I have not played, and doubt I will ever play a game like SIGNALIS.

I was drawn into this game from its look, and I took it upon myself to give it a shot on Xbox Game Pass. While I have started to finally explore the genre in the past year, I actually don't typically play survival horror games as I don't like to get scared, however there was something about SIGNALIS that just grabbed me. Eventually, I bought it on Steam as I had found something truly special.

Following one of the most compelling openings I've seen in a game, you explore and learn bits and pieces of the Sierpinski facility, and understand the dystopian, autocratic universe that makes up the context and backdrop of SIGNALIS. Who Elster is, who she is looking for etc is all told to you over time, mostly in an abstract manner, but rose-engine put faith in the player to come to their own conclusions throughout the game, and the narrative and thematic significance of some imagery begs further analysis and understanding. This enriches a story that is already dark, moving and emotional.

The gameplay is easy to get your head around. While basic, the atmosphere, erratic enemy movement, and shooting mechanics enhance this experience. Exploration is fun, partly because of how beautiful this game is (its PS1/2 era art style does wonders, and feels unique), but also because of the "eureka" moments where you find a shortcut, a room with ammo and supplies, etc. One drawback people have raised is the inventory space and how hardcore it is, limiting it to 6. While going to and from a save room to retrieve items from a room is annoying in the early game as enemies are pretty easy to ignore, this does "shine" in a way later on, where you weigh up if grabbing that ammo or health patch is worth the journey. I think your mileage may vary here, but it never spoiled the experience for me.

SIGNALIS has stuck with me for days after I finished it the first time, and it will surely leave an impression on you when you complete it. I sincerely hope SIGNALIS continues to grow in popularity, as it truly deserves more attention.