Content Warning: The following game features dark themes such as: incest, codependency/abuse, and murder.
Released into Early Access on October 13th, 2023, The Coffin of Andy and Leyley is an RPGmaker horror game developed by Nemlei and published by Kit9 Studio. The game currently features two out of four planned episodes telling the story of the titular duo, Andrew and Ashley, siblings who must survive in a dystopian world… by any means imaginable.
The game became a sudden success, garnering over 9,000 reviews on Steam as of this review’s publishing, although it has also met its fair share of setbacks due to the controversial content within the game. The developer, Nemlei, recently handed over publishing to Kit9 Studio, who will also be handling all public communication regarding Andy and Leyley in the future. However, despite the pushback, the game still has a strong fanbase of those who look forward to the game’s completion. So, let’s dive into The Coffin of Andy and Leyley!
Story
The plot follows two highly codependent and toxic siblings who have been forced to live in a quarantined apartment due to supposedly contracting parasites from tainted water. Their situation gets more desperate when their food supply is cut off and they begin to slowly starve to death. However, they soon discover that their next-door neighbor is part of a demonic cult, and when a botched ritual leaves the cultist dead, the two resort to cannibalizing the corpse to survive.
The rest of Chapter One details the siblings’ reactions to this depraved action, and eventually follows their escape from the quarantined apartments. There’s also a section that shows a scene from their childhood, revealing one of many dark secrets that the siblings hold on to…
In Chapter Two, Andrew and Ashley are on the run, hoping their murderous actions never catch up to them. When money runs low, they resort to paying their parents a visit in hopes of robbing them blind. I’m sure you can imagine what might happen next… But you’ll have to play the game to see what goes down!
Characters
Our protagonists are Andrew and Ashley Graves. There’s a small cast of side characters, but the story mostly focuses on this incredibly fucked up duo.
Andrew Graves is the older brother and often has a cold and sarcastic demeanor. He frequently gets frustrated with his sister’s insane antics, though he’s enough of a pushover to go along with her schemes anyways. He also seems to have his own violent streak, most often expressed when Ashley pushes him too far or their relationship becomes hostile.
Ashley Graves is the younger sister and is more or less batshit crazy. She is absolutely obsessed with Andrew and is willing to go to extreme ends to guarantee he stays by her side. She’s far more confident than Andrew, and also far more willing to commit depraved acts with little to no remorse. If you’re a fan of hot yanderes, Ashley might just be your type.
Gameplay
The gameplay in Andy and Leyley is fairly simplistic. Most of the game will just be walking and talking, with a few small puzzles here and there. You also get to switch POVs between Andrew and Ashley, giving you more insight into how each character deals with their circumstances. However, your choices impact the game, and as of now there seem to be two main routes, with some minor subroutes that change based on the relationship between the siblings. The differences in the routes depend on how much the siblings trust and like each other, and their feelings can be anywhere from antagonistic to outright incestuous depending on what choices you make throughout the game.
Art
By far, one of the highlights of the game is its art style. It’s unique and expressive which fits well with the morbid tone. The color palette makes the small pops of color, such as Andrew and Ashley’s eyes or splatters of blood, really stand out. Chapter Two in particular explores some dream worlds that are quite creative and reminded me of games such as Yume Nikki or LISA that also feature disjointed and highly symbolic environments. Overall, the environments, sprites, and individual pieces of art make the story far more engaging and memorable.
Music
The soundtrack for this game is compiled from a handful of artists, and altogether is delightfully spooky! Many of the tracks gave me “Halloween” vibes, while others worked well for some of the softer moments in the game. The tracks do well at evoking fear, anxiety, and dread as you explore the many tense scenes and horrifying actions within the game.
Final Thoughts
Currently, the Early Access version of The Coffin of Andy and Leyley is available on Steam for $9.99, with the price set to increase as more chapters are released. The game is expected to finish by the end of 2024, with updates being months apart.
The Coffin of Andy and Leyley is as charming as it is disturbing. Although its content is bound to ruffle some feathers, for those who can stomach it, you’re in for a wild ride. While the game may not be scary in the traditional sense, the psychological terror expressed between these siblings and their corrupt version of love is enough to send a chill down my spine, especially as tensions seem to be ramping up over the course of each chapter.
The Steam page features a demo containing all of Chapter One, which should give you a good idea of whether or not you’ll enjoy the game. If you find yourself wanting more by the end of the demo, now’s the best time to buy the game while the price is lower. But if the content is too discomforting or the horror isn’t quite your style, then this may not be the game for you.
As for me, I look forward to seeing what horrific deeds these sick siblings will get up to in future updates! And if you’d like to see my previous streams of the game, and get a chance to catch future streams, check me out here!
