Not all Halloween horror experience has to frighten gamers. From iconic favorites such as mystery-solving cartoons to endearing shows including Over the Garden Wall, plenty of Halloween-themed staples are enjoyable without needing raising your heart rate. Additionally, a growing library of spooky-cute releases featuring spooky themes, but not the keep-you-awake intensity of horror. Gloomy Eyes was released in the fall, and serves as an superb relaxing choice to the deeply scary games of the current season.
A Distinctive Self-Coop Adventure
Labeled as a solo collaboration problem-solving title, Gloomy Eyes teams up a zombie boy known as Gloomy and a living girl known as Nena as they start an quest to return daylight to their shadowy realm. They look is similar to stylized dolls combined with the characters from a animated feature. Their fair-toned and heavy-lidded aesthetic draws inspiration from the appearance of Tim Burton’s films, and the plot is a archetypal family-friendly tale. The duo forms an enduring friendship over the course of the game’s 14 chapters as Nena tries to show to her religious guardian that, you know, perhaps living-impaired beings aren’t half bad.
Innovative Gameplay Systems
The “self-coop” description originates from the game’s world-based challenges. Once Gloomy and Nena encounter each other, gamers switch amidst the recent allies to solve puzzles and progress through the levels. Since he's not alive, Gloomy can’t walk through the light of a streetlight, while Nena will get snatched up by wandering undead unless a lamp is shone on them.
They must collaborate effectively — in practice, gamers operate them in tandem — to advance through areas. Nena might relocate or briefly disable lamps to create passages for Gloomy, while the intellectually curious boy will utilize his supernatural ability to move items in the surroundings, creating ways for Nena.
Captivating World Building
These challenges remind me a little of The Gardens Between, in the manner the levels are hovering, model-like structures that the perspective pans around in conjunction with your heroes. Gloomy Eyes’ settings are very enjoyable, leading the duo around a amusement park and through a spooky mansion, including other places. Players can use a “diorama view” feature that enables you to view from afar and spin the areas, both to appreciate the artwork and search for routes that may not have been apparent.
Small Hiccups and Overall Experience
And that’s one of the only hiccups with Gloomy Eyes. Similar to other releases with a locked camera, occasionally it's confusing where the protagonists can and cannot go. You may need to just bump into a several various elements to discover which ones are interactable, as the game doesn't always indicate.
However, those small obstacles don't obstruct of a eerie-adorable fun adventure. Gloomy Eyes is relatively brief, with about several hours worth of brain-teasers. Advanced areas integrate minor stealth and exciting moments with the challenge completion, as Gloomy Eyes progresses to a rewarding — and slightly unexpected — finale.
Accessibility and Final Thoughts
Those steering clear of the frights of fear-inducing releases won’t want to miss Gloomy Eyes. The game is out on Switch console, Sony system, computer, and Microsoft console, and is currently on sale for a discount on online stores.
Gloomy Eyes has been released on various systems and offers a delightful choice for gamers seeking spooky entertainment without the intense scares.
