Not each autumn fright adventure must frighten you. From beloved classics for example mystery-solving cartoons to endearing shows including Over the Garden Wall, numerous autumn-inspired titles offer entertainment without increasing anxiety. Additionally, a growing library of spooky-cute releases with spooky themes, though lacking the sleep-with-the-lights-on degree of terror. Gloomy Eyes was released in the fall, and acts as an superb cozy alternative to the truly terrifying titles of the current season.
A Unique Self-Coop Journey
Described as a solo collaboration puzzle game, Gloomy Eyes teams up a zombie boy called Gloomy and a mortal child known as Nena as they start an quest to restore sunlight to their dark, dark world. Their design resembles stylized dolls mixed with the characters from a Laika film. The light-complected and baggy-eyed style borrows heavily from the appearance of Gothic fantasy movies, and the story is a quintessential all-ages journey. These two develops an unbreakable bond over the duration of the game’s numerous levels as Nena attempts to demonstrate to her clerical relative that, you know, maybe zombies are actually good.
Original Puzzle Mechanics
The innovative description originates from the game’s environmental puzzles. After Gloomy and Nena cross paths, you’ll swap among the budding companions to overcome obstacles and progress through the stages. As an undead, Gloomy is unable to traverse through the illumination of a light source, while Nena may be grabbed by idle zombies unless a light is directed on them.
It's necessary for them to work in tandem — actually, players control them together — to finish levels. Nena may move or briefly disable lights to clear paths for Gloomy, while the open-brained character will utilize his supernatural ability to shift around objects in the surroundings, revealing ways for Nena.
Engaging World Building
The puzzles remind me a touch of The Gardens Between, in the fashion the areas are floating, miniature designs that the camera rotates in coordination with your protagonists. Gloomy Eyes’ environments are highly entertaining, guiding the companions around a fair and through a spooky mansion, including other places. There’s a “diorama view” option that permits you to zoom out and rotate the stages, both to enjoy the designs and search for routes that may not have been obvious.
Slight Challenges and Overall Adventure
This represents one of the few difficulties with Gloomy Eyes. Comparable to other releases with a fixed perspective, sometimes it's unclear where the characters can and cannot go. Players might have to just bump into a multiple different items to figure out which ones are interactable, as the game doesn't always indicate.
Nevertheless, those minor challenges don't obstruct of a spooky-cute fun adventure. Gloomy Eyes is relatively brief, with roughly several hours worth of challenges. Later levels blend together minor hidden movement and exciting moments with the challenge completion, as Gloomy Eyes marches toward a rewarding — and somewhat surprising — conclusion.
Availability and Final Thoughts
Those avoiding the scares of intense horror titles won’t want to miss Gloomy Eyes. You can find it on Nintendo Switch, PlayStation 5, Windows PC, and Xbox Series X, and is currently on sale for 25% off on digital platforms.
This charming title is available on various systems and delivers a enjoyable option for gamers seeking Halloween fun without the fear factor.
