Speady
BACKER
Signalis 2022
Log Status
Completed
Playing
Backlog
Wishlist
Rating
Time Played
6h 27m
Days in Journal
2 days
Last played
December 11, 2022
First played
December 4, 2022
Platforms Played
"Remember our promise."
I rarely dive into survival horror games, but I give exceptions to sci-fi horror. (Plus, I've been told by several peers to play this one.) Signalis is beautiful, unnerving, and a fascinating indie game to come from a studio made up of only two people.
Presentation and narrative is the highlight here. In a way, this cyberpunk tale reminds me more of 2019's Control than anything else. A simple story about an android trying to reunite with her partner, wrapped around a world that is otherworldly; something that is incomprehensible to the human mind, understandably so. Dystopian planets, underground societies, corrupted androids, bloody flesh, all presented with harsh colors of red, black, and white. Scenes shift from gorgeous pixel art for close-up shots to PS1-era polygon models; flashing screens filled with subliminal text and title cards making the player feel uncomfortable in the face of the unknown. Is this a world with Russian subtext? Is it Japanese? It's unknown, but that's what makes everything around you so damn interesting. It feels like your typical horror indie that plays around with metagame, but in a much more effective way.
Gameplay itself is great as well, despite tiny flaws. Again, I rarely play games like this, so I'm not typically used to survival games being filled with puzzles. I'm actually quite impressed by the structuring of the riddles and obstacles in the player's way to progress, as it didn't feel too obtuse nor straight-forward. The best comparison I could give for each individual chapter of this game is that they are set up like individual escape rooms, spreading the puzzles pieces around the map to encourage exploration around every corner. Probably the most I've had to do for the more difficult sections was take screenshots or write notes to save some time. The inclusion of a radio/frequency system also adds a brilliant touch to the variety, as well as the occasional sequences presented in first-person.
The only issue I personally ran into with the way this exploration is set up, however, is the limited inventory. I can understand this design from a survival game standpoint, but it somewhat conflicts with the puzzles and maps designed for the player. With only 6 slots, while requires you to strategize enemy confrontations with limited weapons, you are required to backtrack to safe rooms several times to collect items needed for doors, locks, and so on. It's a small flaw in an otherwise very self-contained gameplay loop that feels satisfying to play.
Signalis shouldn't be slept on, especially if you love survival horror. Its intriguing, cyberpunk-dosed sapphic narrative is one that keeps the player in awe, and its puzzle-solving leaves satisfaction with every chapter progressed. Haunting, dark, and thought-provoking as hell.
I rarely dive into survival horror games, but I give exceptions to sci-fi horror. (Plus, I've been told by several peers to play this one.) Signalis is beautiful, unnerving, and a fascinating indie game to come from a studio made up of only two people.
Presentation and narrative is the highlight here. In a way, this cyberpunk tale reminds me more of 2019's Control than anything else. A simple story about an android trying to reunite with her partner, wrapped around a world that is otherworldly; something that is incomprehensible to the human mind, understandably so. Dystopian planets, underground societies, corrupted androids, bloody flesh, all presented with harsh colors of red, black, and white. Scenes shift from gorgeous pixel art for close-up shots to PS1-era polygon models; flashing screens filled with subliminal text and title cards making the player feel uncomfortable in the face of the unknown. Is this a world with Russian subtext? Is it Japanese? It's unknown, but that's what makes everything around you so damn interesting. It feels like your typical horror indie that plays around with metagame, but in a much more effective way.
Gameplay itself is great as well, despite tiny flaws. Again, I rarely play games like this, so I'm not typically used to survival games being filled with puzzles. I'm actually quite impressed by the structuring of the riddles and obstacles in the player's way to progress, as it didn't feel too obtuse nor straight-forward. The best comparison I could give for each individual chapter of this game is that they are set up like individual escape rooms, spreading the puzzles pieces around the map to encourage exploration around every corner. Probably the most I've had to do for the more difficult sections was take screenshots or write notes to save some time. The inclusion of a radio/frequency system also adds a brilliant touch to the variety, as well as the occasional sequences presented in first-person.
The only issue I personally ran into with the way this exploration is set up, however, is the limited inventory. I can understand this design from a survival game standpoint, but it somewhat conflicts with the puzzles and maps designed for the player. With only 6 slots, while requires you to strategize enemy confrontations with limited weapons, you are required to backtrack to safe rooms several times to collect items needed for doors, locks, and so on. It's a small flaw in an otherwise very self-contained gameplay loop that feels satisfying to play.
Signalis shouldn't be slept on, especially if you love survival horror. Its intriguing, cyberpunk-dosed sapphic narrative is one that keeps the player in awe, and its puzzle-solving leaves satisfaction with every chapter progressed. Haunting, dark, and thought-provoking as hell.