Not every autumn fright adventure needs to frighten players. Including well-known tales such as mystery-solving cartoons to charming series such as Over the Garden Wall, plenty of Halloween-themed staples provide fun without requiring increasing anxiety. Moreover, a growing library of eerie-charming games including autumn atmosphere, though lacking the sleep-with-the-lights-on level of fear. Gloomy Eyes arrived in September, and stands as an superb relaxing alternative to the intensely frightening releases of this year.
A Distinctive Self-Coop Adventure
Described as a “self-coop” problem-solving title, Gloomy Eyes unites a zombie boy named Gloomy and a living girl named Nena as they embark on an quest to return daylight to their shadowy world. Their appearance is similar to collectible figures blended with the figures from a animated feature. Their pale-skinned and baggy-eyed appearance borrows heavily from the visual style of Burtonesque cinema, and the plot is a archetypal family-friendly journey. The duo forms an unbreakable connection over the span of the game’s 14 chapters as Nena strives to demonstrate to her clerical relative that, hey, maybe the undead can be friendly.
Innovative Gameplay Systems
The “self-coop” term originates from the game’s interactive problem-solving. After Gloomy and Nena meet, players alternate amidst the budding companions to solve puzzles and advance through the stages. Being a zombie, Gloomy cannot pass through the brightness of a light source, while Nena will get snatched up by idle zombies except if a lamp is directed on them.
They must cooperate closely — well, gamers operate them in tandem — to finish levels. Nena might relocate or briefly disable lamps to create passages for Gloomy, while the open-brained boy will use his zombie strength to rearrange items in the environment, opening up ways for Nena.
Immersive World Building
The brain-teasers remind me a bit of The Gardens Between, in the manner the levels are floating, diorama-like designs that the camera rotates in conjunction with your heroes. Gloomy Eyes’ settings are highly entertaining, leading the companions around a carnival and through a spooky mansion, including other locales. The game includes a “diorama view” button that permits you to pull back and spin the levels, both to enjoy the artwork and hunt for ways that may not have been apparent.
Small Challenges and Complete Gameplay
This represents one of the only difficulties with Gloomy Eyes. Comparable to other games with a fixed perspective, it’s not always clear where the protagonists are able to move. Gamers could require to just bump into a several various items to determine which ones are usable, as the game doesn't always indicate.
Nevertheless, those small challenges don't obstruct of a spooky-cute good time. Gloomy Eyes runs on the short side, with approximately three to five hours worth of puzzles. Advanced areas blend together subtle stealth and dynamic sequences with the puzzle solving, as Gloomy Eyes progresses to a rewarding — and moderately unforeseen — finale.
Availability and Final Thoughts
Those shying away from the scares of terrifying releases won’t want to miss Gloomy Eyes. The game is out on Switch console, Sony system, computer, and Xbox, and is currently on sale for a quarter off on digital platforms.
This charming title has been released on multiple platforms and provides a delightful option for fans seeking Halloween fun minus the terrifying moments.
