Signalis borrows concepts that made survival-horror games successful. However, the unique twists, quirky style, and abundance of puzzles make it a mesmerizing romp.
Signalis will be the weekend horror adventure you’ll want to discuss with your friends. It’s challenging, engaging, and nightmarishly fun. I couldn’t seem to step away as something always allows you to inch forward to some answers. There’s so much to love and to fear about this experience that I can easily recommend it to any fans of the genre.
Fantastic Survival-Horror game. The gameplay might be an acquired taste nowadays as the survival-horror genre (having a limited inventory, having to backtrack a lot, having to solve puzzles and dealing with more or less clunky controls) might not be everyone's cup of tea, but I enjoyed Signalis' gameplay a lot. I mainly have two issues with Signalis overall:
1) Aiming: In Signalis you have to keep your crosshair on an enemy for a few seconds for the aim to become more precise and your shot to deal more damage. This works fine when you have to deal with a single enemy. But if there are two or more enemies in the general direction you are aiming at, the auto-aim sometimes switches between enemies seemingly at random, resulting in you missing your shots / hitting enemies for very little damage. This is the most frustrating issue in Signalis in my opinion.
2) Opening doors: There are enemies in Signalis that just stand at their default position unless you alert them and then there are enemies that patrol around a room. Where a patroling enemy might be the moment you enter the room isn't really predictable, which can lead to them instantly hitting you right as you enter said room. This isn't that big an issue on the lower difficulties, but on the survival-difficulty it can get pretty frustrating for an enemy to take a third of your HP without being able to do anything about it.
Other than that I really have nothing bad to say about this game. The retro-futuristic artstyle and pixelated graphics are great and the sound-design as well as the soundtrack are fantastic and effective. Lots of pieces aren't really what you would bump in the car, as the OST mostly consists of background ambiance (mostly droning ambient noise), unsettling industrial noises (played when you encounter enemies, reminded me a lot of Silent Hill's combat music) and beautiful, drone- and piano-heavy songs that really elevate the more emotional moments of this game.
The setting, worldbuilding and the story are very interesting and intriguing. The way the story is conveyed to you is pretty dream-like and fragmented so you'll be left with a lot of unanswered questions which I personally enjoyed.
It is not a given to be a king just because you are his son. History remembers many who lost their ways among the shadows path. What this game did was not done by games that are supposed to carry the legitimate genes of the gunra that they created. 10/10 for this game has achieved what giant companies could not achieve a companies that have lost their way.
Signalis is a thought-provoking and atmospheric title that is a genuine standout for fans of the more cerebral elements of survival horror, although one that does require you to look past some of its more dated aspects.
Signalis added a bit of freshness by delivering a unique, dark worldview with a classic system familiar to survival horror fans. Though there are some shortcomings that almost all aspects are predictable due to its adaptations from the past, It is certain that the developers wanted this way. For today's generation, it may be an opportunity to find out what kind of horror games their dads usually played.
All this administrative juggling also takes its toll on a story that's hard enough to follow even when it has your full attention. With a cast of characters that can be difficult to tell apart, crucial details buried in reams of documents, and a penchant for surreal interludes, it takes some work to keep up with the haunting undercurrent of Signalis. At times it does seem worth the effort, because there are intriguing themes burrowing away behind the scenes. But then you find a key that prompts yet another trek across the current area, and perhaps it doesn't after all.
Las primeras horas son un despropósito, increíble historia pero jugablemente luego se vuelve cansino la cantidad de puzzles antes de finalizar el juego...
Поправьте меня, если я не прав, но недостаточно в игру затолкать пару знаковых механик, присущие survival horror и назваться игрой жанра survival horror.
Ограничить инвентарь в 6 слотов недостаточно. Нужно создать условия для игрока, чтобы он начал думать что ему брать с собой в следующую вылазку, а что оставить. Почему это работает, скажем, в резиденте? Геймдизайн во всей его красе. Тесные локации, где у тебя нет возможности обойти противников, вынуждают брать с собой патроны и травы (читай аптечки). Разные враги, требующие разного подхода. «Так, мне предстоит развездать новую локацию. Возможно, что там будут лизуны… Таких с пистолета быстро не заковырять. Возьму с собой помповое ружье. Патроны брать не буду, лучше возьму аптечку. Ах, погоди-ка, осталась всего одна аптечка. Тогда возьму слеповую. Оставлю зеленую траву на черный день. Если попаду в передрягу, затолкаю гранату в пасть напавшей на меня твари и отделаюсь парой царапин… Я еще жив, нужно двигаться дальше.».
Что-то я совсем увлекся. О чем это я? Ах, да. В сигналис этого нет. Игра не бросает тебе вызова. Тебе не нужно решать, что брать с собой в путь, потому что… Потому что тебе ничего не пригодится. Оружие на 10 патронов и квестовые предметы.
Почему так? Комнаты в этой игре большие. Есть, где развернуться и оббежать. Да, можно подумать, что это просто опция и у игры на это есть свой ответ. Нет. Враги неуклюжие. Видов врагов не так уж и много. Особого подхода к ним находить не нужно. Половину игры я просто таскал припасы себе в норку с мыслью «Пока мне это не нужно, но скоро пригодится». Спойлер - не пригодилось. К концу игру у меня был сундук, доверху забитый аптечками, патронами, расходниками и черти чем еще.
Я считаю, что это заслуженная вина разработчиков. Дать тебе инструменты, но не создать тебе условий для их применения. В какой-то момент я чувствовал, что играю в песочницу, где я должен развлекать себя сам. «Ай, возьму-ка я патронов с собой побольше, постреляю с дробовика. Хоть услышу звук его стрельбы. Я же уже 5 часов наиграл, а он так все и лежит в кладовке.»
Хотя знаешь, с такой стрельбой и стрелять особо не хочется. С тем же успехом можно было бы вообще давать делать это ИИ за нас.
В общем, если ты фанат жанра, то не рекомендую. Ничего нового ты для себя не найдешь, а старое реализовано чисто номинально. Если идти в эту игру, то только за визуалом.
This game could probably work its way up to a 6 or a 7 for me but I somehow lost my save and had to start from beginning so it lost the points for that. But it's very reminiscent of older survival horror... like original RE or silent hill. Now I don't think its anywhere near as good as those games but that in all transparency could be nostalgia talking. I really did love the world and the lore, but it was missing something for me. The gameplay speed, graphics and controls might not be for everyone, but if you like the original survival horror games then I think you might really enjoy this one. I wouldn't buy it though, not unless it was on a very deep sale, get it on gamepass and give it a try with an open mind.
+ interesting world
+ creepy and sad atmosphere/lore/story
+ reminiscent of older survival horror
+ good puzzles
- graphics will not be for everyone
- slower paced gameplay (negative for some)
- I lost my save!
I wouldn't say this game is fun by any means, at times yes. I did however enjoy myself in its world. But no more than a 4 in the end.
SummaryAwaken from slumber and explore a surreal retrotech world as Elster, a technician Replika searching for her lost partner and her lost dreams.
Discover terrifying secrets, challenging puzzles, and nightmarish creatures in a tense and melancholic experience of cosmic dread and classic psychological survival horror.