# Signalis

Signalis is a German survival horror video game developed by rose-engine and published by Humble Games and Playism. The game was released for Windows PC, Nintendo Switch, PlayStation 4, and Xbox One on October 27, 2022. It received generally positive reviews upon release.

## Gameplay

The core gameplay consists of top-down shooter elements from a top-down 2.5D perspective, with occasional puzzle elements. Puzzles vary from manipulating switches and dials, to searching for certain frequencies to broadcast in Elster's radio implant.
Difficulty and thematic elements are enhanced through the use of resource management as a gameplay and narrative mechanic. Elster is limited to six items on her person, including weapons, ammunition and key items for use in puzzle-solving and unlocking doors. In the fashion of Resident Evil, another survival horror series, there are safe rooms that allow the player to save progress and store their items for future use.

## Synopsis

Signalis is set in a retrofuturist world, in a planetary system reminiscent of the Solar System that is governed by the totalitarian Eusan Nation, which remains at war with the Eusan Empire, from which it broke away. The Nation employs Replikas, "biosynthetic clones manufactured to emulate model workers and soldiers".
The player character, Elster, is a ship technician Replika unit that awakens in the wreck of her crashed scout shuttle and sets out to look for the human pilot of her ship, encountering strange events of possibly supernatural origin in an underground mining facility.
The game features multiple endings depending on the choices of the player.

## Development

The game was developed by the two person German studio rose-engine, with development beginning in 2014. Additional help was brought on through external composers. The game was released across multiple platforms on October 27, 2022. Publishing was handled by Humble Games and Playism.
Signalis is influenced by the Silent Hill and Resident Evil series. Aesthetically, the game pulls inspiration from the graphics of the fifth generation of video game consoles, particularly from the original PlayStation. The game includes a CRT mode to further mimic the effect. Additional aesthetic influence comes from more traditional artwork, incorporating The Shore of Oblivion by Eugen Bracht as well as Arnold Böcklin's Isle of the Dead into the game. Literary influences include "The Festival" by H. P. Lovecraft and The King in Yellow by Robert W. Chambers. Filmic works by Stanley Kubrick, Hideaki Anno and David Lynch helped shape the narrative's themes of identity and memory in the game.

## Reception

Aggregate scores :
| Aggregator | Score |
| Metacritic | NS: 84/100 PC: 81/100 PS4: 80/100 XONE: 82/100 |
| OpenCritic | 85% |
Review scores :
| Publication | Score |
| Destructoid | 9.5/10 |
| Eurogamer | Essential |
| GameSpot | 8/10 |
| GamesRadar+ | 3/5 |
| Hardcore Gamer | 4/5 |
| Nintendo Life | 9/10 |
| PC Gamer (US) | 92/100 |
| Polygon | Recommended |
| Push Square | 8/10 |
| TouchArcade | 4.5/5 |
Signalis received "generally favorable" reviews, according to review aggregator Metacritic, and 85% of critics recommended the game, according to OpenCritic.
Critics generally praised the atmosphere and environmental storytelling of the game, although the limited inventory and combat received criticism.
Some reviewers offered praise of the overall game, while noting a specific aspect that they felt held it back. The Verge noted issues with a few puzzles, but praised the overall game. GameSpot noted that the aiming was "unreliable", while Nintendo Life instead critiqued that the boss fights of the game were not well suited to the combat system.
The game was included on Polygon's list of the best games of 2022. Willa Rowe, in a review published by Inverse, referred to the game as the "best horror game of 2022". The game was included on PC Gamer's list of the top 100 PC games of all time.

### Accolades

| Year | Award | Category | Result |
| 2023 | 12th Annual New York Game Awards | Chumley's Speakeasy Award for Best Hidden Gem | Won |
| 2023 | 34th GLAAD Media Awards | GLAAD Media Award for Outstanding Video Game | Nominated |
| 2023 | Gayming Awards 2023 | Best LGBTQ+ Indie Game Award | Nominated |
| 2023 | Gayming Awards 2023 | Authentic Representation Award | Nominated |
| 2023 | Gayming Awards 2023 | Best LGBTQ+ Character Award | Nominated |
| 2023 | Stuttgart International Festival of Animated Film [de] | Animated Games Award Germany | Won |
| 2023 | Anifilm International Competition of Computer Games | Best Visual Art | Nominated |
| 2023 | 12th International Games and Playful Media Festival | Most Amazing Award | Nominated |
| 2023 | German Computer Game Awards 2023 | Best German Game | Nominated |
| 2023 | German Computer Game Awards 2023 | Best Debut | Won |
| 2023 | German Computer Game Awards 2023 | Best Game Design | Nominated |
| 2023 | German Computer Game Awards 2023 | Best Graphic Design | Nominated |
| 2023 | German Computer Game Awards 2023 | Best Audio Design | Won |
| 2023 | Horror Game Awards 2023 | Horror Game of the Year | Nominated |
| 2023 | Horror Game Awards 2023 | Best Character | Nominated |
| 2023 | Horror Game Awards 2023 | Best Narrative | Won |
| 2023 | Horror Game Awards 2023 | Best Game Design | Nominated |
| 2023 | Horror Game Awards 2023 | Best Score/Soundtrack | Nominated |
| 2023 | Horror Game Awards 2023 | Best Indie Horror | Won |
| 2023 | German Developer Awards 2023 | Best Graphics | Nominated |
| 2023 | German Developer Awards 2023 | Best Story | Nominated |
| 2023 | German Developer Awards 2023 | Best Indie Game | Nominated |