The Spooky-Cute Puzzler Acts as the Perfect Replacement to Frightening Flicks

Not every spooky season journey has to scare you. From iconic favorites such as animated detectives to delightful stories like Over the Garden Wall, plenty of autumn-inspired favorites provide fun without increasing anxiety. Moreover, a increasing selection of eerie-charming titles featuring autumn atmosphere, but not the keep-you-awake degree of fear. Gloomy Eyes arrived in September, and stands as an excellent relaxing alternative to the intensely frightening releases of 2025.

A Unique Single-Player Cooperative Journey

Described as a “self-coop” puzzle game, Gloomy Eyes pairs up a zombie boy known as Gloomy and a living girl known as Nena as they embark on an mission to restore sunlight to their shadowy environment. Their appearance resembles collectible figures mixed with the characters from a Laika film. Their light-complected and heavy-lidded aesthetic is influenced by the appearance of Burtonesque cinema, and the story is a classic family-friendly tale. The duo builds an enduring connection over the duration of the game’s 14 chapters as Nena strives to demonstrate to her religious guardian that, look, perhaps living-impaired beings are actually good.

Original Puzzle Mechanics

The “self-coop” description originates from the game’s world-based challenges. After Gloomy and Nena cross paths, players alternate among the newfound friends to complete challenges and progress through the levels. Since he's not alive, Gloomy is unable to traverse through the light of a light source, while Nena will get snatched up by idle zombies unless a lamp is shone on them.

They have to work in tandem — well, you’ll use them in tandem — to advance through areas. Nena could adjust or briefly disable lights to open routes for Gloomy, while the thoughtful boy will use his zombie strength to rearrange objects in the world, creating routes for Nena.

Immersive Level Design

The puzzles bring to mind a bit of The Gardens Between, in the manner the areas are floating, diorama-like constructions that the perspective rotates in sync with your characters. Gloomy Eyes’ settings are very enjoyable, guiding the companions around a carnival and through a haunted house, among other locations. The game includes a “diorama view” option that enables you to zoom out and spin the levels, both to enjoy the visuals and hunt for paths that may not have been obvious.

Small Hiccups and Overall Experience

Here lies one of the only hiccups with Gloomy Eyes. Like other releases with a fixed perspective, it’s not always clear where the protagonists may or may not travel. Players might have to simply collide with a multiple different objects to figure out which ones are interactive, as the game doesn't always indicate.

Nevertheless, those slight obstacles don't hinder of a eerie-adorable fun adventure. Gloomy Eyes is relatively brief, with about three to five hours worth of brain-teasers. Later levels blend together minor sneaking and dynamic sequences with the problem-solving, as Gloomy Eyes marches toward a rewarding — and somewhat unexpected — conclusion.

Availability and Final Thoughts

Gamers steering clear of the frights of terrifying titles won’t want to miss Gloomy Eyes. You can find it on Nintendo Switch, PlayStation 5, PC, and Microsoft console, and is available at a reduced price for a discount on digital platforms.

This charming title is out now on various systems and delivers a delightful option for gamers looking for autumn enjoyment without intense scares.