Not every Halloween horror journey has to frighten players. Starting with iconic favorites for example mystery-solving cartoons to endearing shows including Over the Garden Wall, plenty of autumn-inspired staples provide fun without requiring causing fear. Moreover, a growing library of eerie-charming games featuring Halloween vibes, but not the keep-you-awake degree of terror. Gloomy Eyes arrived in the fall, and acts as an superb comfortable choice to the truly terrifying titles of the current season.
A Distinctive Self-Coop Journey
Labeled as a “self-coop” puzzle game, Gloomy Eyes pairs up a undead youth named Gloomy and a living girl called Nena as they embark on an adventure to restore sunlight to their shadowy environment. They look resembles Funko Pops mixed with the characters from a animated feature. The fair-toned and baggy-eyed aesthetic is influenced by the look of Tim Burton’s films, and the narrative is a quintessential family-friendly journey. The duo builds an enduring friendship over the span of the game’s numerous levels as Nena attempts to prove to her religious guardian that, hey, perhaps zombies aren’t half bad.
Creative Gameplay Systems
The “self-coop” label originates from the game’s environmental puzzles. Once Gloomy and Nena meet, gamers switch among the recent allies to overcome obstacles and move forward through the stages. Being a zombie, Gloomy is unable to traverse through the brightness of a streetlight, while Nena may be grabbed by wandering undead except if a beam is focused on them.
They must work in tandem — in practice, gamers operate them in tandem — to advance through areas. Nena might relocate or momentarily deactivate illumination to create passages for Gloomy, while the intellectually curious youth will utilize his supernatural ability to shift around items in the world, revealing paths for Nena.
Captivating Environment Creation
The brain-teasers bring to mind a bit of The Gardens Between, in the fashion the areas are floating, diorama-like designs that the view moves across in conjunction with your heroes. Gloomy Eyes’ environments are highly entertaining, guiding the duo around a carnival and through a spooky mansion, among other places. Players can use a “diorama view” button that allows you to view from afar and spin the levels, simultaneously to enjoy the artwork and search for paths that may not have been apparent.
Small Challenges and Complete Gameplay
This represents one of the sole problems with Gloomy Eyes. Comparable to other titles with a locked camera, sometimes it's unclear where the heroes can and cannot go. Gamers could require to randomly encounter a multiple different objects to discover which ones are usable, as clues aren't consistently provided.
Nevertheless, those minor speedbumps don't hinder of a eerie-adorable good time. Gloomy Eyes has a compact length, with about three to five hours worth of brain-teasers. Advanced areas blend together minor hidden movement and exciting moments with the challenge completion, as Gloomy Eyes progresses to a rewarding — and somewhat unexpected — conclusion.
Availability and Summary
Those shying away from the terror of fear-inducing games ought to experience Gloomy Eyes. It’s available on Nintendo Switch, Sony system, PC, and Microsoft console, and is available at a reduced price for a quarter off on game marketplaces.
The spooky-cute adventure is out now on various systems and delivers a delightful alternative for gamers looking for spooky entertainment without intense scares.
