Sunrise Parabellum Signalis Review

From the first seconds I launched Signalis, I could tell immediatly this one won't be like any other game I had played before. It neither explains much nor guides you with markers or tutorials but, in stead, it drops you in,lets you piece things together and trusts you to follow along. The element that impressed me first was the game's general presentation. The art direction is outstanding and clean, and gives the game a distinct visual identity. From the CRT style filter and nostalgic low poly design that feels straight out of the PlayStation era, to the robotic menus, lighting, and transparency effects.. it really feels like everything was carefully crafted. The short cinematic cuts with their heavy sci-fi anime influence, gave the game such a unique tone that feels more like (absolute) cinema than a typical survival horror. The world itself, with its propaganda posters, technical notes and dense lore, is detailed and most importantly, coherent. The game's audio is as impressive as its visuals. There were so many sounds and effects like the mechanical clicks, the electronic hums, the whoosh of wind, the way even opening your inventory/map that add so much to the atmosphere. The soundtrack is incredible, I'll never forget it and, if it's not obvious already, it went straight onto my personal best-of list. It’s rare for audio to do so much heavy lifting, but here it does. Honestly, I'm very sensitive to audio in games, and I just love it when it’s designed with care and make it as an integral part of the experience. And in Signalis, the soundscape is so detailed and deliberate that the game would feel incomplete without it. On the gameplay level, Signalis balances survival horror with puzzle solving in a way that feels a bit old school and fresh. The horror, it just works here : The inventory is tight, and with ammo being so scarce, every bullet felt like a choice I might regret if wasted. Bare in mind that you are never sure if the bodies on the floor will stay down, and since the game doesn't pause while you're in the map or inventory, tension is constant. It reminded me a lot of the first Resident Evil locked doors, puzzles leading to new areas that loop back to earlier ones, enemies that don't stay dead. The puzzles themselves were really clever, and challenging enough without being unfair.. in one word : excellent. I rarely enjoy puzzles in games, but here they were super satisfying and never felt like filler. Combine this with the way the story unfolds slowly in fragments through notes and encounters, I was hooked ! That said, there is a last aspect of the game I believe it is important to point. I won't qualify it as a drawback but it lies in how Signalis demands patience and attention. Some players may find themselves overwhelmed or disoriented, particularly later in the game when tracking puzzles, locked doors, and codes and all this with no map, requires careful note taking.. otherwise you will waste time and resources backtracking. For some, this will be part of the charm but for others, it may feel like unnecessary friction and ruin the fun in consequence. In my opinion, I perceived more like a challenge that was intentional and part of the survival horror ethos, rather than a flaw in design. To put it in a nutshell, Signalis is a rare gem that honors its inspirations on one hand while forging its own identity on the other. It iss atmospheric, poetic, and truly unforgettable. Thanks to its striking art style, impeccable unsettling sound design, intelligent puzzles, and interesting storytelling, it stands as one of the most memorable game experience I had in recent year. It stuck with me as I found myself analyzing it on YouTube and listening to the soundtrack on repeat. I can't believe this was done by an indie game dev duo. It is demanding yes, uncompromising in its vision, but for those willing to immerse themselves fully, it’s nothing short of extraordinary. Unfortunately, you can only experience its mystery for the first time once, and I wish I could do it again fresh ;w;