Gloomy Eyes is a self-coop puzzle adventure game released September 12, 2025 that masterfully blends Tim Burton-inspired aesthetics with innovative gameplay mechanics, allowing you to control both zombie boy Gloomy and human girl Nena in a quest to bring back the sun. The game stands out with its rotatable diorama levels, challenging environmental puzzles, and touching narrative about forbidden friendship between the living and undead.
| Key Information | Details |
|---|---|
| Release Date | September 12, 2025 |
| Platforms | PC (Steam/GOG), PS5, Xbox Series X/S, Nintendo Switch |
| Developer | Fishing Cactus, Atlas V, Be Revolution Gaming, 3Dar, ARTE France |
| Publisher | Untold Tales, ARTE France |
| Price | $24.99 USD / £22.49 GBP / €24.99 EUR |
| Playtime | 4-5 hours (main story) |
| Rating | 94% Positive on Steam |
As someone who grew up watching The Nightmare Before Christmas on repeat and still considers Corpse Bride one of the greatest love stories ever told, I approached Gloomy Eyes with impossibly high expectations. What I discovered was a game that doesn't just pay homage to Burton's macabre aesthetic—it creates its own unforgettable identity that rivals even Little Nightmares for the title of best narrative puzzle-adventure game in 2025.
Contents
Gloomy Eyes tells an enchanting story that begins with an extraordinary premise: the sun, exhausted by humanity's endless bickering and conflict, simply decided to leave one day. This sudden departure plunged the world into eternal darkness, awakening the dead from their graves and forcing humanity to retreat behind city walls. It's a setup that immediately establishes the game's unique blend of whimsy and melancholy.
You play as two unlikely protagonists whose forbidden friendship forms the heart of this gothic fairytale. Gloomy is a zombie child with glowing orange eyes and half his brain exposed—yet somehow remains absolutely adorable. Despite his fearsome appearance and reputation for violent outbursts, all he really wants is a friend. Nena, on the other hand, is the mischievous human daughter of a fanatical zombie hunter, whose curiosity and compassion lead her to see past Gloomy's undead exterior.
The narrative cleverly reimagines the classic star-crossed lovers trope through a post-apocalyptic lens. While the game's storytelling is relatively straightforward—some reviewers noted it feels like a thinly veiled retelling of Romeo and Juliet—the execution is what elevates it beyond a simple homage. The narrator (originally Colin Farrell in the VR version, now Eric Nolan) delivers the tale with the warmth of a parent reading a bedtime story, creating an atmosphere that's simultaneously cozy and unsettling.
Interestingly, Gloomy Eyes began life as an award-winning VR experience in 2019, winning "Best VR Film" at the Annecy International Animation Film Festival. The console adaptation expands significantly on the original story, though some narrative gaps remain that only make complete sense if you've experienced the VR version. Despite this minor shortcoming, the emotional core of the story—about loneliness, acceptance, and the power of unlikely friendships—resonates powerfully throughout the 14-chapter journey.
The "self-coop" gameplay mechanic is where Gloomy Eyes truly shines. Unlike traditional co-op games that require a partner, you control both characters yourself, switching between them with a simple button press. This creates a unique puzzle-solving dynamic where you're essentially cooperating with yourself to overcome obstacles.
Each character brings distinct abilities and limitations that define how you approach each challenge:
Gloomy's Abilities:
Nena's Abilities:
The puzzles in Gloomy Eyes strike an impressive balance between accessibility and challenge. Early chapters ease you into the mechanics gently, teaching you how light affects Gloomy and how the two characters must work in tandem. By the middle chapters, you're juggling multiple environmental hazards, timing-based challenges, and increasingly complex spatial puzzles that require careful observation of the diorama layouts.
What makes the puzzle design particularly engaging is how organic it feels. Rather than arbitrary switch-pulling exercises, each puzzle feels naturally integrated into the environment. You might need Gloomy to throw a brick at a generator to cut power while Nena rushes past now-darkened zombie sentries, or have Nena redirect spotlights while Gloomy navigates shadow paths below.
The visual presentation of Gloomy Eyes deserves special recognition as one of 2025's most distinctive artistic achievements. Each of the 14 levels is designed as a meticulously crafted diorama that you can rotate and examine from multiple angles. This isn't just a clever camera gimmick—it's essential to gameplay, allowing you to spot hidden paths, locate collectibles, and understand the spatial relationships between puzzle elements.
The art style draws heavy inspiration from Tim Burton's stop-motion films, particularly Frankenweenie and The Nightmare Before Christmas. Characters have that distinctive "claymation" look with oversized heads, expressive eyes, and exaggerated proportions that make them instantly endearing despite their macabre appearances. The attention to detail in every scene is remarkable—from the way shadows dance across Victorian architecture to the subtle animations of background zombies going about their undead routines.
The game's atmosphere is perhaps its greatest achievement. Despite dealing with zombies, death, and eternal darkness, Gloomy Eyes maintains what it calls a "cozy horror" aesthetic. There are no jump scares or gore—instead, the horror elements are more psychological and existential, dealing with themes of isolation, prejudice, and the fear of being different.
The lighting design deserves particular praise. Since light is both a narrative element and a gameplay mechanic, the developers have crafted some genuinely stunning scenes where beams of light cut through the darkness, creating both beauty and danger. The contrast between safe shadows and deadly illumination creates constant visual tension that reinforces the game's central themes.
The opening chapters introduce you to both protagonists separately before bringing them together. Chapter 1 focuses solely on Gloomy, teaching basic movement and interaction mechanics. The infamous coffin puzzle here sets the tone—you must use bones to disable lights that would otherwise harm Gloomy.
Chapter 3 introduces Nena and her contrasting abilities, while Chapter 5 ("An Awaited Encounter") features the pivotal meeting between our two heroes. This section includes some of the game's most memorable puzzles, including the school sequence where you must navigate both characters through a zombie-infested building using creative light manipulation.
The middle chapters significantly ramp up both puzzle complexity and narrative stakes. Chapter 7's "A Perilous Venture" features the forest wagon puzzle that many reviewers cite as one of the game's most challenging sequences. You must steal fuses without stopping moving wagons—a timing-based challenge that requires perfect coordination between both characters.
Chapter 9's boat assembly puzzle stands out as particularly creative, requiring you to gather scattered parts while managing multiple environmental hazards. The game even includes an achievement for assembling the boat in under 30 seconds, adding replayability for completionists.
The final chapters introduce combat mechanics, though "combat" might be too strong a word. These sequences are more about timing and positioning than action, maintaining the puzzle-focused gameplay while adding variety. The boss battles against Nena's uncle and his cultist followers provide satisfying culminations to each character's growth.
Scattered throughout each chapter are Memento collectibles—drawings and objects that provide additional story context. Finding all 14 Mementos unlocks the "Keepsakes" achievement and provides deeper insight into Gloomy and Nena's backstories. These are often cleverly hidden, requiring thorough exploration of each diorama level.
Pro tip: Use the diorama view frequently to spot collectibles tucked into corners or behind moveable objects. Some Mementos only become accessible after solving optional puzzles or taking alternate paths through levels.
The Gravekeeper appears once in every chapter, often in unexpected locations. Finding him in all 14 chapters unlocks the "Hide and Seek" achievement and provides additional narration that enriches the story. His hiding spots range from obvious to deviously clever—Chapter 11's Gravekeeper location, in particular, has stumped many players.
Having analyzed reviews across all platforms, the PC (Steam) and PlayStation 5 versions offer the definitive experience with:
The Switch version, while perfectly playable, does suffer from some technical limitations:
Despite these drawbacks, the portability factor makes the Switch version appealing for those who value playing on the go. The game's relatively short length (4-5 hours) makes it perfect for a weekend trip or commute gaming.
The Infamous Haunted House (Chapter 11): This level frustrates many players due to poor camera angles. The key is finding the hidden switch behind the bookshelf on the second floor—use the diorama view to spot it.
Forest Wagon Timing (Chapter 7): Wait for the third wagon to pass, then quickly grab the fuse. Don't try to stop the wagons—the achievement requires stealing without stopping them.
Boat Assembly Speed Run (Chapter 9): Pre-position all parts near the assembly point before starting. The timer only begins when you place the first piece.
Gloomy Eyes features 29 achievements (30 trophies on PlayStation) that encourage experimentation and exploration:
"Without a Trace" - One of the trickiest achievements requiring you to steal a fuse without stopping wagons in the forest level. Success requires pixel-perfect timing.
"Eureka" - Reach the boat rudder without breaking wooden planks. This requires finding the alternate path through the upper deck rather than the obvious lower route.
"Strike!" - Hit at least 3 Cultists with a single shockwave. Best attempted in Chapter 12 during the workshop sequence where enemies cluster together.
"Enjoy the Ride" - Take a full Ferris wheel ride with both characters in the same cabin. Easily missed but adds a touching moment to the fairground chapter.
As of September 2025, the developers have been actively supporting the game with patches addressing common issues:
While no official DLC has been announced, the developers have hinted at potentially exploring more of this universe. The game's success and 94% positive rating on Steam suggest there's appetite for additional content, possibly exploring Gloomy and Nena's adventures after the main story concludes.
While both games share DNA in the creepy-cute aesthetic and puzzle-platforming gameplay, Gloomy Eyes differentiates itself through:
Gloomy Eyes shares the atmospheric puzzle-platformer genre but offers:
At $24.99, some players have questioned Gloomy Eyes' value proposition given its 4-5 hour length. However, consider these factors:
What You're Getting:
The game frequently goes on sale for 20-30% off during Steam sales, making it an easier recommendation for budget-conscious players. For comparison, similar indie titles like FAR: Changing Tides offer comparable playtime at similar price points.
Camera Control Issues: Some players report difficulty with camera angles in certain chapters. Solution: Frequent use of diorama mode and adjusting camera sensitivity in settings helps significantly.
Achievement Unlock Failures: Originally problematic on Steam but fixed in recent patches. If still experiencing issues, verify game files through Steam.
Performance Stutters: Particularly on lower-end systems. Reducing shadow quality and disabling v-sync often resolves framerate issues without significantly impacting visual quality.
Collision Detection: Occasionally characters get stuck on geometry. The checkpoint system is forgiving—simply reload the last checkpoint if this occurs.
Professional reviews have been overwhelmingly positive, with common praise for:
Common criticisms include:
Strengths:
Weaknesses:
Gloomy Eyes is perfect for:
Consider alternatives if you:
The main story takes approximately 4-5 hours to complete. Full 100% completion with all achievements and collectibles typically requires 6-7 hours, depending on puzzle-solving speed.
Despite featuring zombies and dark themes, Gloomy Eyes maintains a "cozy horror" atmosphere with no gore, profanity, or jump scares. It's suitable for children 10+ who can handle mild spooky themes and challenging puzzles.
No, despite being called "self-coop," Gloomy Eyes is strictly a single-player experience where you control both characters yourself. There's no traditional multiplayer or co-op mode available.
The console/PC version is a completely reimagined game expanding on the original VR film. It features 14 playable chapters versus the VR version's cinematic experience, with new puzzles, mechanics, and extended story content.
No, the console version stands alone, though some story elements make more sense with VR version context. The console adaptation includes most essential narrative information, just presented differently.
PC (Steam) and PlayStation 5 provide the optimal experience with better graphics and performance. Switch version is functional but suffers from technical limitations. Xbox Series X/S performs similarly to PS5.
Yes, several achievements are missable if you don't perform specific actions during chapters. However, the chapter select feature allows you to replay any section for achievement cleanup without starting over.
No, Gloomy Eyes doesn't feature NG+ or difficulty settings. The game maintains a consistent challenge level throughout, gradually introducing more complex puzzles as you progress.
As of September 2025, no DLC or sequel has been officially announced. The developers have expressed interest in expanding the universe but haven't committed to specific plans.
Gloomy Eyes typically sees 20-30% discounts during major Steam sales (Summer, Autumn, Winter). It's also occasionally featured in PlayStation and Xbox digital sales. Check IsThereAnyDeal for price tracking.
Gloomy Eyes stands as a testament to what independent developers can achieve when they prioritize artistic vision and innovative gameplay over following trends. While it may not be perfect—the camera occasionally frustrates, the story feels slightly incomplete, and the price-to-playtime ratio might give some pause—what it does well, it does exceptionally well.
In a gaming landscape increasingly dominated by live-service games and 100-hour epics, there's something refreshing about a focused, handcrafted experience that knows exactly what it wants to be. Gloomy Eyes doesn't overstay its welcome, doesn't pad its runtime with filler, and doesn't compromise its artistic vision for broader appeal.
The self-coop mechanic alone makes this worth experiencing, offering a genuinely fresh take on puzzle-platforming that I hope other developers will iterate upon. Combined with the stunning diorama aesthetic, touching narrative, and perfect Halloween atmosphere, Gloomy Eyes earns its place among 2025's must-play indie titles.
Whether you grab it at full price or wait for a sale, make sure Gloomy Eyes finds its way onto your playlist. Like the unlikely friendship at its heart, this game proves that sometimes the best experiences come from the most unexpected combinations. In bringing together the living and the dead, the light and the dark, the beautiful and the macabre, Gloomy Eyes creates something truly special—a frankenbuddy that will steal your heart, exposed brain and all.