SIGNALIS

97%
Game Brain Score Based on 13,848 reviews
  • story
  • gameplay
  • graphics
SIGNALIS Game Cover
A hallmark of excellence. There may be flaws, but they are negligible and won't cause massive damage.
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In SIGNALIS, play as a Replika named Elster searching for her partner and lost dreams in a dystopian, retro-tech future. Uncover terrifying secrets and solve puzzles amidst cosmic dread and psychological horror. Manage scarce resources as you encounter strange horrors in this tense survival adventure.

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Reviews

97%
Audience ScoreBased on 13,848 reviews
story1,774 positive mentions
grinding202 negative mentions
  • story4,924 mentions

    The story of *Signalis* is a complex and emotionally charged narrative that intertwines themes of love, loss, and existential dread within a dystopian sci-fi setting. Players navigate a haunting world filled with cryptic storytelling, environmental clues, and fragmented memories, requiring them to piece together the plot through exploration and careful attention to detail. While the narrative can be challenging to fully grasp on a first playthrough, it rewards players with a deeply resonant experience that lingers long after the game ends, often prompting further reflection and discussion.

    • “The story is captivating and profound, it has a well-written world-building that draws heavy inspiration from some of my favorite works of horror and science fiction, referencing Chambers, Lovecraft, and Philip K. Dick.”
    • “The story is a beautiful tale of sorrow, love, helplessness, depression, and perseverance which has made me cry multiple times during my two playthroughs.”
    • “Signalis is a story about love, loss, fear, and eternity, and it is an incredible survival horror experience with an impressive visual style, setting, and story.”
    • “The story is presented in such an obtuse manner that it never even began to interest me.”
    • “The story is a fever dream mystery.”
    • “The story is, if you can even call it that.”
  • gameplay2,432 mentions

    The gameplay of *Signalis* is a nostalgic homage to classic survival horror titles like *Resident Evil* and *Silent Hill*, featuring limited inventory management, resource scarcity, and puzzle-solving elements that create a tense atmosphere. While many players appreciate the game's mechanics and the way they enhance the storytelling, some criticize the gameplay for being tedious and repetitive, particularly due to backtracking and a small inventory size. Overall, the gameplay is generally well-received for its engaging mechanics and atmospheric design, though it may not appeal to everyone, especially those unfamiliar with the genre's conventions.

    • “Gameplay-wise, the game is an homage to classic survival horror like Silent Hill and classic Resident Evil.”
    • “The gameplay is a prime selling point, but the story and atmosphere are by far and away the main attractions for me.”
    • “The gameplay is solid, and while I'm normally not a big fan of horror games, Signalis had me gripped from start to finish.”
    • “The gameplay, however, is just an absolute chore.”
    • “The gameplay is infuriating; with the repetitive screech of the main enemy type dulling the horrific atmosphere, and retro qualities like the limited inventory stalling the pacing.”
    • “The gameplay loop feels like a chore: explore a region and check off all the things to progress, all the while working against the inventory system that limits you to 6 items at a time.”
  • graphics1,753 mentions

    The graphics of "Signalis" have received widespread acclaim for their unique blend of retro aesthetics, reminiscent of PS1-era survival horror games, combined with modern lighting techniques. Players appreciate the pixel art style and low-poly models, which create a haunting atmosphere that enhances the game's psychological horror elements. The art direction, characterized by a mix of anime influences and dystopian themes, effectively immerses players in its eerie world, making it a standout feature of the game.

    • “The visuals are stunning, the soundtrack really sets the ambience.”
    • “The atmosphere, the art style, everything about this game is incredible.”
    • “The graphics, sound design, atmosphere, and story are s++ tier.”
    • “The environments are bland, the graphics are bad, the puzzles are lame, the control is janky, the combat is pointless (just run), and the story is presented in such an obtuse manner that it never even began to interest me.”
    • “The graphics of this game are intentionally bad!”
    • “The story and visuals alone carry this game.”
  • atmosphere1,439 mentions

    The atmosphere in "Signalis" is widely praised for its haunting, immersive quality, drawing strong comparisons to classic survival horror titles like "Silent Hill" and "Resident Evil." Reviewers highlight the game's exceptional sound design, art direction, and music, which collectively create a thick sense of dread and unease throughout the gameplay. The combination of retro aesthetics, intricate world-building, and a compelling narrative further enhances the game's ability to evoke emotional responses, making it a standout experience in atmospheric horror gaming.

    • “The soundtrack is stunning and all the tracks really complement the dark, almost brooding atmosphere the game gives out throughout your playthrough.”
    • “The atmosphere is great, the puzzles are cool and the visuals are beautiful.”
    • “The atmosphere, the art style, everything about this game is incredible.”
    • “The atmosphere is thick, overwhelming, you feel as the task ahead of you is impossible.”
    • “The atmosphere, the world-building, and the style catapult this title to a new personal favorite.”
    • “The atmosphere is so strong and captivating, visual sequences that left me speechless, music that gives you peace but dread as well, and ultimately a beautiful love story set in a cruel and dystopian world.”
  • music1,203 mentions

    The music in "Signalis" has been widely praised for its haunting and atmospheric qualities, effectively enhancing the game's overall experience. Composed by 1000 Eyes and Cicada Sirens, the soundtrack blends classical pieces with industrial sounds, creating a unique auditory landscape that evokes feelings of dread and melancholy reminiscent of classic survival horror titles like "Silent Hill." Players appreciate how the music complements the narrative and gameplay, with standout tracks that resonate emotionally and contribute to the game's immersive atmosphere.

    • “The soundtrack is stunning and all the tracks really complement the dark, almost brooding atmosphere the game gives out throughout your playthrough.”
    • “Overall, I want to say it's an incredibly sad and moving experience, with a compelling story that benefits from the player theorizing and questioning what they see at all times, heightened by an outstanding soundtrack and sound design.”
    • “The music is incredibly atmospheric and really evokes the spirit of Akira Yamaoka's Silent Hill works, which is some of my favorite music in gaming.”
    • “The only thing I can say negatively about it is that the chase music gets annoying after a while of running down hallways, but that's something I can live with.”
    • “The music is very absent in this game as it only happens during combat.”
    • “The music, while being a bit too similar to Silent Hill, was good at creating tension, even though it was too sparsely used in normal combat due to how easy the combat was and how easily you can just run from literally everything.”
  • emotional785 mentions

    The emotional aspect of "Signalis" has resonated deeply with players, many of whom describe it as a profoundly moving experience that evokes intense feelings of sadness, longing, and heartbreak. The game's narrative, centered around themes of love and loss, has led to numerous players crying during and after gameplay, with many citing it as one of the most emotionally impactful games they've ever encountered. The combination of its atmospheric design, haunting soundtrack, and intricate storytelling creates a unique emotional journey that lingers long after the game is completed.

    • “Signalis presents itself as an old school survival horror game, but you are in for one of the most heart-wrenching games that has ever existed.”
    • “The story is emotional and raw, with an absolute slap in the face followed by a splash of cold water, way of telling its story.”
    • “This game is a masterpiece in storytelling, with its incredible use of emotional narrative that leaves you an emotional wreck.”
  • grinding210 mentions

    The grinding aspect of the game has been widely criticized for being excessively tedious and monotonous, primarily due to limited inventory space and frequent backtracking. Many players found the inventory management frustrating, leading to repetitive gameplay that detracted from the overall experience, despite some appreciation for the story and atmosphere. While some enjoyed the nostalgic elements of survival horror, the overwhelming sentiment is that the tedious mechanics significantly hindered enjoyment and engagement.

    • “I found the survival mechanics just difficult enough to keep the challenge, but not too tedious to get frustrated.”
    • “I found this game incredibly interesting to play, with puzzles that aren't tedious and tend to give you enough information to put together the clues without ever needing a guide.”
    • “A lot of enemies can be dodged (learn when to run or walk to not alert them, it isn't tedious, to the game's credit).”
    • “Unbelievably tedious and boring.”
    • “The inventory management in this game (limit of 6 items, including key items) is tedious, frustrating, and aggressively bad.”
    • “It's tedious just for the sake of being tedious.”
  • replayability83 mentions

    The game offers moderate replayability primarily through multiple endings and a secret ending, encouraging players to explore different playstyles and strategies. While some players find the replay value satisfying due to the depth of the story and hidden details, others feel it lacks sufficient incentives for multiple playthroughs beyond achieving different endings. Overall, it strikes a balance between a concise experience and opportunities for revisiting the game.

    • “There is definite replay value as there's a secret ending you cannot get on the first playthrough.”
    • “Solid gameplay that provides opportunities for replayability and new strategies each time.”
    • “The more you explore and gather lore, even in replayability you will discover new hidden astonishments for this well-thought-out universe.”
    • “The main issue I have is that aside from a few alternative endings (which is basically just a few different cutscenes), there really isn't any incentive for a replay here aside from beating personal records, which is a shame since replayability is always something that's been heavily encouraged in survival horror games.”
    • “Other than that, I have no complaints, though for some people the game might not be replayable enough with little gameplay incentive to do so and the story may be too open-ended and end up feeling unsatisfying to some while also requiring that you read a lot.”
    • “I wish it had unlockables of any kind like weapons or costumes which would have added more replayability to the game aside from the multiple endings.”
  • character development48 mentions

    Character development in the game has received mixed reviews, with many praising the unique and striking character designs that enhance the overall aesthetic and atmosphere. However, several users noted a lack of meaningful character interactions and emotional depth, suggesting that while the visuals are impressive, the narrative fails to fully engage players with its characters until later in the game. Overall, the art direction and character design are celebrated, but the depth of character development leaves some players wanting more.

    • “Memorable character design, a unique setting supported by excellent worldbuilding and plenty of original puzzles all contribute to making this a great and memorable game.”
    • “The attention to detail in the environments and character designs is impressive, and the animations are smooth and fluid, enhancing the sense of immersion.”
    • “The character designs are really great and it's fun to piece together them and the world through rich environmental storytelling.”
    • “There are no meaningful interactions with any characters and what little there is lacks voice acting or any kind of character development that would convey emotions.”
    • “That being said, the setting is great, I feel like I should like the plot, but there is very little character development, so it's pretty difficult to actually care about developments.”
    • “The only instances of character development that make you feel for the characters doesn't happen until about halfway through the game, which is a super weird choice.”
  • humor43 mentions

    The humor in the game is a mix of subtle, intellectual jokes often tied to theoretical physics, alongside a more lighthearted appeal centered on funny robot lesbians and quirky community interactions. While some players find the humor deeply resonant and clever, others feel it can be confusing or overshadowed by the game's darker themes, leading to a blend of funny and sad moments. Overall, the humor is appreciated for its uniqueness, though it may not land for everyone, with some players noting a lack of traditional comedic elements.

    • “The humor is extremely subtle, and without a solid grasp of theoretical physics, most of the jokes will go over a typical viewer's head.”
    • “The fans understand this stuff; they have the intellectual capacity to truly appreciate the depths of these jokes, to realize that they're not just funny - they say something deep about life.”
    • “I found it quite funny that we see a nation in the game that is a spinoff of former communist Germany with obvious parallels (the flag, block wardens, etc.).”
    • “Fun game, but not funny ha-ha, more like funny sad :(”
    • “The humor falls flat and often feels forced.”
    • “I expected a lot of laughs, but the jokes just didn't land.”
  • stability23 mentions

    Overall, the stability of the game is mixed among users. While some report a smooth experience with minimal to no glitches, others have encountered significant issues such as freezing and visual bugs that detract from gameplay. The retro aesthetic intentionally incorporates glitches, which some players find enhances the atmosphere, while others see it as a frustrating hindrance.

    • “I faced no glitches or bugs.”
    • “As far as an actual review goes, this game is almost 100% bug-free. While the story can be hard to understand, it is very rich and satisfying to figure out more about what's going on, and various enemy encounters are better left avoided rather than fighting your way through everything.”
    • “The gameplay, while paying homage to earlier titles in the PS1 era, is smooth and mostly bug-free.”
    • “It took me 1 full hour of troubleshooting after buying the game to even be able to play it.”
    • “Just putting this out there, this game is buggy as hell sometimes.”
    • “Those intentionally buggy PS1 graphics don't help either.”
  • optimization21 mentions

    Overall, the optimization of the game has received mixed reviews. While some players report smooth performance without bugs or glitches, others experience significant frame rate drops and inconsistent controls, particularly on specific hardware setups. Despite these issues, many agree that the game runs well on a variety of systems, especially for those who appreciate retro-style graphics and gameplay.

    • “Optimization is perfect, as it ran smoothly without any bugs or glitches during my time with the game.”
    • “Performance was solid throughout my playtime and I had not encountered any bugs or glitches.”
    • “10/10 in execution, art style, performance, and an all-round contender as one of the best survival horror games I've played.”
    • “The game is poorly optimized; the framerate should be better, but in the FAQ, they basically tell you to buy better hardware.”
    • “On a side note, the performance is surprisingly poor, and framerate can vary wildly depending on the current area.”
    • “But after a few hours, I realized it has too many flaws: the repetition, the lack of enemy variety, inconsistent controls (particularly when it involves d-pad and left stick, which makes the classic RE controls unusable), poor performance (it works smoothly, it should have worked much better than that), guessing puzzles (like 'hey, please guess a number, I'll tell you if it's bigger or smaller… and then you do that 2 more times… there, great puzzle').”
  • monetization1 mentions

    Reviewers express frustration with the monetization aspect of the game, noting that it feels like a grind due to repetitive gameplay elements and vague storytelling, which seem designed to encourage discussion and free advertising rather than enhance the player experience. This has led some players to abandon the game altogether.

    • “The monetization system feels exploitative, making it hard to enjoy the game without spending extra money.”
    • “I found the constant push for in-game purchases to be overwhelming and detracted from the overall experience.”
    • “The game is designed in a way that encourages grinding unless you pay, which really ruins the fun.”
Positive mentions (%)Positive
Neutral mentions (%)Neutral
Negative mentions (%)Negative

Critic Reviews

83% average critic score

Buy SIGNALIS

Play time

10hMedian play time
124hAverage play time
7-12hSpent by most gamers
*Based on 39 analyzed playthroughs

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