Signalis is a game I can only describe as elegant. It's elegant in execution of every idea it attempts; it's gameplay is smooth as butter, it's story is presented thoughtfully and paced immaculately, it's themes and worldbuilding fantastic, and as an homage to the genre it is as authentic as can be. Writing, sound, music, pacing, gameplay... simply put, it's amazing in all respects. It's hard to explain exactly how or why, the genre is very much an emotions driven genre so, best to simply experience it. But if I had to try, the atmosphere is oppressive, driven by a corporate-gone-wrong totalitarian aesthetic, by sound design that implies a heavy and isolated environment, by it's lore which reaffirms just how messed up the world is, how doomed any endeavor to rise above misery truly is. But in that doom and oppression, there is love that can blossom, despite it all. I'm incredibly impressed by how effectively they craft that atmosphere; every aspect of the game, to the sound, to the environments, to the story, to even the UI is made to make you feel like you're living in that totalitarian nightmare. I've also never played silent hill or any game of the sort, yet I still somehow feel nostalgic, that's how potent and tight the design of Signalis is.

A beautiful story about love despite the literal worst case scenario, wrapped in an amazing survival horror experience, Signalis is an incredibly easy game to recommend. Anyone who loves horror (survival or otherwise), queer stories, story driven games, or just polished games in general should certainly pick this up.

Signalis is a game I can only describe as elegant. It's elegant in execution of every idea it attempts; it's gameplay is smooth as butter, it's story is presented thoughtfully and paced immaculately, it's themes and worldbuilding fantastic, and as an homage to the genre it is as authentic as can be. Writing, sound, music, pacing, gameplay... simply put, it's amazing in all respects. It's hard to explain exactly how or why, the genre is very much an emotions driven genre so, best to simply experience it. But if I had to try, the atmosphere is oppressive, driven by a corporate-gone-wrong totalitarian aesthetic, by sound design that implies a heavy and isolated environment, by it's lore which reaffirms just how messed up the world is, how doomed any endeavor to rise above misery truly is. But in that doom and oppression, there is love that can blossom, despite it all. I'm incredibly impressed by how effectively they craft that atmosphere; every aspect of the game, to the sound, to the environments, to the story, to even the UI is made to make you feel like you're living in that totalitarian nightmare. I've also never played silent hill or any game of the sort, yet I still somehow feel nostalgic, that's how potent and tight the design of Signalis is. A beautiful story about love despite the literal worst case scenario, wrapped in an amazing survival horror experience, Signalis is an incredibly easy game to recommend. Anyone who loves horror (survival or otherwise), queer stories, story driven games, or just polished games in general should certainly pick this up.