Not every Halloween horror adventure needs to scare players. Including beloved classics like mystery-solving cartoons to delightful stories such as Over the Garden Wall, many autumn-inspired titles offer entertainment without needing causing fear. There’s also, a growing library of eerie-charming titles featuring Halloween vibes, yet without the keep-you-awake level of horror. Gloomy Eyes was released in September, and acts as an superb cozy option to the intensely frightening titles of this year.
A Unique Single-Player Cooperative Quest
Known as a solo collaboration problem-solving title, Gloomy Eyes pairs up a undead youth called Gloomy and a human girl named Nena as they begin an adventure to bring the sun back to their gloomy realm. Their design evokes stylized dolls combined with the figures from a Laika film. Their fair-toned and tired-looking aesthetic borrows heavily from the visual style of Gothic fantasy movies, and the story is a archetypal all-ages adventure. The pair builds an unbreakable friendship over the span of the game’s 14 chapters as Nena attempts to show to her priest uncle that, look, maybe zombies can be friendly.
Creative Problem-Solving Features
The “self-coop” description originates from the game’s environmental puzzles. After Gloomy and Nena encounter each other, gamers switch between the budding companions to solve puzzles and move forward through the stages. Being a zombie, Gloomy can’t walk through the illumination of a lamppost, while Nena will get snatched up by wandering undead unless a lamp is directed on them.
They must collaborate effectively — well, players control them together — to finish levels. Nena might relocate or momentarily deactivate lamps to open routes for Gloomy, while the open-brained character will utilize his supernatural ability to move objects in the surroundings, opening up routes for Nena.
Immersive Level Design
The puzzles evoke memories a touch of The Gardens Between, in the way the levels are hovering, miniature constructions that the camera rotates in coordination with your protagonists. Gloomy Eyes’ settings are very enjoyable, taking the friends around a amusement park and through a ghostly building, including other locales. There’s a “diorama view” button that permits you to view from afar and turn the stages, both to appreciate the designs and look for ways that may not have been obvious.
Small Issues and General Experience
Here lies one of the only hiccups with Gloomy Eyes. Similar to other games with a static view, it’s not always clear where the protagonists can and cannot go. Gamers could require to simply collide with a multiple different objects to discover which ones are interactive, as the game doesn't always indicate.
Nonetheless, those small speedbumps don't obstruct of a eerie-adorable good time. Gloomy Eyes has a compact length, with approximately a few sessions worth of puzzles. Advanced areas integrate subtle sneaking and action elements with the problem-solving, as Gloomy Eyes advances to a satisfying — and moderately surprising — ending.
Accessibility and Conclusion
Players avoiding the terror of fear-inducing releases should definitely try Gloomy Eyes. You can find it on Nintendo platform, PlayStation 5, Windows PC, and Xbox Series X, and is currently on sale for a quarter off on game marketplaces.
This charming title has been released on various systems and provides a delightful alternative for gamers in search of autumn enjoyment without the fear factor.
