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Tuesday, October 13, 2026
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This Spooky-Cute Brain-Teaser Serves as the Perfect Replacement to Halloween Horror

Not each autumn fright adventure needs to terrify gamers. From well-known tales like animated detectives to delightful stories including Over the Garden Wall, plenty of autumn-inspired favorites are enjoyable without needing increasing anxiety. Moreover, a expanding collection of eerie-charming games featuring spooky themes, though lacking the keep-you-awake degree of horror. Gloomy Eyes was released in recent months, and stands as an excellent cozy choice to the deeply scary releases of the current season.

Gloomy Eyes image
Image: ARTE France, ATLAS V, Art Team, Be Revolution/Untold Tales

A Unique Collaborative Solo Quest

Labeled as a solo collaboration brain-teaser, Gloomy Eyes teams up 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 environment. They look is similar to Funko Pops mixed with the puppets from a Laika film. Their pale-skinned and tired-looking style is influenced by the visual style of Gothic fantasy movies, and the story is a quintessential family-friendly journey. The pair forms an strong friendship over the course of the game’s numerous levels as Nena attempts to show to her religious guardian that, you know, possibly zombies can be friendly.

Innovative Gameplay Systems

The innovative term stems from the game’s world-based challenges. When Gloomy and Nena meet, players alternate among the recent allies to complete challenges and progress through the stages. As an undead, Gloomy is unable to traverse through the brightness of a lamppost, while Nena can be captured by loitering creatures without a beam is directed on them.

It's necessary for them to collaborate effectively — in practice, you’ll use them in tandem — to advance through areas. Nena may move or temporarily shut off lamps to clear paths for Gloomy, while the intellectually curious character will use his zombie strength to move objects in the surroundings, revealing routes for Nena.

Gloomy Eyes screenshot
Image: ARTE France, Production Team, Design Group, Game Company

Engaging Level Design

The brain-teasers bring to mind a little of The Gardens Between, in the manner the areas are floating, miniature constructions that the camera rotates in conjunction with your protagonists. Gloomy Eyes’ settings are quite fun, taking the companions around a amusement park and through a ghostly building, among other locales. There’s a “diorama view” option that enables you to view from afar and turn the areas, both for appreciate the visuals and search for routes that may not have been obvious.

Minor Issues and General Experience

And that’s one of the sole difficulties with Gloomy Eyes. Similar to other games with a locked camera, occasionally it's confusing where the characters may or may not travel. Players might have to simply collide with a multiple different objects to determine which ones are interactable, as clues aren't consistently provided.

However, those minor challenges don't hinder of a spooky-cute enjoyable experience. Gloomy Eyes is relatively brief, with approximately three to five hours worth of challenges. Advanced areas integrate light sneaking and exciting moments with the challenge completion, as Gloomy Eyes marches toward a rewarding — and slightly unforeseen — ending.

Accessibility and Summary

Gamers avoiding the scares of fear-inducing releases should definitely try Gloomy Eyes. The game is out on Nintendo platform, PS5, computer, and Xbox, and is presently discounted for a discount on game marketplaces.

The spooky-cute adventure is out now on several consoles and offers a pleasurable alternative for players in search of autumn enjoyment without the fear factor.

GH
Written by

Gregory Hale

Maya Chen is an urban culture enthusiast and freelance writer based in New York, covering street art, music, and lifestyle.

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