Signalis is a survival horror game developed by Rose-Engine and published by Humble Games and Playism. In the fall of 2022, it was released on Xbox One and became an instant hit.
But what’s Signalis about and why should you play it?
There are many, many, spooky reasons.
About Signalis
Signalis is set in a dystopian future where humanity has taken over the solar system. As the play, you’ll control a character named Elster, who is considered a Replika. The game begins as Elster awakens from a crashed vessel on a wintery appearing planet. Elster sets out to find her lost partner and while doing so, begins to uncover secrets of the planet.
Throughout Signalis, you’ll be tasked with managing your resources and solving puzzles as a way to progress.
But now to the good stuff.
Signalis offers a terrifying atmosphere ripe with scarey ghouls and creatures that must be defeated.
Signalis is an intense horror game that can make you question your own insanity by way of elements of psychological horror and sci-fi.
Signalis pulls inspiration from old-school survivor style games and Western monster design. The planet is mysterious, as if it’s always concealing a terrible happening. The story tends to be cryptic, encouraging players to delve deeper into the great unknown.
Because Signalis is a psychological horror it doesn’t rely on jump scares as the main course. So if jump scares are your thing, Signalis is probably not the right horror game for you. That doesn’t mean there aren’t sudden bursts of scary actions, it just means Signalis doesn’t rely on them.
Graphics
Signalis leverages pixel art graphics, which are retro-style graphics that feel somewhat old school and pixelated. Despite the seemingly limited resolution of pixel art, the game manages to capture a sense of dread, eeriness, and mystery. The dark color palette feels intentional as a way to create the distinct survival horror vibes.
Signalis draws comparisons to the following games:
- Resident Evil (classic titles) – Puzzle-solving and survival in a horror setting.
- Silent Hill – Eerie atmosphere and psychological horror.
- Lone Survivor – Pixel art horror with psychological themes.
- Dead Space – Sci-fi setting with unknown creature threats.
- Japanese horror media – Influence from Japanese horror stories and aesthetics.
- Pixel-art horror games (e.g., “The Last Door”, “Faith”) – Horror experiences using pixel art.
You can find Signalis on a variety of platforms, including PC (Windows), PlayStation 4, PlayStation 5, Xbox One, and Xbox Series X|S.
Signalis Reviews
Signalis is a fun, creepy dystopian horror game that doesn’t need jump scares to creep you out. It’s a great Fall play with Halloween approaching.