What a fantastic and incredibly atmospheric survival-horror experience from Rose-Engine. The entire game can feel somewhat hazy at first but the art style and gameplay provides for an even clearer and cleaner experience than other games comparable to Signalis like the early Resident Evils and Silent Hills, without the tanky controls.

The story is a profoundly affecting experience, which sees Elster traveling through decrepit industrial facilities and residential zones on a foreign planet seemingly throughout multiple realities as Elster tries to "remember their promise." Throughout all of these different zones, the cybernetic and android technological style is ever present and somewhat frightening, which makes for a refreshing sense of combat that can be easy and difficult when it needs to be. The gathering of weapons, ammo, and important puzzle items pushes you to traverse the entire beautifully designed map (both visually and its overall layout) and forces you to manage your inventory appropriately. Many players may see this as a downside--especially as there is no way for you to increase the size of your inventory--but I think Rose-Engine's approach was planned out methodically and in such a way where it always works out just right.

Diving into the visuals and sound design, the flair of the game is fantastic. Its pixelated style does not bring down the detail of certain items whatsoever, and the combination of a wonderful soundtrack and even a retro radio item makes the game constantly feel full. The chunky and archaic interfaces fills an incredibly specific niche that I think most players will enjoy and it reminds me of the retro-future design style akin to the Alien franchise and 2001: A Space Odyssey. Signalis' soundspace is memorable, and I will never forget the 3 Note Oddity and how the game went through such amazing lengths to incorporate this sound and others into a story that uses them so effectively.

I mentioned above that Signalis is credited as a survival-horror experience, but I don't mean horror in a sense that the game will scare you. Signalis is more of a slow-burning and constant feeling of dread that you and Elster will maintain while you explore that vast playable space. This game portrays a very horrifying existence that makes for a great playthrough and builds up a vibrant atmosphere and visual style that all indie game fans can enjoy. This game hooked me into the moment, and I think everyone should give it a try. One of my favorite playthroughs ever.