Signs of the Sojourner

A unique combination of conversation gameplay and deck building, Signs of the Sojourner is a truly special game dripping in charm.

83%Game Brain Score

gameplay, story

grinding, monetization

88% User Score Based on 240 reviews

Critic Score 78%Based on 13 reviews

Platforms

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About

Signs of the Sojourner is a single player casual role playing game with a violence theme. It was developed by Echodog Games and was released on May 14, 2020. It received mostly positive reviews from critics and positive reviews from players.

Signs of the Sojourner is a narrative card game where your deck represents your character and influences relationships. Travel to diverse locations to acquire goods for your mother's store, engaging in optimistic stories and card game conversations. Your choices impact your connections, creating a personalized journey in a world affected by climate change.

Genres & Tags

Play Modes

Single-Player

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88%

Audience ScoreBased on 240 reviews

gameplay53 positive mentions

grinding2 negative mentions

Unique combination of visual novel and roguelike deck builder that offers interesting mechanics.
Beautiful art style and soundtrack that enhance the overall atmosphere of the game.
Engaging narrative that explores themes of communication and personal growth through its deck-building mechanics.

Frustrating gameplay due to the fatigue mechanic and limited deck size, which can hinder progress.
The card-swapping system can feel punishing, making it difficult to maintain effective communication strategies.
Some players may find the game repetitive and the plot slow, leading to a lack of engagement over time.

gameplay
191 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
28%
69%
3%
The gameplay of "Signs of the Sojourner" is a unique blend of visual novel and roguelike deck-building mechanics, where players engage in conversations represented by cards that reflect interpersonal interactions. While many praise the innovative integration of mechanics and narrative, some players find the gameplay frustrating due to the punishing fatigue mechanic and the reliance on luck, which can detract from the overall experience. Despite these criticisms, the game is celebrated for its charming aesthetics, engaging characters, and the depth it brings to storytelling through its gameplay.
- “I wholeheartedly recommend this game to everyone interested in the game mechanics as tools for storytelling, and also enjoys when the game looks and sounds amazing.”
- “The gameplay revolves around building a deck of cards which all represent a small interaction in a larger conversation.”
- “This game marries mechanics with plot and character development so well, I'm surprised no one has thought of this before.”
- “Super charming, but held back by frustrating gameplay that manages to be both too shallow and too difficult.”
- “Unfortunately, everything about the gameplay ruins what would otherwise have been a game I would be happy to engage with and sink time into.”
- “The constant fighting against the game mechanics is tiresome.”
story
144 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
28%
70%
2%
The game's story is praised for its engaging world-building and emotional depth, effectively intertwining with gameplay mechanics to create a unique narrative experience. Players appreciate the multiple endings and the impact of their choices on character interactions, although some find the pacing slow and the plot occasionally incoherent. Overall, it is recommended for those who enjoy narrative-driven games that explore themes of connection and communication through innovative mechanics.
- “The story overall is a mixture of wanderlust and melancholy, with moments of tenderness and joy throughout; I highly recommend exploring different choices as you play (it's true that it's best not to try to please everyone!).”
- “The story, theme, art, and soundtrack all conspire to create this charming, wistful game that works in the tonal registers of cheerful and melancholic.”
- “This game marries mechanics with plot and character development so well, I'm surprised no one has thought of this before.”
- “The way the game is set up is ridiculous, the plot is incoherent, and the instructions are almost non-existent.”
- “Unfortunately, it fails to create harmony between the gameplay and the story, so the result feels fractured.”
- “The story is too slow, the card play is not engaging enough, and the gap between the two elements is never actually bridged.”
music
92 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
65%
32%
3%
The music in the game is widely praised for its brilliance and ability to enhance the overall atmosphere, capturing the mood of various locations and characters. Reviewers highlight the soundtrack as soothing, charming, and integral to the game's emotional depth, often describing it as a standout feature that complements the beautiful art style and engaging narrative. Overall, the combination of music and visuals creates a captivating and immersive experience that resonates with players.
- “The soundtrack is also brilliant; it really captures the mood of the world and characters.”
- “Music makes every location feel alive with its own culture, and in a game about just that, the soundtrack does a lot of heavy lifting.”
- “But then you add in the fact that the writing is excellent across the board, the music is amazing and varied, the visual style really adds to the personalities of this great cast of characters and locales, and then you have a masterpiece.”
- “The music is really, really easy on the ears, I should add.”
- “The story, theme, art, and soundtrack all conspire to create this charming, wistful game that works in the tonal registers of cheerful and melancholic.”
- “That coupled with a soundtrack that is comfy when it needs to be and intense when it calls for it makes the experience of playing this game unique and fulfilling.”
graphics
38 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
42%
50%
8%
The graphics of the game are widely praised for their charming and distinctive art style, which features soothing colors and captivating character designs that enhance the overall experience. The visuals are well-integrated with the music, creating a relaxing yet engaging atmosphere that balances the game's challenging gameplay. Overall, the aesthetic elements contribute significantly to the game's appeal, making it a delightful indie title.
- “Aesthetically, it has a unique art style with very soothing colors bundled with a relaxing and fitting soundtrack.”
- “From the pleasant graphics to the beautiful soundtrack, everything about this game seems to promise that this is going to be a pleasant and relaxing alternative to the typically punishing card battler.”
- “The art style is remarkable; I love the design of each and every character, and it makes you want to spend a real day in these gorgeous towns.”
- “I love the art style, all of the different characters, variety of outfits, their slight poses; the world itself is really captivating.”
- “The music and the art style are as enchanting as the writing.”
replayability
27 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
41%
48%
11%
Overall, the game is praised for its high replayability, with players noting multiple routes, different outcomes, and unexplored story threads that encourage repeated playthroughs. While some users mention that the gameplay can be frustrating at times and that the game is relatively short, many still find the compelling characters and engaging dialogue make it worth revisiting. However, a few players feel that the replay value may diminish after several attempts.
- “Amazing soundtrack, compelling characters with difficult choices that allow for replayability.”
- “The game is short, but has a lot of replay value as you can uncover more or different things about the story in each run.”
- “It has very high replayability because every time you finish a game, you want to start again.”
- “Quite short, about 5 hours long from start to finish, with little replayability.”
- “I know this game has replay value, but I can't bring myself to play it again.”
- “Such as drawing a new hand, applying a card mechanic, removing a card permanently, etc. I feel like as it is now it's only replayable a few times.”
emotional
11 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
The emotional aspect of the game is characterized by its introspective narrative that explores the consequences of actions and personal growth through hardships. Players experience a range of emotions, from the joy of meaningful interactions to the frustration of feeling punished by gameplay mechanics, creating a compelling and often heartwarming experience. Overall, the game successfully combines tactical elements with deep emotional storytelling, making it a standout in its genre.
- “Very emotionally introspective and grown-up, looking at the consequences of actions and how hardships change people.”
- “The high highs of having an awesome conversation with someone who I forged a relationship with over multiple trips to their town, paired with the low lows of not having the words to talk to someone you care deeply about, are both incredible and emotional experiences that I am hard-pressed to find in games.”
- “Signs of the Sojourner delivers a touching narrative experience through unique conversation-based deck-building gameplay.”
atmosphere
6 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
67%
33%
The game's atmosphere is highly praised for its unique worldbuilding, captivating music, and engaging integration of strategy and puzzles within the dialogue, making it a memorable experience that players are drawn back to repeatedly.
- “One of the games that I keep coming back to because of its unique premise, mechanics, and overall atmosphere.”
- “The worldbuilding is atmospheric.”
- “I was moved by the music, captivated by the atmosphere, engaged with the strategy and puzzles intertwined within the dialogue.”
character development
6 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
67%
33%
The game excels in character development, seamlessly integrating it with gameplay mechanics and plot, which offers a refreshing approach to the deckbuilding genre. Players appreciate the varied and thoughtfully designed characters, alongside a rich narrative that enhances the overall experience.
- “A fresh take on the recent deckbuilding genre craze that marries character development and mechanics in a very intriguing manner.”
- “This game marries mechanics with plot and character development so well, I'm surprised no one has thought of this before.”
- “The art is great, the character design is varied and well thought out, and there are a lot of different things going on in the story.”
humor
4 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
The humor in the game is characterized by a blend of wit and melancholy, effectively capturing the charm of quirky characters encountered throughout a nomadic journey. The writing balances lighthearted moments with deeper emotional themes, reflecting the complexities of maintaining relationships while embracing a new lifestyle.
- “It swirls these into a nomadic story, bouncing from place to place meeting fascinating, funny, and intriguing characters all the while.”
- “The writing is pretty good too, funny but also melancholy at times as you try to reconcile your new life on the road with the friendships you're trying to maintain in your hometown.”
grinding
2 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
Players find the grinding aspect of the game reminiscent of older visual novels with calendar-based events, but note that it is less tedious and more engaging in this iteration.
monetization
2 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
50%
50%
Players appreciate innovative deck-building games that avoid microtransactions and player-to-player battles, indicating a preference for fair monetization practices that enhance gameplay rather than detract from it.
- “I love innovative deck building games that aren't about microtransactions and P2P battles.”
stability
2 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
Users consistently report that the game is plagued by bugs, indicating significant stability issues that affect the overall experience.
- “Resolve (I forget the exact name) is buggy.”
- “Resolve (I forget the exact name) is buggy.”

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78%Critics’ scoreBased on 13 critic reviews

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Frequently Asked Questions

Signs of the Sojourner is a casual role playing game with violence theme.

Signs of the Sojourner is available on Nintendo Switch, PC, Mac OS, PlayStation 4 and others.

Signs of the Sojourner was released on May 14, 2020.

Signs of the Sojourner was developed by Echodog Games.

Signs of the Sojourner has received mostly positive reviews from players and mostly positive reviews from critics. Most players liked this game for its gameplay but disliked it for its grinding.

Signs of the Sojourner is a single player game.

Similar games include Citizen Sleeper, Roadwarden, I Was a Teenage Exocolonist, Death Howl, Keep Driving and others.

Signs of the Sojourner

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