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68

Mixed or average reviews - based on 19 Critic Reviews What's this?

User Score
6.9

Mixed or average reviews- based on 19 Ratings

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  • Summary: This psychological thriller journeys from the real world into the surreal realms of objective memories and subjective experiences. Experimental parapsychology, artificial intelligence, and technology intersect as players solve puzzles, unravel dialog, and seek the truth.
Score distribution:
  1. Positive: 6 out of 19
  2. Negative: 1 out of 19
  1. Nov 3, 2020
    90
    The Signifier is visually creative and quite a remarkable experience that ropes you into its mystery and keeps you guessing long past its rushed ending. It uses visual creativity that comes with the very concept of memory and dream exploration and creates some unique puzzles. While at times it came off as disorienting, those moments were in the minority and still kept me wanting more, flaws and all. Consider checking out this game the next time you’re looking for a mystery.
  2. Oct 22, 2020
    80
    The Signifier is an intriguing and enjoyable narrative-driven game that benefits from proper pacing and discovery mixed with a very interesting setting and environments.
  3. Oct 15, 2020
    75
    The Signifier is a thought-provoking, dark sci-fi opera that revolves around controversial themes like subconscious manipulation and violated memories.
  4. Oct 15, 2020
    70
    The Signifier is an intriguing journey into an unknown and dark mind, in search of uncomfortable truths and buried memories.
  5. Oct 22, 2020
    70
    The Signifier has all the conceptual elements required to deliver a great experience. The world intrigues and engages, the personal relationships have potential, the brain scanning idea opens up a lot of gameplay possibilities. The game never quite reaches that potential but it’s still great to see such solid foundations for an indie title. Gamers who love immersion and emotional experiences should dive deep into the memories and dreams The Signifier offers, even if the gameplay is a little limited and the ending fails to live up to the initial excitement. And I truly hope that a sequel or a spin-off is in development to take advantage of all the solid groundwork that the developers created.
  6. Oct 17, 2020
    65
    Even without hitting all the objectives set at the outset, Playmestudio's debut work remains, if nothing else, a laudable attempt to bring to the stage themes and theories of a certain depth, which we hope will not go completely unnoticed.
  7. Oct 17, 2020
    40
    From the onset, The Signifier presents itself as something wholly different. Both the game and its central character have the lofty goal of interpreting dreams and memories in a visually interesting way. There are puzzles that utilize this concept well, and encounters that showcase just how daunting the creation of an AI dream-machine would be, but they are few and far between. The overall pacing and the moment-to-moment gameplay require far too much commitment for the average player. There's a great version of The Signifier out there, imagined deep in someone's dreams - but we'll just have to settle for the real thing.

See all 19 Critic Reviews

Score distribution:
  1. Positive: 2 out of 4
  2. Negative: 1 out of 4
  1. Jul 1, 2021
    9
    The Signifier is perhaps one of the first truly innovative games in the adventure / crime / thriller / cultism / sci-fi / (mild) horror genreThe Signifier is perhaps one of the first truly innovative games in the adventure / crime / thriller / cultism / sci-fi / (mild) horror genre with a completely unique experience and story. What it does exceptionally well is using AI in a way that makes it believable both in terms of AI-generated content and narrative. Want to dig through someone's thoughts and dreams? As a contracted private investigator? Yes, this is exactly how I would imagine an AI to interpret complex brain signals in order to make visuals and the absurdities that would follow. Horrors, fear and voyeurism combined with a narrative that spurs empathic feelings makes a great base for understanding other people in general. The game lets you explore this through different dimensions - each voicing different perspectives - you the player, targets objective and finally the targets subjective. All in all it is a solid 8hour adventure and right now a complete steal at Steam.

    The negatives:
    * Sometimes it was difficult to progress and know what to do with the keys aka "raw data"
    * A few immersion killing invisible walls ​

    This game is a small-studio produced marvel and deserves way more appreciation than what it has received so far. All I want now is a sequel.
    Expand
  2. Dec 16, 2020
    8
    Well its something.Its a complex story with small puzzles and visual.So not bad at all.
  3. Jan 10, 2021
    6
    Difficult to rate since it starts off great, solid 10, but then it becomes less and less beautiful and interesting. The central mystery is notDifficult to rate since it starts off great, solid 10, but then it becomes less and less beautiful and interesting. The central mystery is not really resolved and the memories it chooses to showcase have little bearing on the SF story. The ending is also quite abrupt and unsatisfying, framing the whole experience like an unnecessary prequel to SOMA. Expand
  4. Dec 25, 2020
    1
    In my extremely important opinion I think that this game would be better if I would've written a better review for it.