Not each spooky season experience has to frighten gamers. From iconic favorites for example Scooby-Doo to delightful stories like Over the Garden Wall, many spooky-season titles are enjoyable without needing causing fear. Moreover, a expanding collection of spooky-cute games including spooky themes, yet without the truly terrifying degree of terror. Gloomy Eyes debuted in September, and stands as an outstanding cozy alternative to the deeply scary games of this year.
A Unique Single-Player Cooperative Quest
Labeled as a solo collaboration problem-solving title, Gloomy Eyes pairs up a undead youth named Gloomy and a human girl named Nena as they start an mission to restore sunlight to their shadowy world. Their appearance is similar to Funko Pops blended with the characters from a animated feature. The light-complected and tired-looking aesthetic draws inspiration from the appearance of Gothic fantasy movies, and the plot is a quintessential all-ages adventure. These two forms an unbreakable connection over the span of the game’s numerous levels as Nena tries to show to her clerical relative that, look, possibly zombies aren’t half bad.
Original Gameplay Systems
The innovative term comes about from the game’s interactive problem-solving. After Gloomy and Nena meet, players alternate amidst the budding companions to complete challenges and progress through the stages. Being a zombie, Gloomy can’t walk through the light of a light source, while Nena will get snatched up by wandering undead unless a light is directed on them.
They have to work in tandem — actually, players control them together — to complete stages. Nena might relocate or temporarily shut off lights to create passages for Gloomy, while the open-brained boy will employ his undead power to move objects in the surroundings, creating paths for Nena.
Immersive Level Design
The puzzles bring to mind a touch of The Gardens Between, in the fashion the levels are suspended, miniature designs that the perspective moves across in conjunction with your protagonists. Gloomy Eyes’ environments are quite fun, leading the duo around a amusement park and through a haunted house, amid other locations. There’s a “diorama view” feature that permits you to view from afar and turn the levels, both for enjoy the designs and look for ways that may not have been clear.
Slight Hiccups and Overall Experience
And that’s one of the only difficulties with Gloomy Eyes. Comparable to other releases with a static view, it’s not always clear where the protagonists may or may not travel. Players might have to simply collide with a multiple different objects to determine which ones are interactable, as it’s not always intuitive.
Nevertheless, those small challenges don’t get in the way of a spooky-cute enjoyable experience. Gloomy Eyes has a compact length, with about a few sessions worth of challenges. Subsequent stages blend together minor stealth and dynamic sequences with the puzzle solving, as Gloomy Eyes progresses to a fulfilling — and slightly surprising — conclusion.
Availability and Summary
Players shying away from the terror of terrifying titles should definitely try Gloomy Eyes. It’s available on Switch console, PlayStation 5, PC, and Microsoft console, and is available at a reduced price for a quarter off on online stores.
Gloomy Eyes has been released on several consoles and delivers a delightful option for gamers looking for autumn enjoyment without the fear factor.
