Not each Halloween horror journey must frighten gamers. Starting with beloved classics for example mystery-solving cartoons to endearing shows including Over the Garden Wall, plenty of autumn-inspired favorites provide fun without needing increasing anxiety. Additionally, a growing library of ghostly-adorable titles including autumn atmosphere, but not the truly terrifying intensity of horror. Gloomy Eyes arrived in the fall, and acts as an superb relaxing alternative to the truly terrifying releases of this year.
A Distinctive Collaborative Solo Adventure
Described as a single-player cooperative brain-teaser, Gloomy Eyes pairs up a living-impaired child called Gloomy and a living girl named Nena as they embark on an mission to return daylight to their shadowy world. Their appearance is similar to Funko Pops combined with the characters from a Laika film. The light-complected and heavy-lidded appearance borrows heavily from the look of Tim Burton’s films, and the story is a archetypal family-friendly adventure. The pair builds an enduring connection over the span of the game’s numerous levels as Nena tries to prove to her religious guardian that, hey, maybe the undead are actually good.
Innovative Problem-Solving Features
The “self-coop” label comes about from the game’s environmental puzzles. After Gloomy and Nena meet, gamers switch amidst the newfound friends to solve puzzles and move forward through the levels. Being a zombie, Gloomy is unable to traverse through the light of a lamppost, while Nena can be captured by loitering creatures unless a beam is directed on them.
They have to cooperate closely — in practice, you’ll use them simultaneously — to finish levels. Nena could adjust or momentarily deactivate lights to create passages for Gloomy, while the intellectually curious youth will use his zombie strength to move obstacles in the surroundings, opening up paths for Nena.
Immersive World Building
The brain-teasers evoke memories a little of The Gardens Between, in the fashion the stages are floating, diorama-like designs that the camera pans around in conjunction with your protagonists. Gloomy Eyes’ environments are highly entertaining, leading the companions around a carnival and through a ghostly building, among other places. There’s a “diorama view” feature that enables you to pull back and spin the areas, both for enjoy the designs and look for routes that may not have been obvious.
Slight Hiccups and Complete Experience
Here lies one of the few problems with Gloomy Eyes. Like other games with a static view, occasionally it's confusing where the protagonists may or may not travel. Players might have to simply collide with a few random elements to determine which ones are interactive, as clues aren't consistently provided.
However, those minor speedbumps don't hinder of a spooky-cute fun adventure. Gloomy Eyes runs on the short side, with roughly three to five hours worth of challenges. Subsequent stages combine subtle stealth and exciting moments with the puzzle solving, as Gloomy Eyes marches toward a rewarding — and somewhat unforeseen — ending.
Availability and Conclusion
Gamers avoiding the terror of fear-inducing games won’t want to miss Gloomy Eyes. You can find it on Switch console, PlayStation 5, computer, and Xbox, and is currently on sale for a quarter off on digital platforms.
Gloomy Eyes has been released on multiple platforms and delivers a enjoyable option for players looking for autumn enjoyment minus the terrifying moments.
