BinaryMessiah Hollow Cocoon Review

Indie horror games that draw inspiration from Japanese mythical lore are gaining popularity, and while I appreciate this trend, many of them tend to lack uniqueness. The last game I played of this ilk was Ikai, which was mediocre and mostly forgettable. These games are usually filled with good monsters and a great atmosphere, but the puzzles are obtuse, and where to find items ends up becoming a frustrating affair as you're trying to hide and run from the main monster. Hollow Cocoon is no exception. Assuming the role of a man whose grandmother is ailing in the hospital, you find yourself spending the night at her silkworm farm, only to uncover the presence of an evil entity. This monster isn't super scary. It's a typical long-haired Japanese girl with a scary face and a peculiar body type. The atmosphere is very tense, as sneaking around and hiding at intervals is better than the monster always being present. There are areas in which she won't come out, and you do get a long period of time before she stalks you again. When you run away and hide (there are two different types of hiding spots), music will play, and you can hear her stalking around. After a few seconds, she will go away, usually spawning in a different part of the house. The obtuse puzzles start right from the beginning. While some puzzles may seem obvious, the task of finding objects can be particularly challenging. You can see the large interactive icons from a few feet away, but you must thoroughly inspect every room to ensure you collect everything. The second half of the game is full of key hunting, and there are very few puzzles. Thankfully, the layout of the mansion facilitates easy landmark recall, and the inclusion of a map in the larger mansion area greatly aids navigation. There is no combat in this game, either. The game only provides you with healing pills when the monster attacks you. You can collect material to read to help give details on the story, and there are 10 yen pieces used to play UFO pachinko-type games to unlock different endings. There is some bonus content, such as unlocks to dress up the monster in new playthroughs, but unless you really love this game, I don't see any reason to go back through. Sadly, the story isn't captivating enough to be memorable and isn't any different from other short indie horror games in this same setting. Outside of the slightly better visuals and level design, nothing stands out. Overall, Hollow Cocoon is just average, but I appreciate the tense atmosphere, maps, and mostly excellent level design. I also like how you get breaks from the monster throughout the game and can explore some areas with freedom. I also appreciate the Japanese voice-acting, but other than that, you will forget this game and move on.