroundings, creating ways for Nena.
Engaging Level Design
The brain-teasers remind me a little of The Gardens Between, in the manner the areas are suspended, model-like designs that the view pans around in coordination with your heroes. Gloomy Eyes’ settings are highly entertaining, taking the companions around a fair and through a haunted house, amid other places. There’s a “diorama view” feature that permits you to zoom out and spin the areas, both to appreciate the designs and look for ways that may not have been clear.
Slight Challenges and Overall Experience
And that’s one of the few difficulties with Gloomy Eyes. Similar to other titles with a fixed perspective, it’s not always clear where the characters are able to move. Players might have to just bump into a several various objects to figure out which ones are interactable, as clues aren't consistently provided.
However, those slight challenges don't obstruct of a ghostly-charming fun adventure. Gloomy Eyes runs on the short side, with approximately a few sessions worth of brain-teasers. Subsequent stages integrate light hidden movement and exciting moments with the problem-solving, as Gloomy Eyes marches toward a fulfilling — and slightly unforeseen — finale.
Availability and Conclusion
Gamers steering clear of the frights of terrifying releases should definitely try Gloomy Eyes. The game is out on Nintendo platform, PlayStation 5, PC, and Xbox Series X, and is currently on sale for 25% off on digital platforms.
Gloomy Eyes is out now on various systems and offers a enjoyable choice for players looking for autumn enjoyment minus the terrifying moments.
