Not each autumn fright experience needs to scare gamers. Including iconic favorites like Scooby-Doo to delightful stories such as Over the Garden Wall, many autumn-inspired staples are enjoyable without needing causing fear. Additionally, a growing library of ghostly-adorable releases featuring autumn atmosphere, yet without the keep-you-awake degree of terror. Gloomy Eyes was released in September, and acts as an excellent relaxing choice to the deeply scary releases of the current season.
An Original Collaborative Solo Quest
Labeled as a “self-coop” brain-teaser, Gloomy Eyes unites a undead youth named Gloomy and a human girl named Nena as they embark on an adventure to restore sunlight to their dark, dark environment. Their design resembles stylized dolls blended with the figures from a Laika film. Their fair-toned and tired-looking appearance borrows heavily from the look of Burtonesque cinema, and the narrative is a classic family-friendly tale. The duo develops an enduring connection over the span of the game’s 14 chapters as Nena strives to prove to her clerical relative that, hey, possibly zombies can be friendly.
Innovative Puzzle Mechanics
This unique term comes about from the game’s environmental puzzles. When Gloomy and Nena meet, players alternate among the newfound friends to overcome obstacles and advance through the areas. Being a zombie, Gloomy is unable to traverse through the light of a streetlight, while Nena can be captured by loitering creatures except if a beam is focused on them.
They have to work in tandem — actually, you’ll use them simultaneously — to finish levels. Nena may move or temporarily shut off lights to create passages for Gloomy, while the intellectually curious boy will employ his undead power to move objects in the world, opening up ways for Nena.
Captivating Level Design
The brain-teasers evoke memories a touch of The Gardens Between, in the fashion the stages are floating, miniature structures that the perspective pans around in coordination with your characters. Gloomy Eyes’ settings are quite fun, leading the friends around a carnival and through a ghostly building, amid other locations. There’s a “diorama view” option that enables you to pull back and turn the levels, both for appreciate the visuals and look for routes that may not have been apparent.
Minor Challenges and General Adventure
Here lies one of the few hiccups with Gloomy Eyes. Comparable to other releases with a static view, it’s not always clear where the protagonists are able to move. Players might have to simply collide with a several various items to discover which ones are usable, as clues aren't consistently provided.
Nevertheless, those small speedbumps don't hinder of a spooky-cute good time. Gloomy Eyes is relatively brief, with roughly several hours worth of brain-teasers. Later levels combine minor stealth and exciting moments with the problem-solving, as Gloomy Eyes advances to a fulfilling — and slightly unexpected — conclusion.
Availability and Final Thoughts
Gamers shying away from the frights of intense horror 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 game marketplaces.
Gloomy Eyes is out now on various systems and offers a enjoyable alternative for players in search of spooky entertainment without intense scares.
