A dark, foreboding, yet utterly charming new adventure, which we’ve already had the pleasure of reviewing and awarding a huge score, has just cast its whimsical shadow over the gaming landscape – Gloomy Eyes.
Gloomy Eyes, the “creepy cozy” puzzle-adventure from developer Fishing Cactus, has launched today. This stunning new title from publisher Untold Tales is now available on Xbox Series X|S, PS5, Nintendo Switch, and PC for £20.99.
This is one of those rare games that comes along and completely captivates you. Prepare to join two distinct children on a journey into the unknown, in a world that is as beautiful as it is bleak.
A Heartwarmingly Bleak Fairy Tale
The story of Gloomy Eyes is a heartwarmingly bleak fairy tale, told by an old gravekeeper. In a world plunged into eternal night after the sun gave up on humanity, the living and the undead are squabbling something fierce. But amidst the conflict, two unlikely souls – Gloomy, a sweet zombie boy, and Nena, a mischievous human girl – meet and become the closest of companions.
Now, they must set off on a journey together to find the sun and restore its light to the world.
Exploring Twisted Little Dioramas
The world of Gloomy Eyes is presented as a series of stunning, handcrafted rotatable dioramas. Each miniature world is overflowing with visual macabre charm and ghoulishly delightful details. You’ll need to explore these levels from multiple angles to uncover secrets, solve puzzles, and play out the story of a love that should never be.
This is a completely single-player experience, but with a unique “Self-Coop” twist. You will control both Gloomy and Nena, switching between the two characters to solve a variety of brain-teasing environmental puzzles.
Each character brings their own set of skills and quirks, and you’ll need to use both to progress through the delightfully wretched darkness.
Our Verdict: A 4.5/5 Must-Play
We’ve already been completely enchanted by this one. In our glowing 4.5/5 review of Gloomy Eyes, we concluded that this is an essential experience:
“Gloomy Eyes is one of those games that you really must play. Aside from a slight camera issue, it introduces the player to a wicked world, dark, foreboding, but full of charm… This is an adventure you’ll want to join, as you aid two distinct children on a journey into the unknown… But further to that comes a narrator that brings this world together in the very best possible way.“
Gloomy Tunes for Gloomy Souls
For those who fall in love with the game’s atmosphere, the Gloomy Eyes – Soundtrack is also available for £4.19.
This includes 40 tracks of haunting, Halloween-inspired melodies and classical horror animation charm, perfect for wandering through moonlit graveyards.
Key Features
- A “Creepy Cozy” Horror Adventure: A heartwarmingly bleak fairy tale inspired by the art style of Tim Burton.
- Unique “Self-Coop” Gameplay: Control both Gloomy (a zombie) and Nena (a human) in a single-player experience, switching between them to solve puzzles.
- Stunning Rotatable Dioramas: Explore handcrafted miniature worlds overflowing with visual charm and ghoulish details.
- A 4.5/5 Reviewed Masterpiece: An essential, “must-play” adventure praised for its world, visuals, and narration.
- No Gore or Jump Scares: A whimsical, haunting atmosphere that will pull at your undead heartstrings.
A wicked world, full of darkness and charm, is waiting to be explored. If you’re looking for a unique, beautiful, and utterly captivating puzzle-adventure, Gloomy Eyes is ready for you on the Xbox Store right now.
This is an adventure you’ll want to join.
Gloomy Eyes Description
In a world plunged into eternal night and torn by conflict between the living and the undead, one faint glimmer of hope still flickers in the hearts of two special souls. Gloomy Eyes tells the tale of Gloomy, a sweet zombie boy, and Nena, a mischievous human girl, who defy the rules by teaming up and embarking on a quest to bring back the daylight.
