This Spooky-Cute Brain-Teaser Acts as the Perfect Substitute to Halloween Horror

Not every autumn fright journey needs to scare players. Including beloved classics for example Scooby-Doo to endearing shows including Over the Garden Wall, plenty of autumn-inspired titles offer entertainment without raising your heart rate. Additionally, a increasing selection of eerie-charming releases with autumn atmosphere, though lacking the sleep-with-the-lights-on degree of fear. Gloomy Eyes debuted in September, and serves as an superb comfortable option to the intensely frightening releases of 2025.

Gloomy Eyes image
Image: Creators, ATLAS V, 3DAR, Be Revolution/Untold Tales

An Original Single-Player Cooperative Journey

Described as a “self-coop” brain-teaser, Gloomy Eyes teams up a undead youth known as Gloomy and a living girl called Nena as they embark on an adventure to return daylight to their dark, dark world. They look evokes Funko Pops combined with the characters from a Laika film. Their light-complected and baggy-eyed style is influenced by the look of Burtonesque cinema, and the story is a quintessential all-ages tale. These two develops an enduring connection over the duration of the game’s 14 chapters as Nena tries to prove to her clerical relative that, look, perhaps living-impaired beings can be friendly.

Original Gameplay Systems

The “self-coop” label comes about from the game’s world-based challenges. After Gloomy and Nena encounter each other, gamers switch amidst the recent allies to overcome obstacles and advance through the areas. As an undead, Gloomy can’t walk through the brightness of a light source, while Nena can be captured by loitering creatures unless a beam is focused on them.

They have to cooperate closely — well, players control them simultaneously — to complete stages. Nena may move or momentarily deactivate illumination to open routes for Gloomy, while the open-brained youth will use his zombie strength to rearrange objects in the environment, opening up ways for Nena.

This adventure gameplay
Image: Developers, Studio, Design Group, Be Revolution/Untold Tales

Immersive Environment Creation

These challenges remind me a little of The Gardens Between, in the manner the stages are suspended, miniature designs that the perspective moves across in conjunction with your characters. Gloomy Eyes’ settings are highly entertaining, guiding the companions around a fair and through a spooky mansion, amid other locales. The game includes a “diorama view” feature that enables you to pull back and spin the stages, both to admire the artwork and look for paths that may not have been clear.

Minor Issues and Complete Experience

And that’s one of the few hiccups with Gloomy Eyes. Similar to other titles with a static view, it’s not always clear where the characters can and cannot go. Players might have to randomly encounter a several various elements to determine which ones are interactive, as clues aren't consistently provided.

Nonetheless, those slight speedbumps don't obstruct of a ghostly-charming enjoyable experience. Gloomy Eyes is relatively brief, with about several hours worth of puzzles. Subsequent stages combine light stealth and action elements with the challenge completion, as Gloomy Eyes advances to a satisfying — and moderately unforeseen — ending.

Release and Summary

Players avoiding the scares of terrifying games ought to experience Gloomy Eyes. The game is out on Nintendo platform, Sony system, computer, and Xbox, and is presently discounted for a discount on game marketplaces.

This charming title has been released on multiple platforms and offers a delightful option for fans looking for spooky entertainment minus the intense scares.

Regina Miller
Regina Miller

A freelance journalist covering UK gaming culture and industry developments.