Not all Halloween horror adventure has to terrify gamers. Starting with iconic favorites for example Scooby-Doo to charming series such as Over the Garden Wall, many Halloween-themed favorites offer entertainment without needing raising your heart rate. There’s also, a expanding collection of eerie-charming games featuring spooky themes, though lacking the sleep-with-the-lights-on intensity of fear. Gloomy Eyes arrived in the fall, and stands as an superb comfortable alternative to the deeply scary games of 2025.
A Distinctive Collaborative Solo Journey
Known as a solo collaboration puzzle game, Gloomy Eyes pairs up a living-impaired child named Gloomy and a living girl called Nena as they embark on an adventure to restore sunlight to their gloomy world. They look evokes stylized dolls blended with the characters from a Laika film. The fair-toned and baggy-eyed style is influenced by the appearance of Tim Burton’s films, and the plot is a classic suitable for everyone adventure. The duo develops an unbreakable friendship over the span of the game’s 14 chapters as Nena attempts to demonstrate to her religious guardian that, look, maybe the undead are actually good.
Original Gameplay Systems
The “self-coop” label stems from the game’s environmental puzzles. After Gloomy and Nena cross paths, players alternate amidst the budding companions to overcome obstacles and move forward through the levels. Being a zombie, Gloomy is unable to traverse through the brightness of a streetlight, while Nena can be captured by wandering undead unless a beam is directed on them.
They must collaborate effectively — actually, you’ll use them simultaneously — to advance through areas. Nena might relocate or momentarily deactivate lights to create passages for Gloomy, while the open-brained boy will use his zombie strength to move items in the world, revealing paths for Nena.
Engaging World Building
These challenges remind me a bit of The Gardens Between, in the fashion the areas are hovering, diorama-like structures that the view rotates in coordination with your protagonists. Gloomy Eyes’ settings are very enjoyable, leading the companions around a fair and through a haunted house, among other places. The game includes a “diorama view” button that permits you to zoom out and rotate the areas, both to enjoy the visuals and look for ways that may not have been apparent.
Minor Issues and Overall Adventure
Here lies one of the sole problems with Gloomy Eyes. Like other games with a static view, it’s not always clear where the heroes may or may not travel. Players might have to simply collide with a few random items to discover which ones are interactable, as it’s not always intuitive.
However, those slight speedbumps don't hinder of a spooky-cute enjoyable experience. Gloomy Eyes has a compact length, with roughly a few sessions worth of puzzles. Subsequent stages integrate light stealth and exciting moments with the problem-solving, as Gloomy Eyes marches toward a fulfilling — and slightly unexpected — finale.
Availability and Summary
Those steering clear of the frights of fear-inducing titles won’t want to miss Gloomy Eyes. You can find it on Switch console, PlayStation 5, computer, and Microsoft console, and is presently discounted for 25% off on online stores.
Gloomy Eyes is available on several consoles and provides a enjoyable alternative for players looking for Halloween fun without the fear factor.
