Not each spooky season experience has to scare players. Including beloved classics such as mystery-solving cartoons to endearing shows such as Over the Garden Wall, plenty of Halloween-themed favorites offer entertainment without requiring causing fear. There’s also, a expanding collection of spooky-cute releases with autumn atmosphere, though lacking the keep-you-awake intensity of horror. Gloomy Eyes arrived in September, and stands as an superb cozy option to the truly terrifying titles of this year.
An Original Single-Player Cooperative Journey
Described as a single-player cooperative problem-solving title, Gloomy Eyes unites a undead youth named Gloomy and a living girl known as Nena as they embark on an mission to return daylight to their gloomy world. Their design resembles Funko Pops mixed with the characters from a animated feature. The pale-skinned and baggy-eyed appearance borrows heavily from the visual style of Burtonesque cinema, and the story is a classic family-friendly tale. These two develops an enduring friendship over the span of the game’s multiple stages as Nena tries to prove to her clerical relative that, you know, possibly living-impaired beings are actually good.
Original Problem-Solving Features
The “self-coop” label stems from the game’s interactive problem-solving. When Gloomy and Nena encounter each other, gamers switch among the budding companions to solve puzzles and move forward through the stages. As an undead, Gloomy can’t walk through the illumination of a lamppost, while Nena may be grabbed by wandering undead without a light is shone on them.
They must cooperate closely — well, gamers operate them in tandem — to complete stages. Nena could adjust or momentarily deactivate lamps to clear paths for Gloomy, while the intellectually curious character will utilize his supernatural ability to move objects in the environment, opening up ways for Nena.
Immersive Level Design
These challenges bring to mind a little of The Gardens Between, in the fashion the stages are suspended, miniature designs that the perspective moves across in conjunction with your protagonists. Gloomy Eyes’ settings are quite fun, guiding the duo around a carnival and through a haunted house, among other locales. There’s a “diorama view” button that allows you to view from afar and rotate the levels, both to appreciate the artwork and look for routes that may not have been apparent.
Minor Challenges and Complete Adventure
Here lies one of the sole hiccups with Gloomy Eyes. Like other titles with a static view, it’s not always clear where the characters may or may not travel. Players might have to just bump into a few random elements to determine which ones are interactable, as clues aren't consistently provided.
Nonetheless, those small speedbumps don't obstruct of a spooky-cute fun adventure. Gloomy Eyes runs on the short side, with approximately a few sessions worth of brain-teasers. Advanced areas blend together subtle hidden movement and exciting moments with the challenge completion, as Gloomy Eyes progresses to a fulfilling — and somewhat unforeseen — ending.
Accessibility and Summary
Those shying away from the frights of terrifying titles ought to experience Gloomy Eyes. The game is out on Nintendo Switch, Sony system, computer, and Xbox, and is presently discounted for a quarter off on game marketplaces.
Gloomy Eyes has been released on various systems and offers a delightful choice for fans looking for autumn enjoyment without the intense scares.
