RADIOTHERAPY

SIGNALIS is one of the best psychological sci-fi chillers in years

- Dominic Tarason

Signalis will feel familiar to anyone who played PS1 survival horror games. Viewed from an overhead perspective, there’s a labyrinth of interconnected rooms to explore, many locked doors, logical and more abstract puzzles, and an assortment of monsters to shoot. Inventory space is at a premium, healing is finite, and the game can only be saved at safe-rooms.

Aesthetically, it refines that PS1 style. Backdrops are crisp pixel-art while characters are smoothly animated 3D. The retro-tech UI is similarly sharp, featuring an especially good map screen, automatically marking doors as locked, barred or open. Audiowise, it channels Akira Yamaoka, with industrial drones accompanying quieter moments, chaotic, panicked noise kicking in during combat, and an assortment of nostalgic tones accompanying menu actions.

Combat is tense and resource-limited, encouraging evasion and ammo-hoarding. Puzzles stall progress just long enough to deliver a eureka moment. The only truly unfamiliar mechanical element is the radio tuner, allowing you to decode radio signals. Sometimes creepy numbers stations, often puzzle hints, and occasionally frequencies used in combat.