Not each Halloween horror adventure must scare players. From well-known tales like Scooby-Doo to delightful stories such as Over the Garden Wall, plenty of spooky-season favorites are enjoyable without raising your heart rate. Additionally, a expanding collection of ghostly-adorable releases featuring autumn atmosphere, though lacking the sleep-with-the-lights-on intensity of fear. Gloomy Eyes debuted in September, and acts as an excellent cozy choice to the intensely frightening releases of 2025.
A Distinctive Self-Coop Quest
Known as a solo collaboration puzzle game, Gloomy Eyes unites a zombie boy called Gloomy and a human girl called Nena as they start an adventure to return daylight to their gloomy environment. Their design resembles Funko Pops mixed with the characters from a stop-motion animation. The fair-toned and tired-looking aesthetic borrows heavily from the look of Burtonesque cinema, and the plot is a quintessential family-friendly tale. The pair builds an enduring connection over the course of the game’s numerous levels as Nena attempts to demonstrate to her clerical relative that, hey, maybe zombies are actually good.
Innovative Gameplay Systems
The “self-coop” label stems from the game’s world-based challenges. After Gloomy and Nena cross paths, players alternate among the budding companions to complete challenges and advance through the levels. Since he's not alive, Gloomy is unable to traverse through the illumination of a lamppost, while Nena may be grabbed by idle zombies unless a beam is focused on them.
They have to collaborate effectively — actually, gamers operate them in tandem — to complete stages. Nena could adjust or temporarily shut off illumination to clear paths for Gloomy, while the intellectually curious character will utilize his supernatural ability to rearrange obstacles in the environment, opening up routes for Nena.
Engaging Level Design
These challenges remind me a little of The Gardens Between, in the fashion the levels are suspended, diorama-like designs that the camera rotates in sync with your heroes. Gloomy Eyes’ settings are highly entertaining, guiding the friends around a fair and through a ghostly building, amid other places. The game includes a “diorama view” button that permits you to view from afar and spin the levels, both for enjoy the visuals and search for ways that may not have been obvious.
Minor Issues and General Adventure
This represents one of the few problems with Gloomy Eyes. Similar to other games with a fixed perspective, sometimes it's unclear where the heroes are able to move. You may need to randomly encounter a multiple different items to figure out which ones are usable, as the game doesn't always indicate.
However, those minor speedbumps don't obstruct of a ghostly-charming good time. Gloomy Eyes is relatively brief, with roughly a few sessions worth of puzzles. Advanced areas blend together subtle sneaking and dynamic sequences with the challenge completion, as Gloomy Eyes marches toward a fulfilling — and moderately unforeseen — ending.
Release and Final Thoughts
Those avoiding the terror of fear-inducing games should definitely try Gloomy Eyes. The game is out on Nintendo platform, Sony system, Windows PC, and Microsoft console, and is presently discounted for a discount on online stores.
The spooky-cute adventure is out now on multiple platforms and provides a delightful alternative for fans seeking Halloween fun without fear factor.
