Sombre, Suspenseful. Obtuse, Indecipherable.
Signalis is a deeply engrossing survival horror. For those interested, I’d give a strong recommendation.
What follows is a discussion into themes, motifs and design that I consider light spoilers.
Signalis is significant in its presentation, so if you’re convinced, for a truly blind playthrough, stop here.
If you are on the fence, or just want to see another person who played it and their thoughts, go on.
— -End of Disclaimer — —
Signalis taps into an unsettling Lovecraftian story that is for the most part masterfully paced out. It wears its inspirations on its sleeve. Wholly familiar when considering Silent Hill, but unsettlingly unique in world and story. A story always on the cusp of understanding, yet never close enough where the whole picture comes into view.
By every metric, it is a game you set aside time to get absorbed into. Dripping with unspoken history, Signalis shows restraint and rarely gives away much, leaving you perplexed — morbidly invested; but never lost in the machinations of its plot.
For the squeamish, it never crosses the threshold into cruel, horrific or even morbid (your mileage will vary), however, it is unnerving and distressing in ways precious few media can match.
Gameplay-wise, map design is truly excellent, with very sparse points of safety at key areas. You’ll come to know map layouts like the back of your robotic hand. Sound design aids well in combat, as the chambering and ejecting of empty shotgun shells ring hollow onto the ground. The combat itself however can lean on frustrating, with some enemy types being essentially immune to traditional firearms.
Yet that too served a purpose, pushing me to avoid enemies instead of a purely confrontational approach, and when they eventually went down, I was incentivized to ensure they would STAY down.
As for an in-depth story, such discussion has no place lost among random review content; it is a disservice to its masterful writing.
Signalis earns a spot among the most engrossing, thought-provoking media I have consumed in quite some time, and I don’t see it losing its stranglehold on me anytime soon.
