esoteric_nebula
2022
TL;DR: A sapphic delight that, while standing on the shoulders of its influences, is still worth your time and money.
Longer: Can a game be great if it every single aspect of itself has clear influences from its inspirations? What is the difference between homage and derivative?
If I could somehow wipe my memory of playing Resident Evil, NieR Automata, Metal Gear Solid, and Silent Hill 2 and play Signalis with fresh eyes it would be an all-time great for me. But I do remember those games, which makes me feel very conflicted.
Signalis is almost like a collage in the form of a game. For every puzzle, every NPC, and every plot beat, I think to myself, "Oh that's just like X from Y!" I admit, finding the references is a bit of fun in itself, but that's certainly not enough to make a good piece of media (see: Ready Player One).
Perhaps I'm willing to give Signalis leeway because it nails the details so perfectly. Aesthetically, it is akin to a demake. Especially in the first-person portions, I felt myself hurdled back in time to my childhood self sitting on a tie-die beanbag chair in a wood-paneled room playing my dad's PlayStation.
However, it wisely eschews things like tank controls (though, I do think you can opt into them in the settings) to make it playable to 2022's sensibilities.
I need to get out of bed and make coffee. The rest of the review coming soon…
Longer: Can a game be great if it every single aspect of itself has clear influences from its inspirations? What is the difference between homage and derivative?
If I could somehow wipe my memory of playing Resident Evil, NieR Automata, Metal Gear Solid, and Silent Hill 2 and play Signalis with fresh eyes it would be an all-time great for me. But I do remember those games, which makes me feel very conflicted.
Signalis is almost like a collage in the form of a game. For every puzzle, every NPC, and every plot beat, I think to myself, "Oh that's just like X from Y!" I admit, finding the references is a bit of fun in itself, but that's certainly not enough to make a good piece of media (see: Ready Player One).
Perhaps I'm willing to give Signalis leeway because it nails the details so perfectly. Aesthetically, it is akin to a demake. Especially in the first-person portions, I felt myself hurdled back in time to my childhood self sitting on a tie-die beanbag chair in a wood-paneled room playing my dad's PlayStation.
However, it wisely eschews things like tank controls (though, I do think you can opt into them in the settings) to make it playable to 2022's sensibilities.
I need to get out of bed and make coffee. The rest of the review coming soon…
2023
Relevant biases:
- Loved Hollow Knight
- Hated Cuphead
- Liked Celeste
I was smitten by the art style, music and theme, but anti-smitten by the controls and Cuphead-esque boss fights. Ultimately decided to refund after 90 minutes, but not altogether a terrible game.
- Loved Hollow Knight
- Hated Cuphead
- Liked Celeste
I was smitten by the art style, music and theme, but anti-smitten by the controls and Cuphead-esque boss fights. Ultimately decided to refund after 90 minutes, but not altogether a terrible game.
2017
I played the True Final Ending of Nier Automata during a time I was processing several losses in my life. Words can't even describe how life-affirming the game left me.
I didn't even know a video game could do this to me.
I didn't even know a video game could do this to me.
2015
I have lots of good things to say about this game that has already been said before, so I'll keep it short:
Insight is one of the coolest mechanics in a game I've seen and led to one of the most memorable video game experiences I've had. Like Psycho-Mantis-moving-my-controller-across-the-floor levels of cool.
This game desperately needs a 60 FPS patch for PS5. I hope that Bluepoint is working on a remaster of this game.
Despite having a 30 FPS cap with poor frame-timing, this game is still a masterpiece. The exception proves the rule in this case.
Insight is one of the coolest mechanics in a game I've seen and led to one of the most memorable video game experiences I've had. Like Psycho-Mantis-moving-my-controller-across-the-floor levels of cool.
This game desperately needs a 60 FPS patch for PS5. I hope that Bluepoint is working on a remaster of this game.
Despite having a 30 FPS cap with poor frame-timing, this game is still a masterpiece. The exception proves the rule in this case.
2022
When this game came out I was riding out some financial hardships, so I had not expected to be able to play it right away. Then, out of nowhere, my friend came in clutch and bought it as a gift for me (thanks Pink!). Thus began my journey as a Tarnished.
Newly unemployed and recovering from burnout, I devoured Elden Ring in a little over a month. It is easily the quickest game of its length that I've unlocked the platinum trophy for, and was just an amazing experience for me.
It also marks the first FromSoft game I was able to experience the zeitgeist with. It was so exciting to hear about new discoveries (such as punching a wall a hundred times) and being there in the moment for it.
Such a good game, only rivaled by Bloodborne as FromSoft's finest work.
Newly unemployed and recovering from burnout, I devoured Elden Ring in a little over a month. It is easily the quickest game of its length that I've unlocked the platinum trophy for, and was just an amazing experience for me.
It also marks the first FromSoft game I was able to experience the zeitgeist with. It was so exciting to hear about new discoveries (such as punching a wall a hundred times) and being there in the moment for it.
Such a good game, only rivaled by Bloodborne as FromSoft's finest work.