Had someone asked me 10 minutes in, I wouldn’t have thought Signalis would have grasped me the way it did. Some of my favorite games of my childhood are of the likes of Resident Evil 3 and Silent Hill. Signalis inescapably reminds me of the retro survival horror classics. The game is true to its inspirations down to the sometimes clumsy mechanics and restrictions, such as no autosaves.

The magnetic draw of the game, however, is far deeper than its aesthetics. The whole narrative design in my opinion is outstanding. Signalis is a true tribute to indie craftsmanship. The core game team of the rose-engine is 2 people and the care put into the game seeps through its every pore.

Writing this as I just finished my run, I feel deeply satisfied with my experience. The puzzles were generally simple, yet not insultingly so. There is, of course, action in the game but far from the spotlight. The limited inventory, enforces resource scarcity even when things are good. Everything just works together, as you get sucked in the tense mystic atmosphere. And at least I feel fully rewarded for my time and attention.