Signalis

Additional aesthetic influence came from traditional artworks and films that contain themes of memory. Released for Steam, Nintendo Switch, PlayStation 4, and Xbox One on October 27, 2022. It received generally positive reviews upon release, winning and being nominated for several awards, including Best Narrative of the year and Best Indie Game of the year at Fear Fest: Horror Games Awards 2023.

Publication is recorded by Humble Games and Playism. The recorded date of publication is 2022. It is associated with Germany. The record gives 2014 as its date of establishment or first appearance. Recorded genres are survival horror, third-person shooter and cosmic horror video game.

• Title — Signalis • Developer — rose-engine • Publisher — * Humble Games • Playism • Director — Yuri Stern • Designer — * Barbara Wittmann • Yuri Stern • Programmer — Yuri Stern • Artist — Yuri Stern • Writer — * Barbara Wittmann • Yuri Stern • Composer — * 1000 Eyes • Cicada Sirens • Engine — Unity • Platforms — * Windows • Nintendo Switch • PlayStation 4 • Xbox One • Released — October 27, 2022 • Genre — Survival horror • Modes — Single-player

• Illustration — Gameplay screenshot 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 radio frequencies. 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.

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 has revolted. The Nation employs Replikas, "biosynthetic clones manufactured to emulate model workers and soldiers". Also within the game are humans, or Gestalts, defined in-universe as "a person that is not a Replika". The player character, Elster, is a ship technician Replika unit who awakens from suspended animation in the wreck of her crashed scout shuttle and sets out to look for the human pilot of her ship. Entering a vast mining facility, she must puzzle out the strange, possibly supernatural plague which has killed most of the staff and survive the remaining "Corrupted". As Elster searches for her shipmate, she uncovers lost memories and forgotten relationships as she enters a recursive time loop. The game has yuri themes throughout the story, as it is slowly revealed that Elster is in search of her female Gestalt lover. The game features multiple endings depending on the choices of the player.

The game was developed by the two person German studio rose-engine, with development beginning in 2014. The initial version of the game, created as a university project by Stern and Wittmann, was a 2D side-scrolling shooter game. After seeing positive reception to the initial prototype, Stern and Wittmann began developing the game further and turning it into a top-down horror game. Additional help was brought on through external composers. The game was released across multiple platforms on October 27, 2022. The game was published by Humble Games and Playism. Narratively and in structure Signalis is influenced by the Silent Hill and Resident Evil series. Aesthetically the game takes inspiration from the graphics of the fifth generation of video game consoles, particularly from the original PlayStation. A CRT mode further mimics the mise-en-scène. Additional aesthetic influence comes from more traditional artwork, such as The Shore of Oblivion by Eugen Bracht as well as Arnold Böcklin's Isle of the Dead. Visual influences are also taken from anime such as Neon Genesis Evangelion. Literary influences include "The Festival" by H. P. Lovecraft and The King in Yellow by Robert W. Chambers. The game's music was co-composed by 1000 Eyes and Cicada Sirens. In February 2024, rose-engine collaborated with the band Health to create a music video for their song "Don't Try" featuring gameplay footage from Signalis.

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