Not each autumn fright experience needs to frighten gamers. Including beloved classics such as animated detectives to endearing shows like Over the Garden Wall, many Halloween-themed staples are enjoyable without raising your heart rate. There’s also, a increasing selection of eerie-charming games featuring spooky themes, but not the truly terrifying level of fear. Gloomy Eyes arrived in recent months, and stands as an superb cozy option to the intensely frightening games of the current season.
An Original Single-Player Cooperative Journey
Labeled as a “self-coop” problem-solving title, Gloomy Eyes teams up a zombie boy named Gloomy and a mortal child known as Nena as they embark on an mission to return daylight to their dark, dark world. They look resembles collectible figures mixed with the figures from a stop-motion animation. Their light-complected and baggy-eyed aesthetic borrows heavily from the visual style of Gothic fantasy movies, and the plot is a classic family-friendly journey. The pair builds an unbreakable bond over the span of the game’s 14 chapters as Nena attempts to show to her clerical relative that, you know, possibly the undead are actually good.
Creative Problem-Solving Features
The “self-coop” term comes about from the game’s environmental puzzles. When Gloomy and Nena cross paths, players alternate amidst the budding companions to solve puzzles and move forward through the stages. Since he's not alive, Gloomy can’t walk through the brightness of a streetlight, while Nena will get snatched up by idle zombies unless a light is shone on them.
It's necessary for them to cooperate closely — in practice, gamers operate them simultaneously — to advance through areas. Nena may move or temporarily shut off illumination to clear paths for Gloomy, while the open-brained character will employ his undead power to rearrange items in the environment, revealing paths for Nena.
Captivating Level Design
The puzzles remind me a touch of The Gardens Between, in the way the areas are hovering, miniature constructions that the camera pans around in sync with your heroes. Gloomy Eyes’ worlds are very enjoyable, leading the friends around a carnival and through a haunted house, among other locations. The game includes a “diorama view” feature that permits you to pull back and turn the stages, both to enjoy the designs and search for paths that may not have been apparent.
Small Hiccups and General Experience
This represents one of the few difficulties with Gloomy Eyes. Like other titles with a locked camera, it’s not always clear where the heroes may or may not travel. Players might have to randomly encounter a several various elements to figure out which ones are interactable, as the game doesn't always indicate.
Nevertheless, those minor obstacles don’t get in the way of a ghostly-charming enjoyable experience. Gloomy Eyes is relatively brief, with roughly several hours worth of puzzles. Advanced areas blend together subtle sneaking and exciting moments with the challenge completion, as Gloomy Eyes advances to a satisfying — and slightly surprising — conclusion.
Accessibility and Final Thoughts
Players steering clear of the scares of intense horror games won’t want to miss Gloomy Eyes. You can find it on Switch console, Sony system, computer, and Xbox, and is presently discounted for a discount on online stores.
Gloomy Eyes is available on several consoles and delivers a delightful option for fans looking for spooky entertainment minus the terrifying moments.
