Despite not booking a demo in advance, I had a feeling I’d end up playing The Coma 2: Vicious Sisters. After all, for whatever reason I’m inexplicably drawn to horror, both in games and other media. Which is funny, cause I am a grade A wimp. I close my eyes during tense moments in movies, and tend to run screaming from monsters in video games. And yet, here we are. I find horror fascinating, both cause of the narrative tools it employs, as well as the wonderfully twisted monsters it utilizes. Which brings us back to The Coma 2.
I was fortunate enough to find time to check out The Coma 2: Vicious Sisters at PAX West. Developed and published by Devespresso Games, it’s the sequel to a Korean themed horror game. I admit to not having played the original, but not cause of any lack of interest. I just never got around to it, which is a common problem for gamers. I rectified that issue by purchasing the original at PAX. And the main reason I did so was because I enjoyed my time with the sequel.
During the demo, I got to try two different sections. Though both occurred in a police station, they happened at very different points in the game. Being foolhardy and brave, I tried the latter section first, which occurs when you’re actively being hunted by a demonic she-beast. Suffice to say, I survived for all of 10 seconds after the monstress discovered me. Once I got my heart back in my body, I decided to try an earlier part of the demo and spend more time with the mechanics.
According to the Devespresso head honcho I talked with, named Tristan, the protagonist of The Coma 2 is a minor character from the first game. Her name is Mina Park. And while she wasn’t that important in the first game, she’s the focus of the second. Throughout the course of the game, Mina is pursued by a hideous creature that looks oddly like her teacher. Because this is a horror game, there’s really no fighting back, just running from and avoiding things that will kill you. And it’s not just your loving teacher you have to worry about, in my demo I had apparent corpses grab at me, poisonous plants spew toxins in my face and more. But first and foremost, the primary threat was the demon woman hunting me. If she catches you, you’re dead really quick, unless you get lucky with your dodge move.
I was really struck by the art and atmosphere in The Coma 2: Vicious Sisters. Everything is oppressive and drenched in anxiety, yet beautiful to look at. It’s the same artist as in Vambrace: Cold Soul, which was another unique indie game. You explore dark and mysterious environments, collecting tools and avoiding an untimely demise. If you like creepy and dark horror games, I’d highly recommend you check out The Coma 2: Vicious Sisters. It’s slated to release later in 2019 for all consoles and PC.
