Not each spooky season journey needs to terrify gamers. Including beloved classics such as mystery-solving cartoons to delightful stories like Over the Garden Wall, numerous Halloween-themed titles provide fun without requiring raising your heart rate. Moreover, a growing library of ghostly-adorable games with Halloween vibes, though lacking the keep-you-awake intensity of horror. Gloomy Eyes was released in the fall, and serves as an excellent relaxing option to the deeply scary releases of 2025.
A Unique Collaborative Solo Adventure
Described as a single-player cooperative brain-teaser, Gloomy Eyes teams up a undead youth named Gloomy and a human girl called Nena as they embark on an mission to restore sunlight to their dark, dark realm. Their appearance evokes Funko Pops mixed with the characters from a stop-motion animation. Their pale-skinned and heavy-lidded style draws inspiration from the look of Gothic fantasy movies, and the plot is a classic suitable for everyone tale. The duo forms an enduring bond over the duration of the game’s numerous levels as Nena strives to demonstrate to her religious guardian that, hey, possibly zombies aren’t half bad.
Innovative Gameplay Systems
This unique term originates from the game’s environmental puzzles. Once Gloomy and Nena cross paths, gamers switch between the budding companions to solve puzzles and advance through the stages. Since he's not alive, Gloomy is unable to traverse through the light of a light source, while Nena can be captured by loitering creatures without a lamp is directed on them.
It's necessary for them to collaborate effectively — actually, players control them in tandem — to finish levels. Nena might relocate or temporarily shut off illumination to open routes for Gloomy, while the intellectually curious youth will use his zombie strength to shift around obstacles in the surroundings, opening up routes for Nena.
Immersive Environment Creation
The brain-teasers remind me a bit of The Gardens Between, in the manner the areas are hovering, diorama-like constructions that the perspective rotates in coordination with your protagonists. Gloomy Eyes’ worlds are very enjoyable, guiding the companions around a carnival and through a ghostly building, amid other locations. There’s a “diorama view” button that permits you to view from afar and rotate the levels, both to admire the artwork and look for paths that may not have been apparent.
Minor Challenges and General Adventure
And that’s one of the few problems with Gloomy Eyes. Similar to other releases with a fixed perspective, it’s not always clear where the characters are able to move. Players might have to randomly encounter a few random elements to figure out which ones are usable, as it’s not always intuitive.
Nonetheless, those small speedbumps don’t get in the way of a ghostly-charming fun adventure. Gloomy Eyes has a compact length, with roughly a few sessions worth of challenges. Advanced areas combine light stealth and exciting moments with the problem-solving, as Gloomy Eyes marches toward a satisfying — and somewhat surprising — finale.
Release and Final Thoughts
Those steering clear of the terror of intense horror releases should definitely try Gloomy Eyes. The game is out on Switch console, PlayStation 5, PC, and Xbox, and is currently on sale for a discount on digital platforms.
Gloomy Eyes is out now on multiple platforms and provides a enjoyable option for gamers looking for autumn enjoyment minus the terrifying moments.
