Not every Halloween horror journey must frighten gamers. Starting with iconic favorites for example mystery-solving cartoons to charming series such as Over the Garden Wall, many autumn-inspired staples are enjoyable without requiring increasing anxiety. There’s also, a growing library of spooky-cute games featuring spooky themes, though lacking the sleep-with-the-lights-on level of terror. Gloomy Eyes was released in the fall, and acts as an superb comfortable choice to the truly terrifying games of this year.
A Unique Single-Player Cooperative Quest
Labeled as a solo collaboration brain-teaser, Gloomy Eyes pairs up a living-impaired child named Gloomy and a human girl named Nena as they begin an mission to bring the sun back to their shadowy environment. They look resembles stylized dolls combined with the puppets from a stop-motion animation. The fair-toned and heavy-lidded style borrows heavily from the visual style of Burtonesque cinema, and the story is a classic all-ages adventure. The pair forms an enduring connection over the course of the game’s numerous levels as Nena tries to demonstrate to her priest uncle that, you know, possibly living-impaired beings aren’t half bad.
Original Puzzle Mechanics
The “self-coop” label stems from the game’s interactive problem-solving. Once Gloomy and Nena encounter each other, gamers switch among the recent allies to overcome obstacles and progress through the stages. As an undead, Gloomy can’t walk through the brightness of a streetlight, while Nena will get snatched up by loitering creatures unless a beam is directed on them.
They have to collaborate effectively — in practice, you’ll use them together — to advance through areas. Nena could adjust or briefly disable lights to open routes for Gloomy, while the open-brained character will employ his undead power to move obstacles in the world, revealing paths for Nena.
Engaging World Building
The puzzles remind me a little of The Gardens Between, in the manner the areas are suspended, diorama-like constructions that the view pans around in conjunction with your characters. Gloomy Eyes’ worlds are highly entertaining, taking the duo around a amusement park and through a ghostly building, including other places. The game includes a “diorama view” feature that allows you to zoom out and spin the stages, both for admire the visuals and hunt for routes that may not have been apparent.
Small Challenges and Overall Gameplay
Here lies one of the few hiccups with Gloomy Eyes. Comparable to other releases with a locked camera, it’s not always clear where the heroes are able to move. You may need to simply collide with a several various objects to determine which ones are interactable, as clues aren't consistently provided.
However, those minor challenges don't obstruct of a eerie-adorable fun adventure. Gloomy Eyes has a compact length, with roughly several hours worth of puzzles. Subsequent stages blend together minor sneaking and exciting moments with the puzzle solving, as Gloomy Eyes advances to a satisfying — and slightly surprising — conclusion.
Accessibility and Final Thoughts
Those steering clear of the scares of intense horror games ought to experience Gloomy Eyes. It’s available on Nintendo Switch, PS5, computer, and Xbox Series X, and is presently discounted for a discount on online stores.
This charming title is out now on various systems and offers a enjoyable choice for gamers seeking autumn enjoyment without terrifying moments.
