Not every Halloween horror experience has to frighten you. Including well-known tales like Scooby-Doo to endearing shows like Over the Garden Wall, numerous Halloween-themed favorites provide fun without causing fear. Moreover, a increasing selection of eerie-charming games with Halloween vibes, but not the keep-you-awake intensity of terror. Gloomy Eyes debuted in recent months, and acts as an outstanding comfortable alternative to the truly terrifying titles of 2025.
An Original Self-Coop Quest
Labeled as a “self-coop” problem-solving title, Gloomy Eyes teams up a living-impaired child called Gloomy and a living girl known as Nena as they start an mission to bring the sun back to their shadowy realm. They look resembles Funko Pops combined with the puppets from a Laika film. Their fair-toned and baggy-eyed aesthetic is influenced by the look of Burtonesque cinema, and the story is a archetypal all-ages tale. The duo develops an unbreakable connection over the span of the game’s multiple stages as Nena strives to show to her priest uncle that, you know, perhaps zombies can be friendly.
Innovative Puzzle Mechanics
The innovative label originates from the game’s interactive problem-solving. Once Gloomy and Nena meet, players alternate among the recent allies to complete challenges and advance through the areas. As an undead, Gloomy can’t walk through the brightness of a streetlight, while Nena may be grabbed by wandering undead unless a beam is directed on them.
They must collaborate effectively — well, you’ll use them in tandem — to finish levels. Nena may move or momentarily deactivate lights to clear paths for Gloomy, while the open-brained character will employ his undead power to rearrange obstacles in the world, creating paths for Nena.
Immersive Level Design
These challenges remind me a touch of The Gardens Between, in the way the levels are suspended, model-like designs that the perspective moves across in conjunction with your heroes. Gloomy Eyes’ worlds are highly entertaining, guiding the companions around a amusement park and through a ghostly building, among other places. The game includes a “diorama view” button that allows you to view from afar and rotate the areas, both for enjoy the visuals and search for routes that may not have been apparent.
Small Challenges and Overall Gameplay
Here lies one of the only difficulties with Gloomy Eyes. Similar to other releases with a static view, it’s not always clear where the characters are able to move. Gamers could require to simply collide with a several various items to discover which ones are interactable, as it’s not always intuitive.
Nevertheless, those slight obstacles don't hinder of a eerie-adorable good time. Gloomy Eyes runs on the short side, with roughly a few sessions worth of brain-teasers. Advanced areas combine subtle stealth and exciting moments with the problem-solving, as Gloomy Eyes marches toward a satisfying — and moderately unexpected — ending.
Release and Summary
Those steering clear of the terror of terrifying releases should definitely try Gloomy Eyes. The game is out on Nintendo Switch, PS5, PC, and Xbox, and is available at a reduced price for a quarter off on game marketplaces.
The spooky-cute adventure is available on various systems and offers a pleasurable option for fans looking for autumn enjoyment minus the fear factor.
