Signalis

Signalis is a German 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.

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
Engine	Unity[1]
Platform(s)	Windows Nintendo Switch PlayStation 4 Xbox One
Release	October 27, 2022
Genre(s)	Survival horror
Mode(s)	Single-player

Gameplay

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

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 the Eusan Empire, from which it broke away. The Nation 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

The story of Signalis takes inspiration from The King in Yellow by Robert W. Chambers, and the book itself features prominently in the game.

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.^[5] Publishing was handled by Humble Games and Playism.^[10]

Signalis is influenced by the Silent Hill and Resident Evil series.^{[11][12][2][13]} 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.^[5][14] 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.^[7] Literary influences include "The Festival" by H. P. Lovecraft and The King in Yellow by Robert W. Chambers.^[2][5] Filmic works by Stanley Kubrick, Hideaki Anno and David Lynch helped shape the narrative's themes of identity and memory in the game.^[15]

In February 2024, rose-engine collaborated with the band Health to create a music video for their song "Don't Try" featuring gameplay footage from Signalis.^[16]

Reception

Aggregate scores

Aggregator	Score
Metacritic	NS: 84/100[17] PC: 81/100[17] PS4: 80/100[17] XONE: 82/100[17]
OpenCritic	85%[18]

Review scores

Publication	Score
Destructoid	9.5/10[10]
Eurogamer	Essential[5]
GameSpot	8/10[19]
GamesRadar+	3/5[20]
Hardcore Gamer	4/5[14]
Nintendo Life	9/10[21]
PC Gamer (US)	92/100[22]
Polygon	Recommended[2]
Push Square	8/10[4]
TouchArcade	4.5/5[23]

Reception

Signalis received "generally favorable" reviews, according to review aggregator Metacritic,^[17] and 85% of critics recommended the game, according to OpenCritic.^[18]

Critics generally praised the atmosphere and environmental storytelling of the game, although the limited inventory and combat received criticism.^[19][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.^[8] 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.^[21]

The game was included on Polygon's list of the best games of 2022.^[24] Willa Rowe, in a review published by Inverse, referred to the game as the "best horror game of 2022".^[25] The game was included on PC Gamer's list of the top 100 PC games of all time.^[26]

Accolades

Year	Award	Category	Result	Ref.
2023	12th Annual New York Game Awards	Chumley's Speakeasy Award for Best Hidden Gem	Won	[27][28]
	34th GLAAD Media Awards	GLAAD Media Award for Outstanding Video Game	Nominated	[29]
	Gayming Awards 2023	Best LGBTQ+ Indie Game Award	Nominated	[30]
		Authentic Representation Award	Nominated
		Best LGBTQ+ Character Award	Nominated
	Stuttgart International Festival of Animated Film [de]	Animated Games Award Germany	Won	[31]
	Anifilm International Competition of Computer Games	Best Visual Art	Nominated	[32]
	12th International Games and Playful Media Festival	Most Amazing Award	Nominated	[33]
	German Computer Game Awards 2023	Best German Game	Nominated	[34]
		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	[35][36]
		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	[37]
		Best Story	Nominated
		Best Indie Game	Nominated