The Ghostly-Charming Puzzler Functions as the Excellent Replacement to Frightening Flicks

Not every spooky season experience has to scare gamers. From beloved classics such as animated detectives to endearing shows like Over the Garden Wall, numerous spooky-season favorites offer entertainment without needing increasing anxiety. Moreover, a growing library of eerie-charming releases with Halloween vibes, but not the sleep-with-the-lights-on level of horror. Gloomy Eyes debuted in September, and stands as an outstanding cozy alternative to the truly terrifying titles of 2025.

An Original Collaborative Solo Journey

Labeled as a “self-coop” puzzle game, Gloomy Eyes pairs up a undead youth named Gloomy and a mortal child named Nena as they begin an quest to restore sunlight to their shadowy environment. Their appearance resembles stylized dolls blended with the characters from a Laika film. Their light-complected and heavy-lidded aesthetic is influenced by the look of Tim Burton’s films, and the plot is a archetypal all-ages tale. These two forms an enduring friendship over the course of the game’s numerous levels as Nena attempts to show to her religious guardian that, look, perhaps the undead are actually good.

Innovative Problem-Solving Features

The innovative description comes about from the game’s environmental puzzles. Once Gloomy and Nena cross paths, players alternate among the newfound friends to solve puzzles and move forward through the areas. As an undead, Gloomy can’t walk through the brightness of a light source, while Nena may be grabbed by loitering creatures except if a lamp is directed on them.

They have to work in tandem — in practice, gamers operate them simultaneously — to advance through areas. Nena might relocate or briefly disable illumination to create passages for Gloomy, while the thoughtful boy will employ his undead power to move objects in the surroundings, creating ways for Nena.

Immersive Level Design

The puzzles bring to mind a touch of The Gardens Between, in the way the areas are suspended, model-like constructions that the camera pans around in sync with your characters. Gloomy Eyes’ worlds are highly entertaining, leading the companions around a amusement park and through a ghostly building, including other locations. The game includes a “diorama view” feature that enables you to pull back and spin the stages, both for enjoy the artwork and look for ways that may not have been apparent.

Slight Issues and General Gameplay

Here lies one of the sole difficulties with Gloomy Eyes. Like other titles with a fixed perspective, occasionally it's confusing where the heroes may or may not travel. Players might have to simply collide with a few random items to discover which ones are usable, as the game doesn't always indicate.

Nonetheless, those small obstacles don’t get in the way of a eerie-adorable good time. Gloomy Eyes has a compact length, with about three to five hours worth of challenges. Later levels integrate light hidden movement and action elements with the problem-solving, as Gloomy Eyes progresses to a rewarding — and slightly unforeseen — ending.

Release and Final Thoughts

Gamers avoiding the scares of intense horror games won’t want to miss Gloomy Eyes. The game is out on Switch console, PlayStation 5, Windows PC, and Microsoft console, and is available at a reduced price for 25% off on game marketplaces.

Gloomy Eyes is available on several consoles and delivers a delightful choice for players looking for Halloween fun without the terrifying moments.