Kona II: Brume Review: Winter Is Coming

Kona II: Brume

Presenting Gameffine's Kona II: Brume review. Kona II: Brume is a survival mystery adventure game that follows the story of Detective Carl Faubert, who returns to the fictional land of Manastan raveged by a bizarre mist

Product Brand: Parabole

Product Currency: USD

Product Price: ‎$29.99

Product In-Stock: InStock

Editor's Rating:
7.5

Survival Action-Adventure games have evolved quite a bit in the past few years. Indie Survival Games like The Forest and Green Hell have found great success and have established a strong following for their genre. Parabole’s Kona followed a similar approach in its depiction of 1970s Canadian wilderness. With Kona II: Brume they are back to re-imagine their own chilly survival setting. Presenting Gameffine’s Kona II: Brume review.

Kona II: Brume is a survival mystery adventure game that follows the story of Detective Carl Faubert, who returns to the fictional land of Manastan in Northern Quebec, Canada, in 1970. The game is a sequel to Kona, which was released in 2017 by Ravenscourt and Parabole. Kona II: Brume is available on PlayStation 5, Xbox Series, PlayStation 4, Xbox One, Nintendo Switch, and PC via Steam.

Wilding 70s

The game’s plot revolves around a mysterious mist, called the Brume, that has enveloped a rural mining village and disconnected it from its normal reality. The Brume has also caused a devastating avalanche that has trapped many villagers and miners. Carl Faubert, who survived the events of the first game, is tasked with uncovering the enigmatic origins of the Brume and finding a way to eliminate it. Along the way, he will encounter stranded victims and survivors, as well as supernatural phenomena and hostile forces.

The game’s gameplay combines exploration, investigation, and survival elements. The player can explore the vast and snowy landscapes of Manastan using a dog sled or a snowmobile, as well as enter wooden shacks and other buildings. The player can also search for clues, documents, and objects that can help them solve the mystery of the Brume. The game features an omniscient narrator who narrates Carl’s journey and thoughts in Manastan. The game also has a dynamic weather system that affects the visibility and temperature of the environment.

The game’s survival elements require the player to manage Carl’s health, warmth, stress, and sanity levels. The player will have to find or craft items such as food, drinks, medicine, weapons, and tools that can help them survive the harsh conditions. The player will also have to face dangers such as wild animals, armed enemies, and nightmares. The game has multiple endings depending on the player’s choices and actions.

Something Old, Something New

Kona II: Brume improves over its predecessor in several aspects. The game has enhanced graphics and sound effects that create a more immersive and realistic atmosphere. The game also has more diverse and interactive environments that offer more opportunities for exploration and discovery. The game has more characters and dialogue options that add more depth and personality to the story. The game also has more puzzles and challenges that test the player’s logic and intuition. The game also has more survival mechanics that increase the difficulty and tension of the game.

On the downside, Kona II feels a bit more restricted than its predecessor, having its overall experience of the map somewhat restricted by invisible walls. Finding keys and unlocking places to travel from point A to B, makes the experience a bit too repetitive. But the overall package still remains a notable improvement overall.

Real Talk

Kona II: Brume notably improves on its predecessor with a more nuanced take on its narrative, interactivity, visuals, and survival elements. If you are into titles like Green Hell, Sons of the Forest, or The Forest, or even the earlier Frictional products, the game is definitely worth checking out. As for newcomers, it can prove to be quite a daunting task to get into Kona II.

FINAL RATING: 75/100