Not all spooky season journey needs to frighten you. From beloved classics like Scooby-Doo to delightful stories including Over the Garden Wall, many autumn-inspired staples provide fun without requiring causing fear. Additionally, a growing library of eerie-charming games featuring autumn atmosphere, yet without the keep-you-awake level of fear. Gloomy Eyes arrived in recent months, and acts as an outstanding cozy option to the truly terrifying titles of 2025.
A Unique Single-Player Cooperative Adventure
Known as a single-player cooperative brain-teaser, Gloomy Eyes teams up a undead youth called Gloomy and a mortal child named Nena as they embark on an adventure to return daylight to their dark, dark environment. Their appearance is similar to Funko Pops combined with the figures from a stop-motion animation. The fair-toned and baggy-eyed appearance draws inspiration from the appearance of Burtonesque cinema, and the story is a quintessential family-friendly adventure. The pair builds an unbreakable connection over the course of the game’s numerous levels as Nena tries to show to her clerical relative that, look, maybe the undead are actually good.
Creative Puzzle Mechanics
The “self-coop” term originates from the game’s interactive problem-solving. After Gloomy and Nena meet, you’ll swap amidst the recent allies to solve puzzles and progress through the stages. Since he's not alive, Gloomy cannot pass through the light of a streetlight, while Nena may be grabbed by idle zombies without a lamp is directed on them.
They must work in tandem — well, you’ll use them in tandem — to advance through areas. Nena may move or briefly disable lamps to clear paths for Gloomy, while the intellectually curious boy will utilize his supernatural ability to rearrange obstacles in the surroundings, opening up routes for Nena.
Immersive World Building
The puzzles bring to mind a bit of The Gardens Between, in the way the levels are suspended, diorama-like designs that the view pans around in coordination with your characters. Gloomy Eyes’ environments are quite fun, taking the friends around a amusement park and through a ghostly building, including other places. There’s a “diorama view” feature that allows you to pull back and rotate the areas, simultaneously to appreciate the visuals and hunt for routes that may not have been clear.
Minor Issues and Overall Gameplay
This represents one of the sole problems with Gloomy Eyes. Comparable to other games with a static view, it’s not always clear where the protagonists may or may not travel. You may need to simply collide with a multiple different elements to figure out which ones are interactive, as the game doesn't always indicate.
Nevertheless, those slight challenges don’t get in the way of a ghostly-charming enjoyable experience. Gloomy Eyes is relatively brief, with approximately a few sessions worth of brain-teasers. Later levels combine minor hidden movement and exciting moments with the problem-solving, as Gloomy Eyes advances to a satisfying — and slightly unforeseen — ending.
Availability and Final Thoughts
Those steering clear of the scares of intense horror games should definitely try Gloomy Eyes. It’s available on Switch console, Sony system, Windows PC, and Xbox, and is presently discounted for 25% off on digital platforms.
The spooky-cute adventure is available on multiple platforms and provides a pleasurable option for gamers in search of autumn enjoyment without fear factor.
