The Coma 3: Bloodlines [REVIEW] – A Fitting (and Frightening) Finale 

It has been a while since we first stepped into the haunted corridors of Sehwa High, but with The Coma 3: Bloodlines, the curtain has finally been brought down on this Korean horror saga. As someone who’s followed the series from the start, I came in with some expectations for it to deliver a worthwhile finale, and for the most part, it delivers – it just has a few lingering issues that prevent it from striving towards Korean horror greatness. 

Check out some screenshots down below: 

When it comes to storytelling, The Coma 3: Bloodlines really takes things back to it roots, bringing back previous characters and locales that’ll certainly keep a smile on the faces of returning players. I won’t go into too much detail of the narrative, because if I’m being honest, it’ll be something that’s better appreciated by those who’ve played the previous games (something which I’d definitely recommend doing before jumping in here). What I will say is that it ties in well with previous lore, all whilst answering questions surrounding Sehwa High and The Coma dimension that have been lingering since the first game.  

Visually, the art direction has clearly levelled up, with the characters feeling more alive than ever with a massive variety of hand-drawn expressions and poses that really sell the drama. It maintains the aesthetic seen since the first game, but gives it a modern polish, bringing more detail and life into the atmospherically eerie world. It looks and feels more sinister than ever, making it a real treat to explore for a horror buff like myself. On the flip-side, the animations aren’t quite so smooth, with movements looking a little twitchy and lacking the fluidity seen in similar 2D titles. It doesn’t hurt the experience too much – especially since the aesthetic itself does most of the heavy lifting – but it’s noticeable. 

“The Coma 3: Bloodlines is a solid horror experience that doesn’t only wrap up the story in a satisfying manner but also brings fresh gameplay mechanics to keep things varied.” 

A major shake-up in The Coma 3: Bloodlines is that you aren’t just stuck with one protagonist: instead, you’ve got three playable characters right from the off, and they each bring a slightly different flavour to the survival loop, changing up the gameplay in small ways to keep things varied. There’s also a stronger emphasis placed on defending yourself this time around too, with the combat system a breath of fresh air. In previous games, your only real choice was to… well… run, but now you can actually stand your ground. Don’t get me wrong, the combat mechanics aren’t particularly deep, but they definitely add an extra element of satisfying strategy to the experience to help The Coma 3: Bloodlines feel a bit different to its predecessors. It really does feel like the team have built upon the existing foundation, and it does feel like a more complete and varied experience than previous entries. 

And, of course, the puzzles are good fun to solve too, with most hitting that sweet spot of being clever and engaging, all without leaving you completely stumped for too long. They definitely add to the eerie atmosphere and arguably stand out as the high point of the game. Sure, there are a few that can be a little cryptic (no puzzler ever escapes that), but there was always a method to the madness to ensure you won’t be left scratching your head and wondering how the hell you were supposed to work something out. 

Check out some screenshots down below: 

So The Coma 3: Bloodlines is enjoyable for the most part, but it does have some issues that hold it back. The biggest hurdle to my enjoyment was the enemy behaviour. There were countless times when I’d hide, wait for the killer to walk away, step out, and then immediately get attacked because they were standing right behind the hiding spot – this was never a one-off, but something that occurred WAY too often. It turns what should be a tense game of cat and mouse into a bit of a tedious waiting simulator, and when the game decides to throw multiple enemies at you at once in a tiny corridor, it stops feeling like a fair challenge and starts feeling like a cheap shot. The aforementioned combat can help at times, but it’s not always a viable option, making for some genuinely frustrating moments when playing. 

That frustration is doubled by the save system. Some sections go on for ages without a single save point, and if you get caught by an aggressive boss or a camping monster after 20 minutes of careful exploring (and waiting in hiding spots), having to redo the entire segment is soul-destroying. Thankfully, both of these issues should be able to be fixed with a patch or two, but as it stands, they make for some reall tedious moments when playing. 

Developer: Dvora Studio 
Publisher: Headup Games, Thermite Games 
Platform(s): PC (Reviewed), PlayStation 5, PlayStation 4, Xbox Series X|S, Xbox One 
Website: https://www.headupgames.com/game/the-coma-3-bloodlines