Table of Contents
amazon The Coma Recut reviews
Introduction
In the vast landscape of indie horror games, “The Coma: Recut” stands out as a compelling experience that blends traditional survival horror elements with a unique cultural twist. Developed by Devespresso Games, this title is a remastered version of the original “The Coma: Cutting Class” and offers enhanced visuals, refined gameplay mechanics, and a more polished narrative. Released in 2017, “The Coma: Recut” has garnered attention for its atmospheric tension, hand-drawn art style, and the eerie exploration of South Korean high school life.
This review will delve into the various aspects of “The Coma: Recut,” including its narrative, gameplay, visuals, sound design, and overall impact. We will also explore how it compares to other horror games in the genre and whether it successfully creates a memorable and terrifying experience for players.
Narrative and Setting
“The Coma: Recut” is set in Sehwa High, a fictional South Korean high school that, at first glance, seems like an ordinary educational institution. The game follows the protagonist, Youngho, a high school student who finds himself trapped in a nightmarish version of his school after falling asleep during an exam. What unfolds is a dark, twisted journey where Youngho must navigate the eerie, labyrinthine corridors of the school while being pursued by a relentless, murderous entity resembling one of his teachers.
The narrative is deeply rooted in South Korean culture, with the high school setting serving as a critical backdrop. The game taps into the intense pressure faced by students in South Korea, where academic success is often seen as paramount. The portrayal of Sehwa High as a sinister, oppressive environment mirrors the stress and anxiety many students experience in real life. This cultural context adds a layer of depth to the horror, making the school not just a physical space but also a symbol of the protagonist’s fears and insecurities.
The story unfolds through a series of notes, environmental storytelling, and interactions with other characters trapped within the school. As players progress, they uncover the dark secrets of Sehwa High and the supernatural forces at play. The narrative is engaging, with enough mystery and tension to keep players invested in uncovering the truth behind the horrors that lurk in the shadows.
Gameplay Mechanics
“The Coma: Recut” is a 2D side-scrolling survival horror game with a focus on exploration, stealth, and resource management. The gameplay is relatively straightforward but effective in building tension and maintaining a sense of vulnerability.
- Exploration: The game encourages players to explore the various rooms and hallways of Sehwa High, searching for clues, items, and key story elements. The school is a sprawling maze, with many locked doors, hidden passages, and dark corners. Exploration is crucial not only for advancing the story but also for finding the tools necessary for survival, such as bandages, antidotes, and key items needed to unlock new areas.
- Stealth and Hiding: One of the core mechanics of “The Coma: Recut” is stealth. The primary antagonist, a twisted version of Youngho’s teacher, known as “The Shade,” roams the school, hunting the protagonist. When The Shade is nearby, players must find hiding spots, such as lockers or bathrooms, to avoid detection. The game creates intense moments of suspense as players listen for the faint sound of footsteps or the unsettling music that signals The Shade’s presence.
- Resource Management: Resources in “The Coma: Recut” are scarce, and managing them is key to survival. Health items are limited, and players must be strategic about when to use them. Additionally, the game’s inventory system requires players to prioritize which items to carry, adding another layer of tension as they decide what to leave behind.
- Puzzles: The game includes various puzzles that players must solve to progress. These puzzles often involve finding specific items or decoding clues hidden throughout the school. While not overly complex, they serve to break up the tension and provide a sense of accomplishment when solved.
- Combat: Unlike many survival horror games, “The Coma: Recut” does not feature traditional combat mechanics. Youngho is not equipped to fight back against The Shade or other threats. Instead, players must rely on stealth, quick thinking, and careful planning to survive. This lack of combat enhances the feeling of vulnerability and reinforces the idea that Youngho is an ordinary student caught in extraordinary circumstances.
The first thing a horror game has always tried to build is its scary atmosphere, and it can be said that The Coma: Recut has succeeded in provoking a powerful creep factor for players.
Following Youngho, you need to explore the school covered in endless darkness to find a way out. Behind that shadow are many forces that want to tear you up, especially the school’s teacher. Youngho’s teacher assassin – perhaps the biggest threat, will follow you throughout the game. As you walk down the corridors, she may suddenly appear and rush over with a paper knife or an ax in hand. If you do not quickly find a hiding place, you will be finished by her. In addition, besides the killer, there are other dangers such as strange creatures containing toxins, bodies suddenly falling, or ghosts hiding under the table.
The mix of graphics and sound has created a pretty good horror element. The creepy background sound mixed with the quiet darkness and strange things creates curiosity and increases the game’s horror. Wandering in the dark, you will be choked by suspense, knowing that the killer can appear at any time. When you are spotted and chased, the music will suddenly change, combined with the vibrating frame to create a sense of impulse by danger.
The game has some ways to create a fake “safe” feeling for you. For example, when you open the map, it almost fills the screen and makes you think that the game will automatically pause while looking at the map, but it is not!
When you start playing, you might think that the killer suddenly appeared in the hallway, so it would be safe to stay in classrooms or toilets. Unfortunately, that’s only true at the beginning of the game. Even after losing, the game is still trying to scare you at the select screen.
Overall, the producer has been quite successful at filling the game’s creepy atmosphere, probably the biggest highlight of The Coma: Recut.
Besides the creepy atmosphere, the story full of mystery is also necessary to create a perfect horror “dish.”
In the journey to find a way out of a bad nightmare, Youngho will encounter many big question marks. The mysterious characters, dangerous creatures, and the school’s existence are all unknowns you want to solve. That curiosity will be a great motivation to motivate you to continue playing.
In addition to the question marks shown clearly by The Coma: Recut above, many other mysteries are waiting for you. As you explore in the school, you may collect different records, and each form has its signature. Besides, this game has many endings, requiring you to complete some side quests to unlock the perfect end.
In short, the game is a mixture of many great and small mysteries built in different ways, and all of them create a mysterious horror atmosphere for the game.
Building a creepy atmosphere with mixed secrets is a perfect stepping stone to create the content for the game, but unfortunately, the manufacturer has not taken advantage of this.
The biggest shortcoming of the game is the boring gameplay. The killer is the biggest danger in the game and is probably so great that you always run away and cause discomfort. Not to mention the game doesn’t have too much for you to do. You will spend most of your time in the game moving from one location to another to see a scene or look for something, and while moving between areas, you may encounter a killer. Therefore, The Coma: Recut can be understood as a “cat catch mouse” game repeatedly.
In addition to the boring gameplay, the game’s plot is also built in a way too mysterious. You enter the dark world in the game with some original questions. You explore it, and the more you discover it, the more questions will pop up, the more fascinating you are. You hope that I will learn something to unlock my initial questions by the end of the game. But not! By the end of the game, you fail to clarify more important questions and carry many other question marks. Although the game has many “endings,” they are just one big scene. The more missions you complete, the more the game shows you more parts of that big scene as a different “ending.” However, the actual ending has only one stage.
It can be said that the content of this game is a stepping stone for the manufacturer’s next product. This way of building content creates excitement and excitement for the next round. That’s right, but that means the value of The Coma: Recut depends a lot on the product behind it, not on the game itself. Many of the “cornerstone” questions in the game have not been answered; what happens is not a scale. So, if the next game comes out, there’s a chance you can play it and skip this opening game and still get the content.
In short, repetitive gameplay, combined with story building in the style of “glide,” has caused the content and value of The Coma: Recut to be significantly reduced. Perhaps the manufacturer has not calculated the importance of this game carefully but only sees it as a starting product for the development team and an “offer” to the player.
where can you get a The Coma Recut online
The Coma: Recut – Nintendo Switch: Buy it now
The Coma Recut – Switch [Digital Code]: Buy it now
THE COMA: RECUT [LIMITED EDITION] PS4: Buy it now
Final Thoughts
In conclusion, “The Coma: Recut” is a game that deserves recognition for its atmospheric horror, cultural depth, and compelling narrative. It stands out in the indie horror genre for its ability to create a genuinely unsettling experience without relying on excessive gore or cheap jump scares. Instead, it uses psychological horror, sound design, and a hauntingly beautiful art style to keep players engaged and on edge.
While it may not appeal to all types of horror fans—particularly those who prefer more action-oriented gameplay or longer, more complex narratives—”The Coma: Recut” is a must-play for those who enjoy survival horror with a strong focus on atmosphere and cultural storytelling. It is a game that lingers in the mind long after the final credits roll, a testament to its effectiveness as a piece of interactive horror.
For players seeking a horror experience that goes beyond the typical tropes and offers something both familiar and different, “The Coma: Recut” is well worth the journey into the darkness of Sehwa High.