We reviewed Gloomy Eyes

Driftwood
Thursday, September 11, 2025 | 3:00 PM
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GSY Review PS5 Xbox Series X PC Switch

Halloween may still be a long way off, but Gloomy Eyes has chosen September to invade consoles and PCs starting tomorrow. After trying out the Steam demo (still available) just before summer, we were won over by the game's universe, and we're now ready to give you our opinion on the final version of the title.

Verdict

Although Gloomy Eyes is rather short (it takes between three and four hours to complete, a little longer if you want to find all the souvenirs) and it is still a little hampered by a few bugs a day before its launch, it is truly a charming game for the whole family. Heavily inspired by Tim Burton, the game's universe and artistic direction are clearly its strong points. We take control of Nena, a human little girl, and Gloomy, a zombie boy. Both children suffer from the disappearance of the sun, but also share the torment of loneliness, two things they have in common that will bring them together in an adventure that will require them to cooperate to achieve their goal(s), one of them being to find the sun. The game takes the form of a puzzle game where the goal is to find a way to reach the exit of each level by relying on the complementary skills of the two protagonists. Nena is not afraid of artificial light; she can activate the various mechanisms she encounters, use the keys she finds, and jump (automatically) from one platform to another, but she cannot approach any zombies under any circumstances, or she will end up in pieces. Gloomy, on the other hand, prefers to stay well away from spotlights and other streetlights. He is never threatened by his fellow zombies, he can carry (or use) heavy objects, and can even get angry when pushed too hard. Although we mentioned cooperation earlier, it's important to note that Gloomy Eyes remains a single-player game, requiring you to switch between characters regularly in order to progress. The puzzle aspect, while predominant in the experience, isn't particularly challenging, and you'll never find yourself stuck for long, which is why we mentioned that the game is suitable for all audiences. There are also some fairly simplistic infiltration sequences when playing as Nena, but once again, there's no challenge involved. It's a bit of a shame that the camera angles and the relatively rich scenery don't always make for optimal visibility, and it's a little annoying to have to go back to the main menu to restart the last save when you encounter a blocking bug (e.g., a character getting stuck or even disappearing), but overall, we had a good time playing. Sound design (music, sound effects, and the narrator) is perfectly suited to the game, and the Unity engine proves it can still display beautiful scenes with nice lighting effects. We invite you to try the demo to make your own opinion, keeping in mind that what you can do in it gives a sufficient overview of what the full version has to offer. Of course, some chapters are a little more difficult than what is required in this trial version, but don't start playing Gloomy Eyes thinking you'll find a Blue Prince or The Talos Principle here—that's not what this game is about. It's a game to be shared with the children in your family above all else and that's perfectly fine!