The Korean survival-horror adventure Coma 2: Vicious Sisters is coming soon to Nintendo Switch, PlayStation®4, and later this year, Xbox One. Today, we share some insights from the developers at Devespresso Games about the sequel’s development and what makes The Coma’s universe and its lore stand apart from other survival-horror games.

Tristan L. Riven, the narrative mastermind behind the sinister story of The Coma and Vambrace: Cold Soul, explains how the project came together:

“Devespresso Games finished developing our debut title for PC, The Coma: Cutting Class, in 2015. It soon came to consoles, with a content update, as The Coma: Recut. Over the course of developing Cutting Class, we often confronted lingering doubts about whether we would even finish the project. We never expected to have the privilege of releasing its sequel on consoles five years later.

As a team, we’ve learned a lot since the original game’s launch, but the fundamentals have remained the same; The Coma 2: Vicious Sisters’ Korean setting, survival-horror gameplay, and Lovecraftian themes frame a dark story. Players will explore the coming-of-age difficulties many high school students face through the eyes of new protagonist, Mina Park. This, within a culture that emphasizes an insatiable drive for success - often at the expense of the wellbeing of those who wish to maintain their competitive edge. The interpersonal struggles between the game’s characters are laid bare through this context.

Korea’s educational system is, arguably, the ultimate institutional representation of the nation’s obsession with high achievement. It was fitting that a high school would be the perfect setting for the story we wished to tell. Our initial developmental limitations kept us grounded at Sehwa High in Recut. When we approached Vicious Sisters, however, we decided to look beyond those school grounds. What stories could we tell if we journeyed into the surrounding district? As a studio based in Seoul, we’re blessed with an abundance of creative inspiration for The Coma’s universe, and we took full advantage of that.

Recut had players take on the role of Youngho Choi, a hapless student who finds himself trapped in a twisted version of his high school. A core theme in the first game is “success, but at what cost?” This current ripples through the narrative presented within the school setting; as Youngho searches for a way to escape, he begins to expose the tangled web of broken relationships between the students and teachers of Sehwa High. Vicious Sisters builds on this world through the journey of Youngho’s childhood friend, Mina Park. She’s a Sehwa student searching for answers about Youngho’s fate and, even more pressing, an escape from this shadow realm. She’s forced to leave her school in search of these answers while being hunted by a relentless slasher.

Vicious Sisters is bigger and more ambitious than Recut in every way. Free from the school, we were liberated to create more iconic Korean settings, like a subway station and traditional market. These spaces are familiar to anyone who has lived in Seoul for some time. Each provides a cultural glimpse, albeit a twisted one, of life in Korea and the daily struggles of the people who frequent those places. This larger world also gave us an opportunity to expand the universe with an expanded cast of characters, deeper lore, and more exciting story twists.

The Coma: Recut explored the well-known perils of stress and suicidal tendencies facing Korean high school students. Now, players navigate through the Shadow Realm through the lens of Mina’s personal experience. Doing justice to the portrayal of her intimate relationships and growth on this journey was a major priority. This had to be her story, and Mina contends with gossip, bullying, and reputation destruction. 

Minho Kim’s distinct Manhwa (the Korean version of Manga) illustrations add new depth to the story. We’re sure players will enjoy the added immersion that’s offered by the dynamic comic panel scenes that shift based on player behavior. In fact, this is a key element of gameplay and several playthroughs are necessary to view all the game’s content and unlock its various endings.

Of course, a more dynamic story requires an expanded character roster, and Minho’s illustrative prowess is on full display. New cast members join the fray, like a traditional Korean shamaness (called "mudang") and a holy priest, both called forth to fight the powers of darkness. And, it wouldn’t be The Coma without the series’ iconic Dark Song stalking alleys and hallways. She’s more fearsome than ever now, and falling into her clutches could spell instant doom. Players must exercise great caution while exploring their surroundings."

The Coma 2: Vicious Sisters will hit Nintendo Switch and PS4 later this month. We’re excited to share the next step in what has been a very personal journey for us. It’s a small slice of interactive Korean culture that is, until now, generally lacking in the Western gaming scene.