Not each Halloween horror adventure needs to terrify gamers. Including beloved classics like animated detectives to delightful stories such as Over the Garden Wall, numerous autumn-inspired staples are enjoyable without needing causing fear. Moreover, a growing library of ghostly-adorable games with spooky themes, though lacking the truly terrifying degree of horror. Gloomy Eyes arrived in recent months, and acts as an superb comfortable alternative to the truly terrifying games of the current season.
A Unique Collaborative Solo Journey
Known as a “self-coop” puzzle game, Gloomy Eyes pairs up a undead youth named Gloomy and a living girl called Nena as they begin an adventure to return daylight to their shadowy environment. They look evokes collectible figures blended with the characters from a stop-motion animation. The fair-toned and baggy-eyed aesthetic borrows heavily from the look of Gothic fantasy movies, and the story is a archetypal all-ages tale. The duo builds an enduring bond over the course of the game’s numerous levels as Nena tries to prove to her clerical relative that, hey, maybe zombies can be friendly.
Original Puzzle Mechanics
The “self-coop” label stems from the game’s environmental puzzles. After Gloomy and Nena encounter each other, players alternate between the recent allies to overcome obstacles and move forward through the stages. As an undead, Gloomy cannot pass through the brightness of a lamppost, while Nena may be grabbed by idle zombies except if a light is directed on them.
They must cooperate closely — actually, gamers operate them together — to finish levels. Nena might relocate or temporarily shut off illumination to open routes for Gloomy, while the thoughtful character will use his zombie strength to rearrange objects in the environment, creating routes for Nena.
Engaging World Building
The puzzles evoke memories a little of The Gardens Between, in the way the levels are suspended, model-like structures that the view pans around in conjunction with your heroes. Gloomy Eyes’ worlds are quite fun, taking the companions around a amusement park and through a ghostly building, including other locales. There’s a “diorama view” feature that allows you to zoom out and spin the areas, simultaneously to appreciate the designs and look for routes that may not have been apparent.
Minor Challenges and General Gameplay
And that’s one of the few hiccups with Gloomy Eyes. Comparable to other games with a static view, it’s not always clear where the characters are able to move. Gamers could require to just bump into a few random objects to figure out which ones are interactable, as the game doesn't always indicate.
Nevertheless, those minor challenges don't obstruct of a ghostly-charming good time. Gloomy Eyes runs on the short side, with approximately three to five hours worth of challenges. Subsequent stages integrate subtle sneaking and exciting moments with the challenge completion, as Gloomy Eyes progresses to a satisfying — and slightly surprising — ending.
Accessibility and Summary
Those avoiding the scares of intense horror titles won’t want to miss Gloomy Eyes. The game is out on Nintendo Switch, Sony system, Windows PC, and Microsoft console, and is available at a reduced price for a quarter off on digital platforms.
This charming title is out now on various systems and provides a delightful choice for players seeking spooky entertainment without intense scares.
