The Coma 2: Vicious Sisters | Mac Review

Survival horror games are often a tough nut to crack. The goal is to make the character feel a constant state of unease, while avoiding being overly frustrating. Devespresso Games‘ latest entry in the genre, The Coma 2: Vicious Sisters, is a different blend of survival horror. While the game didn’t click for me personally, it’s a very well-crafted game that fans of this particular brand of game will appreciate. Its art style alone is worth the price of admission if you have the patience for the methodical gameplay.

Horror in Korea

Full disclosure: I have not played the first game in this series. After some light research, it appears that the stories are only lightly connected. Therefore, I didn’t feel lost story-wise when I jumped into The Coma 2.

Mina Park is a Korean high school student dealing with typical high school issues. A boy likes her, but she doesn’t feel the same. Her best friend loves drama, and her teacher has very high expectations for her work ethic. Mina’s world is turned upside down when the school unexpectedly enters a parallel universe known as “The Coma.” She must run for her life from twisted versions of not only her world, but also people she once trusted. As she escapes the school to multiple locations in the Sehwa District, she must solve puzzles and uncover clues about the mystery surrounding the dark shadow realm.

Although the gameplay is completely different, the setup here reminded me a bit of the Silent Hill games. Mina’s parallel universe is gruesome, lonely, and dark. It might not be as visceral as those games, but it doesn’t need to be. The Coma 2 has an interesting story to tell, and it succeeds in tantalizing the player with just enough of a mystery to keep pressing forward.

A Different Take on Survival Horror

The Coma 2 is different from most horror survival games I’ve played. It plays more like a 2D Metroidvania without the combat mechanics. Each area has a map of different floors with certain areas blocked off at the most inconvenient places. You must figure out how to get Mina from point A to point B while avoiding the monsters who, for some reason, want you dead.

To be clear, this is not your typical survival horror game where you’re simply limited on the amount of ammo you have to defend yourself. You’ll rarely attack enemies, and spend the majority of your time on the defensive. Hiding from monsters is key, as is using your light source as minimally as possible to avoid detection. If attacked, you will be able to defend yourself with defensive items like mace. But these items are very limited and must be used sparingly.

This is really where the survival horror element really comes to light in The Coma 2. You can make purchases at vending machines to restore health or defend yourself. The game ends up becoming a puzzle in that you must figure out the correct path through each area by memorizing the enemy patterns in conjunction with your available items. This type of gameplay, which reminds me of games like Amnesia but in 2D, unfortunately isn’t my cup of tea. The “run and hide” approach, which admittedly would probably be my approach in a real life situation, doesn’t make for a fun time for me personally. With that said, I understand that this gameplay loop works for certain gamers, and I highly respect that. This is simply a well-made game that isn’t for me, but I understand the appeal for certain people.

A Comic Fan’s Delight

The real reason I still recommend The Coma 2 is the art style. The look of this game from the onset is very reminiscent of comic books. The cutscenes are hand-drawn and drive home the fact that you’re playing a horror game. Even the marionette-like animations feel like you’re flipping through the pages of a graphic novel. Devespresso isn’t going for realism here, because it doesn’t need to. The art is crisp and as inviting as a horror game can be.

One of the toughest jobs I have as a critic is judging a game I know is quality that didn’t make a good fit for me. Although I wanted to enjoy Vicious Sisters more than I actually did, I still think it’s a quality product for fans of this type of game. If you enjoyed the first game in the series, the sequel is a no-brainer. If you require more combat in your survival horror, then you’d probably be better off looking at other titles. But I get the vibe they’re going for here and still believe it’s worth taking a shot. Just know that the gameplay takes a great deal of patience.

 

This review is based on a Mac (Steam) copy of The Coma 2: Vicious Sisters provided by Brown Betty for coverage purposes. It’s also available on Microsoft Windows, Nintendo Switch, PlayStation 4, and Xbox One.