Game of the Week #21: Gloomy Eyes

Game of the Week #21 will get you ready for the spooky season early with an adorable story about a human girl and a zombie boy.

In Gloomy Eyes, the sun has given up on humanity. A curious girl named Nena and a zombie boy who has been left behind called Gloomy meet in this dark world and work together to solve its mysteries. Dioramas of the unlikely duo’s story come to life before the player as they explore it as part of a “self-co-op adventure.” For another gentler take on horror, see our Vale’s Echo feature. For another gentler take on horror, see our Vale’s Echo feature.

Official Trailer

Missed last week? Read Game of the Week #20: Shape of Dreams.

Gloomy Eyes — Game Info

Release: September 12, 2025

Genre: Cozy horror, puzzle adventure (“self-coop”)

Developer / Publisher: Atlas V, 3DAR, Fishing Cactus, Be Revolution / Untold Tales, ARTE France

Platforms: PC (Steam), PS5, Xbox, Switch 

Why it’s our GOTW

A Cozy and Nostalgic Vibe: The way Gloomy Eyes takes the essence of Tim Burton’s Nightmare Before Christmas and makes it into a refreshing new adventure makes it a great game to enjoy for light thrills on a moonlit night.

• Environmental Dioramas to Explore: Players get to see Nena and Gloomy’s adventure play out in chapters that feature rotatable slices of their world that are filled to the brim with details and layered secrets.
• A Gateway to Horror Games: Gloomy Eyes’ cozy and spooky aesthetic has some moments where the player can be lightly jumpscared by making one wrong move near an enemy, but nothing that shouldn’t give more than a light thrill, testing the waters for what players can handle with the genre.
• A New Adventure You Can Trust: Gloomy Eyes was originally a VR TV show, and now it’s back as an interactive adventure that expands everything fans loved about the original

Writer’s Opinion

“As someone who grew up watching Tim Burton’s stop motion animation movies and mourned the loss of the Pretty Freakin’ Scary books, Gloomy Eyes scratches my itch for this ironically dying gloomy art style. The game opens before you, like a storybook come to life, and instead of reading it, you actively write it with every item, secret, and finished stage.”

Currently, Steam is showing positive reviews for Gloomy Eyes. According to players, the game takes around 4.5 hours to beat, which makes it a great little game players can take their time with to see to the fullest. Many reviews say that fans of all things creepy and crawly, puzzle-solving, or cozy will enjoy their time with this unsung gem.

Before You Buy

• Price: $19.99 USD  |  Launch discount: 20% off through September 27, 2025 (regional pricing applies).
• Platforms: Steam, Nintendo Switch, Xbox, and PlayStation.
• Demo Available: Most platforms, like Steam and Switch, offer a Gloomy Eyes demo featuring two stages for those who want to try before they buy

Starter Tips

• Zooming in and out is your friend. Don’t be afraid to use the features provided to not just marvel at the diorama, but to use it to locate items that might not be so easy to spot just by walking around.
• Make a mental map of where everything is when you look at the diorama away from Gloomy and Nena. You’ll thank yourself later when you already know how Point A connects to Point B when another item across the map is thrown into the mix.
• Take the time to enjoy what the narrator says, because some dialogue cues can stop him mid-conversation. You might miss something important if you don’t stop and take a moment to hear and see things around you.

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