Not every autumn fright adventure must scare you. From beloved classics like Scooby-Doo to endearing shows like Over the Garden Wall, many Halloween-themed favorites offer entertainment without needing causing fear. Moreover, a growing library of spooky-cute games with Halloween vibes, though lacking the sleep-with-the-lights-on level of horror. Gloomy Eyes debuted in the fall, and serves as an excellent cozy option to the intensely frightening releases of 2025.
A Distinctive Collaborative Solo Quest
Known as a solo collaboration brain-teaser, Gloomy Eyes unites a living-impaired child named Gloomy and a mortal child named Nena as they embark on an mission to bring the sun back to their shadowy realm. Their design evokes collectible figures combined with the characters from a stop-motion animation. The light-complected and baggy-eyed aesthetic is influenced by the visual style of Burtonesque cinema, and the story is a classic family-friendly tale. These two builds an enduring friendship over the course of the game’s numerous levels as Nena attempts to prove to her priest uncle that, look, perhaps the undead aren’t half bad.
Original Gameplay Systems
This unique term stems from the game’s interactive problem-solving. After Gloomy and Nena meet, you’ll swap amidst the recent allies to overcome obstacles and advance through the stages. Being a zombie, Gloomy is unable to traverse through the illumination of a light source, while Nena will get snatched up by wandering undead unless a beam is directed on them.
It's necessary for them to cooperate closely — in practice, players control them in tandem — to finish levels. Nena may move or briefly disable lights to open routes for Gloomy, while the thoughtful character will use his zombie strength to move items in the environment, opening up ways for Nena.
Captivating Level Design
These challenges bring to mind a little of The Gardens Between, in the way the stages are hovering, model-like structures that the view rotates in conjunction with your heroes. Gloomy Eyes’ environments are very enjoyable, leading the friends around a fair and through a spooky mansion, among other places. Players can use a “diorama view” option that allows you to pull back and rotate the areas, both to appreciate the designs and search for routes that may not have been clear.
Minor Issues and Overall Adventure
Here lies one of the sole difficulties with Gloomy Eyes. Comparable to other titles with a locked camera, sometimes it's unclear where the heroes are able to move. Players might have to randomly encounter a multiple different items to determine which ones are interactive, as clues aren't consistently provided.
However, those small challenges don't obstruct of a ghostly-charming good time. Gloomy Eyes runs on the short side, with approximately a few sessions worth of challenges. Advanced areas combine subtle stealth and exciting moments with the problem-solving, as Gloomy Eyes advances to a satisfying — and slightly unforeseen — finale.
Availability and Summary
Gamers shying away from the scares of intense horror games ought to experience Gloomy Eyes. It’s available on Nintendo platform, PlayStation 5, Windows PC, and Xbox Series X, and is currently on sale for 25% off on digital platforms.
The spooky-cute adventure is available on various systems and provides a pleasurable option for gamers looking for Halloween fun without fear factor.
