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Signalis

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Signalis
Developer(s)rose-engine
Publisher(s)Humble Games
Playism
Director(s)Yuri Stern
Designer(s)
  • Barbara Wittmann
  • Yuri Stern
Programmer(s)Yuri Stern
Artist(s)Yuri Stern
Writer(s)
  • Barbara Wittmann
  • Yuri Stern
Composer(s)
  • 1000 Eyes
  • Cicada Sirens
EngineUnity[1]
Platform(s)
ReleaseOctober 27, 2022
Genre(s)Survival horror
Mode(s)Single-player

Signalis is a survival horror video game developed by rose-engine and published by Humble Games and Playism. The game was released for Windows PC, Nintendo Switch, PlayStation 4 and Xbox One on October 27, 2022. It received generally positive reviews upon release.

Gameplay

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The core gameplay consists of top-down shooter elements from a top-down 2.5D perspective, with occasional puzzle elements. Puzzles vary from manipulating switches and dials, to searching for certain frequencies to broadcast in Elster's radio implant.[2]

Difficulty and thematic elements are enhanced through the use of resource management as a gameplay and narrative mechanic. Elster is limited to six items on her person, including weapons, ammunition and key items for use in puzzle-solving and unlocking doors. In the fashion of Resident Evil, another survival horror series, there are safe rooms that allow the player to save progress and store their items for future use.[3][4]

Synopsis

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Signalis is set in a retrofuturist world[5], in a planetary system reminiscent of the Solar System that is governed by the totalitarian Eusan Nation, which remains at war with a larger Empire from which it broke away. Eusan employs Replikas, "biosynthetic clones manufactured to emulate model workers and soldiers"[6].

The player character "Elster" is a ship technician Replika unit[7] that awakens in the wreck of her crashed scout shuttle and sets out to look for the human pilot of her ship, encountering strange events of possibly supernatural origin in an underground mining facility.[8]

The game features multiple endings depending on the choices of the player.[9]

Development

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The game was developed by the two person German studio rose-engine, with development beginning in 2014.[4][10] Additional help was brought on through external composers.[2] The game was released across multiple platforms on October 27, 2022.[11] Publishing was handled by Humble Games and Playism.[10]

Signalis is influenced by the Silent Hill and Resident Evil series.[12][13][2][14] Aesthetically, the game pulls inspiration from the graphics of the fifth generation of video game consoles, particularly from the original PlayStation. The game includes a CRT mode to further mimic the effect.[11][15] Additional aesthetic influence comes from more traditional artwork, incorporating The Shore of Oblivion by Eugen Bracht as well as Arnold Böcklin's Isle of the Dead into the game.[16] Literary influences include The Festival by H. P. Lovecraft and The King in Yellow by Robert W. Chambers.[2][11] Filmic works by Stanley Kubrick, Hideaki Anno and David Lynch helped shape the narrative's themes of identity and memory in the game.[17]

Reception

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Signalis received "generally favorable" reviews, according to review aggregator Metacritic,[18] and 85% of critics recommended the game, according to OpenCritic.[19]

Critics generally praised the atmosphere and environmental storytelling of the game, although limited inventory and combat received criticism.[21][4][2]

Some reviewers offered praise of the overall game, while noting a specific aspect that they felt held it back. The Verge noted issues with a few puzzles, but praised the overall game.[25] GameSpot noted that the aiming was "unreliable", while Nintendo Life instead critiqued that the boss fights of the game were not well suited to the combat system.[20]

The game was included on Polygon's list of the best games of 2022.[26] Willa Rowe, in a review published by Inverse, referred to the game as the "best horror game of 2022".[27] The game was included on PC Gamer's list of the top 100 PC games of all time.[28]

Accolades

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Year Award Category Result Ref.
2023 12th Annual New York Game Awards Chumley's Speakeasy Award for Best Hidden Gem Won [29][30]
34th GLAAD Media Awards GLAAD Media Award for Outstanding Video Game Nominated [31]
Gayming Awards 2023 Best LGBTQ+ Indie Game Award Nominated [32]
Authentic Representation Award Nominated
Best LGBTQ+ Character Award Nominated
Stuttgart International Festival of Animated Film [de] Animated Games Award Germany Won [33]
Anifilm International Competition of Computer Games Best Visual Art Nominated [34]
12th International Games and Playful Media Festival Most Amazing Award Nominated [35]
German Computer Game Awards 2023 Best German Game Nominated [36]
Best Debut Won
Best Game Design Nominated
Best Graphic Design Nominated
Best Audio Design Won
Horror Game Awards 2023 Horror Game of the Year Nominated [37][38]
Best Character Nominated
Best Narrative Won
Best Game Design Nominated
Best Score/Soundtrack Nominated
Best Indie Horror Won
German Developer Awards 2023 Best Graphics Nominated [39]
Best Story Nominated
Best Indie Game Nominated

References

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  1. ^ Saver, Michael (December 27, 2022). "Made with Unity: 2022 in review". Unity Technologies. Retrieved July 31, 2023.
  2. ^ a b c d e f Egan, Toussaint (October 25, 2022). "Signalis is a near pitch-perfect ode to Resident Evil and Silent Hill". Polygon. Retrieved October 29, 2022.
  3. ^ Wilde, Thomas (October 18, 2022). "Signalis and the Oppressive Mechanics of Survival Horror [Hands-On Preview/Interview]". Bloody Disgusting!. Retrieved October 29, 2022.
  4. ^ a b c d Brooke, Sam (October 25, 2022). "Review: Signalis (PS4) - Last-Gen Release Has Its Feet in the Future". Push Square. Retrieved October 29, 2022.
  5. ^ https://www.eurogamer.net/signalis-review-a-sumptuously-atmopsheric-survival-horror
  6. ^ https://www.wired.com/story/signalis-queer-fandom-revolution/
  7. ^ https://www.washingtonpost.com/video-games/reviews/signalis-review/
  8. ^ https://www.theverge.com/23428239/signalis-review-ps4-xbox-switch-pc
  9. ^ https://www.psu.com/news/signalis-doesnt-have-a-good-bad-or-true-ending-says-developer/
  10. ^ a b c Van Allen, Eric (October 25, 2022). "Review: Signalis". Destructoid. Retrieved October 29, 2022.
  11. ^ a b c d Greer, Sam (October 25, 2022). "Signalis review - a sumptuously atmopsheric survival horror". Eurogamer. Retrieved October 29, 2022.
  12. ^ "One Year Later, This Indie Darling Did Horror Better Than Any Game in 2023". Inverse. October 27, 2023. Retrieved October 11, 2024.
  13. ^ Klepek, Patrick (February 2, 2023). "How the Silent Hill-Inspired 'SIGNALIS' Tried to Forge Its Own Identity". VICE. Retrieved October 11, 2024.
  14. ^ Tarason, Dominic (October 13, 2022). "Signalis is shaping up to be a beautiful, fragmented sci-fi nightmare". PC Gamer. Retrieved October 11, 2024.
  15. ^ a b LeClair, Kyle (October 25, 2022). "Review: Signalis". Hardcore Gamer. Retrieved October 29, 2022.
  16. ^ Rodrigues, M.D. (October 25, 2022). "Signalis is an artful throwback to old-school survival horror". The Washington Post. Retrieved October 29, 2022.
  17. ^ "SIGNALIS on Steam". Steam. Retrieved November 14, 2022.
  18. ^ a b c d e "Signalis". Metacritic. Retrieved October 5, 2023.
  19. ^ a b "Signalis Reviews". OpenCritic. October 26, 2022. Retrieved October 5, 2023.
  20. ^ a b Cannon, Trent (October 29, 2022). "Review: Signalis - Brilliantly Tense And Surreal Sci-Fi Survival Horror". Nintendo Life. Retrieved October 29, 2022.
  21. ^ a b Delaney, Mark (October 27, 2022). "Signalis Review - Silent Thrill". GameSpot. Retrieved October 29, 2022.
  22. ^ Bailes, Jon (October 25, 2022). "Signalis review: 'Adheres too closely to Resident Evil's aging rules'". GamesRadar+. Retrieved October 31, 2022.
  23. ^ Musgrave, Shaun (October 31, 2022). "SwitchArcade Round-Up: Reviews Featuring Signalis and Sophstar, Plus Today's New Releases and Sales". TouchArcade. Retrieved November 9, 2022.
  24. ^ Tarason, Dominic (November 22, 2022). "Signalis review". PC Gamer. Retrieved December 8, 2022.
  25. ^ Webster, Andrew (October 28, 2022). "Signalis is old-school PlayStation-era horror at its best". The Verge. Retrieved October 29, 2022.
  26. ^ Mahardy, Mike; et al. (Polygon Staff) (March 2, 2022). "The 50 best video games of 2022". Polygon. Retrieved December 19, 2022.
  27. ^ Rowe, Willa (October 25, 2022). "Signalis is the best horror game of 2022". Inverse. Retrieved December 19, 2022.
  28. ^ Savage, Phil; et al. (Evan Lahti, Morgan Park, Robin Valentine, Robert Jones, Joshua Wolens, Fraser Brown, Andy Edser, Tyler Colp, Elie Gould, Nick Evanson) (October 14, 2024). "The top 100 PC games". Retrieved October 15, 2024.
  29. ^ "12th Awards Nominees + Winners!". The New York Videogame Critic Circle. January 17, 2023. Retrieved September 8, 2023.
  30. ^ Bankhurst, Adam (January 17, 2023). "New York Game Awards 2023: Elden Ring Wins Two Awards as Phil Spencer Is Honored". IGN. Retrieved September 8, 2023.
  31. ^ "The Nominees for the 34th Annual GLAAD Media Awards". GLAAD. 2023. Retrieved September 8, 2023.
  32. ^ "Gayming Awards 2023 Winners Revealed". Gayming Magazine. Gray Jones Media Ltd. April 24, 2023. Retrieved September 8, 2023.
  33. ^ "The Winners of the Trickstar Professional Awards". Internationales Trickfilm-Festival Stuttgart. April 26, 2023. Retrieved September 8, 2023.
  34. ^ "Official Selection 2023". Anifilm. 2023. Retrieved September 8, 2023.
  35. ^ "Nominees". A Maze. 2023. Retrieved September 8, 2023.
  36. ^ "Signalis". Deutscher Computerspielpreis. 2023. Retrieved September 8, 2023.
  37. ^ "Horror Game Awards". Horror Game Awards. 2023. Retrieved September 8, 2023.[dead link‍]
  38. ^ Gardner, Matt (September 8, 2023). "Horror Game Awards 2023 Winners: 'Resident Evil 4', 'Signalis' Take Top Honors". Forbes. Retrieved September 8, 2023.
  39. ^ "The Nominees of the German Developer Awards 2023". Deutscher Entwicklerpreis. November 2, 2023. Retrieved January 7, 2024.
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