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Overview

Coldmount Hospital is the asymmetrical psychological horror stage shipped at launch in Neverness to Everness. Supporting one to two players, it pairs stealth-driven investigation with environmental puzzle-solving as players move through the decaying corridors of an abandoned medical facility. A supernatural entity hunts the team throughout the run; rather than fight it directly, the player or pair must dodge, hide, and investigate to make progress.

The stage is the horror counterpart to the Pink Paws Heist, which leans into fast-paced co-op combat and team coordination. Where Pink Paws Heist tests reflexes and damage rotations, Coldmount Hospital trades speed for atmosphere and investigative instinct, demanding caution and observation rather than aggression.

Quick Facts

Asymmetrical Horror Design

The asymmetrical framing means the player and the hunting entity have fundamentally different tools and objectives. The player has movement speed, investigation gadgets, and the ability to read environmental clues but cannot defeat the entity in direct conflict. The entity, by contrast, is the apex predator of the space: it patrols, listens, and chases, and any direct confrontation almost always ends the run.

This split creates the core gameplay loop: scout, plan, move, hide, repeat. Successful runs string together a series of small risks. Each opened door, each examined clue, each puzzle solved adds to the player's case file while inviting the entity closer. Coordination matters enormously when playing with a partner, since the entity reacts to noise and visible movement; one player drawing the entity away while the other investigates is a common pattern.

Investigation and Puzzles

Coldmount Hospital is structured around investigation. Rather than clearing waves of enemies, players progress by solving puzzles, gathering anomaly evidence, and piecing together what happened to the facility. Common interaction types include:

• Item examination: documents, patient charts, and scattered logs build the case file and unlock progression triggers.

• Puzzle locks: doors, terminals, and storage rooms require specific items or in-environment combinations to open.

• Anomaly scanning: using Esper abilities to identify supernatural distortions and find hidden paths.

• Environmental traps: the facility itself reacts to the player; certain corridors collapse, certain rooms only open under specific conditions.

• Sound discipline: the entity hunts by sound. Running, breaking glass, or knocking objects over draws it toward the player's position.

Stat Equalization

Like the Pink Paws Heist and The Bank, Coldmount Hospital uses stat equalization. Every player's gear, character level, and Awakening progression are normalized to a fixed baseline inside the stage, so a brand-new player runs at the same effective power as a fully geared veteran.

This design choice serves the horror atmosphere directly. Survival in Coldmount Hospital depends on player decisions, not on who has the highest gear score; a frightened veteran with an under-leveled character is just as vulnerable as a new player. The equalization also lets new accounts run the stage with friends without dragging anyone down or being carried, which suits the small player count.

Solo vs. Duo

Coldmount Hospital can be run solo or with a duo partner. Each option emphasises a different part of the experience:

Comparison to Pink Paws Heist

Coldmount Hospital and Pink Paws Heist form the launch's two co-op stages, but they target different player moods. The table below summarises the core differences:

Tips

• Walk, do not run. Sprinting is the loudest movement and almost always pulls the entity to your position.

• Use voice chat or text for the duo mode. Sound discipline matters even more when two players are coordinating positioning across separate areas.

• Examine every document. Many puzzle solutions appear in the environmental text scattered through patient files and staff logs.

• Hide before sprinting. If you must move quickly, plan the hiding spot at the end of the run before you start sprinting toward it.

• Save your Esper abilities for moments that matter. Many abilities make noise or visual effects that draw the entity. Use them only when the upside is clear (puzzle requirement, opening a hidden path, distracting the entity from a partner).

• Solo runs are intentionally harder. The stage is calibrated to be playable solo, but the design encourages duo play. New players should consider partnering up for their first run.

Related Pages

• Co-Op Mode

• Pink Paws Heist

• The Bank

• The Hospital

• Anomalies

• Cross-Platform Play