We’ve seen many variations of Romeo and Juliet, but the creators of Gloomy Eyes have come up with one of the most unusual. It stars the brave living girl Nena and the curious dead boy Gloomy, with eyes the color of gold and brains sticking out of his skull.
In 2019, the creators told this story in the format of a VR cartoon, inspired not only by Shakespeare’s play, but also by the work of Tim Burton, and now they have released a full-fledged game with the same characters.
They Are So Different, But Still They Are Together
In the world of Gloomy Eyes, the sun is tired of people and has decided to hide, and at dusk, the dead begin to crawl out of their graves. But not all of them attack people and eat their brains.
For example, the zombie boy Gloomy feels uncomfortable among his own kind — as the creators of the Gloomy Eyes VR cartoon explained six years ago, there is something inside him that we cannot see or understand, but nature knows that he is special. Meanwhile, humans have declared war on the walking dead, and the despotic leader of the local radicals has declared that being a zombie is illegal and wrong. Therefore, Gloomy’s kin are forced to hide in the forest, far away from the undead hunters.
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And yet, Glum, longing for normal childhood entertainment and games with his peers, one day sets off in search of adventure and meets Nena, the niece of that very leader, who has escaped from house arrest and set off in search of the sun.
Something develops between them—first friendship, then love. But can it survive in a world where the living and the dead cannot coexist peacefully? It sounds like nonsense, but it’s worth admitting—there’s something to it.
Romeo and Juliet and Corpse Bride, which, I remind you, tell the story of the relationship between a living young man and a dead girl, are obvious and understandable sources of inspiration for the story of Gloomy and Nena.
It is also clear why the creators of Gloomy Eyes VR talked not about classic sources of inspiration, but about tolerance. They say that this is a story about differences and acceptance, about what it means to be special, overcoming loneliness and fear. And about love, of course.
Add to this the gorgeous puppet animation and the participation of Colin Farrell, who voiced Gloomy, and you’ll understand why this animated short film has won numerous awards and appeared at the Venice Film Festival, as well as at Sundance, the leading American independent film festival.
It’s Both Sad And Funny
The game tells the same story, but apparently assumes that the audience is already familiar with the original — without it, some of the characters’ backstories and motivations are not entirely clear. There is a narrator — naturally, an undertaker — but he no longer explains, instead philosophizing, reasoning, feeling sad and happy that he hears children’s laughter for the first time in a long time.
However, the main point is clear without unnecessary words—there are children who belong to different worlds, and they want to remain children, play, and be friends. And the fact that one of them is not quite alive and is drawn to the girl not to eat her brains, but simply to stay close to her, is one of those artistic assumptions that are better not to try to explain, but simply to accept.
Puppet Solo Co-Op
As you have already understood, Gloomy Eyes in the 2025 version is a full-fledged game, and it can be compared to Limbo and Inside, as well as any adventure game based on switching between characters with different abilities.
The developers talk about a unique “solo co-op,” but we’ve seen this kind of thing before in The Lost Vikings. Gloomy drags heavy objects to clear the way, throws stones at lanterns and generators (he is afraid of bright light). And closer to the end, he even gets solo scenes as an action hero, fighting treacherous fanatics to help his partner or free fireflies from their cages.