This Spooky-Cute Puzzler Serves as the Perfect Alternative to Frightening Flicks

Not every Halloween horror experience must frighten gamers. Including beloved classics for example animated detectives to charming series such as Over the Garden Wall, many Halloween-themed titles are enjoyable without requiring raising your heart rate. Moreover, a increasing selection of spooky-cute games with autumn atmosphere, but not the sleep-with-the-lights-on degree of terror. Gloomy Eyes arrived in September, and serves as an superb comfortable option to the intensely frightening titles of 2025.

A Distinctive Self-Coop Adventure

Described as a solo collaboration puzzle game, Gloomy Eyes teams up a zombie boy known as Gloomy and a living girl called Nena as they start an quest to restore sunlight to their dark, dark realm. Their design is similar to stylized dolls combined with the characters from a Laika film. The fair-toned and tired-looking style borrows heavily from the appearance of Gothic fantasy movies, and the narrative is a archetypal all-ages adventure. The pair builds an unbreakable bond over the duration of the game’s 14 chapters as Nena tries to prove to her clerical relative that, look, perhaps living-impaired beings can be friendly.

Original Problem-Solving Features

This unique label stems from the game’s interactive problem-solving. After Gloomy and Nena meet, players alternate between the recent allies to overcome obstacles and advance through the areas. As an undead, Gloomy is unable to traverse through the light of a lamppost, while Nena will get snatched up by wandering undead unless a light is focused on them.

They must cooperate closely — actually, you’ll use them simultaneously — to advance through areas. Nena may move or momentarily deactivate illumination to create passages for Gloomy, while the open-brained boy will employ his undead power to rearrange obstacles in the surroundings, revealing ways for Nena.

Engaging World Building

The puzzles bring to mind a bit of The Gardens Between, in the way the levels are suspended, miniature designs that the view moves across in conjunction with your protagonists. Gloomy Eyes’ settings are quite fun, guiding the duo around a carnival and through a haunted house, amid other places. Players can use a “diorama view” feature that permits you to pull back and spin the areas, both for enjoy the artwork and search for paths that may not have been apparent.

Small Issues and General Gameplay

This represents one of the few hiccups with Gloomy Eyes. Similar to other games with a static view, occasionally it's confusing where the heroes are able to move. Players might have to simply collide with a multiple different items to determine which ones are usable, as clues aren't consistently provided.

Nonetheless, those slight speedbumps don't hinder of a spooky-cute good time. Gloomy Eyes runs on the short side, with roughly a few sessions worth of puzzles. Subsequent stages blend together subtle hidden movement and dynamic sequences with the challenge completion, as Gloomy Eyes progresses to a satisfying — and somewhat unexpected — conclusion.

Availability and Summary

Those shying away from the scares of fear-inducing games won’t want to miss Gloomy Eyes. You can find it on Nintendo Switch, PlayStation 5, computer, and Xbox, and is available at a reduced price for a quarter off on online stores.

This charming title is available on several consoles and offers a pleasurable alternative for fans looking for autumn enjoyment without intense scares.