Signalis: The Face of Modern Survival Horror

[@AvalancheReviews]

Thanks for watching guys! Feel free to clue me on to some new survival horror projects. I need to build up enough for a new video on modern RE clones.

[@sukamadik5983]

If and when ILL gets a demo I'll be the first to let you know. If you haven't checked the game out yet I strongly recommend you to do so.

[@hieunguyenrileygekko]

have you played Shadow of the Damned? its not survival horror but still a RE4 clone

[@ranger12YX]

Glass Staircase, I guess

[@Thenesrookie]

Oxide: Room 104. I think it's even on sale at the moment

[@demonhacker]

You covered Siren....but I would love a look at its episodic Remake on PS3 Siren: Blood Curse

[@Vaughnsta99]

SIGNALIS is the first game in a while that I wanted to play through again immediately after beating it.

[@mro9466]

I restarted the game when I realised I missed the key to unlock the revolver. Still a blast to re-play

[@mrpetebojangles21]

@@mro9466 damn, I didn’t know you could miss that. The revolver slaps! Great game

[@bernardorodrigues7048]

same, dude

[@aaronatkinson177]

I just wish signalis had a new game plus ➕️ 😪

[@lolagagginw812lol7]

@@aaronatkinson177 It technically does in the form of its fake ending.

[@fmsyntheses]

Elster also has a ton of missable reactions to items in the environment that build her character. They were one of the things I found most endearing about her. Like "It's a light switch. I would prefer not to turn it off." Or when she says looking in a mirror for too long makes her feel like she's looking at a stranger.

[@AlcaHolicGamer]

[SPOILER] Or the part where Alder pushes her down the elevator shaft, you can see a bunch of bodies at the bottom that kind of look like Elster but she says nothing about it

[@yenmeng]

@@AlcaHolicGamer yeah that part was messed

[@swans184]

"I'd prefer not to turn it off." WHY NOT, SCARED??

[@fmsyntheses]

@@AlcaHolicGamer 'The elevator seems to be blocked.' I mean that's a way of putting it, doll

[@Darxide23]

@@AlcaHolicGamer They don't just look like her. The game's story is stuck in a time loop. They _are_ her.

[@kulturvultur5036]

This is to me the best representation of the digital worlds and aesthetic of the 90's. This is a nostalgic representation of what we remember PS-1 games looking like in the mid-90's. Aesthetic at its finest, without feeling forced or too on the nose. This game perfectly nails the look. Feels like a long forgotten memory of sitting in the dark in your room in 1996 and playing a horror game. I'm so happy that this game exists.

[@AvalancheReviews]

You and me both

[@pogothepurple3826]

Yes, and you've hit on something I've been trying to find the words to express. When devs give us "retro" or "throwback" graphics, we dont just want models that look like polygon shit. This game looks greats, it's just very stylistic to the point of employing smudged, jaggy-looking aesthetics as a vehicle to the overall style, instead of just looking like a lack of effort. I'm pretty sure I failed again to convey what I'm trying to say but, anyway I agree with you

[@PugsyP]

So emulating a bygone era is all you need for a good time?

[@batnoska]

@@PugsyP You didnt understand nothing

[@kulturvultur5036]

@@PugsyP No, all I need is a snark reply to one of my comments from a member of this great community. Keep it up. You'll shine eventually.

[@DeepeyeLV]

SIGNALIS is absolutely incredible. Authors made it borderline masterpiece, quite sure it will be either a hidden gem for most people or blow up quite a lot (for a dark survival horror indie game).

[@AlcaHolicGamer]

I hope it blows up, such a good game

[@GrippeeTV]

It’ll probably stay a hidden gem. Darkwood is one of the best survival horrors of the last decade, and most people haven’t even heard of it.

[@isabellamorris7902]

Horror games have been going viral for years now, from the kid-friendly jumps of FNAF to the more niche stuff like Iron Lung. I've been seeing this game around for a while already

[@karenamyx2205]

Can a hidden gem be on gamepass? I guess it can. But that's a lot of eyeballs, just one free download away from playing it.

[@grantfullick]

@@karenamyx2205 Think of how many people will download this and be bored within 5 minutes of playing and uninstall never to try again. Really pleased it's on GP but it's gameplay is from a by gone era and totally get its for a certain crowd and that is thankfully us!

[@saschaberger3212]

Ahhh yesss. As a German the game finally answered a question we all had since childhood. What if Stasi but in space? Opa would be happy ^^

[@arekungames7795]

I really feel like that's exactly what a German would do, when making a Sci Fi game, because I planned the same for my game but in another way with less horror etc. My game's now obsolete then.

[@mrpetebojangles21]

Haha as someone who studied as an exchange student in Germany, I really appreciate how much of the German was untranslated. Added a lot to the experience imo. Great game ;)

[@ed32568]

@@arekungames7795 your perspective is different and valid, meaning that your game will never be obsolete :)

[@CptSourcebird]

@@ed32568 Agreed, games should be seen as more of an art, not a commodity. Arekun more or less would have different viewpoints about games either way, so it will be different either way.

[@KONSACZ]

This game is a total masterpiece, I hope it blow up

[@AvalancheReviews]

Me too. It deserves it.

[@mattmatter5643]

I’d play a second one. Signalis 2 will be the next RE2.

[@grabahassy]

If I didn’t know any better I would think this story was written by Tsutomu Nihei, author of Blame! and Biomega.

[@CatalystOfFire]

40:52

[@treebush]

or ergo proxy

[@Stryfe52]

Possibly even Dead Space

[@chubbysurprise4429]

imo most things from Nihei fuckin bang especially Blame!

[@M1ndblast]

If it was written like Blame it would have way less dialogue.

[@r3turnfyre426]

I just started this last night thanks to your endorsement, and I absolutely love everything about it. I didn't grow up playing classic survival horror, but I recently played through Silent Hill 1 and 2, and I've grown an appreciation for the genre

[@Lesandira]

42:50 This is such a great homage to Neon Genesis Evangelion. I love all the inspirations they took in creating this masterpiece. Most of the carpets look like from the Overlook Hotel out of the Shining. There are lots of references to the Cthulhu Mythos (Leng, King in Yellow) and classic survival horror games like Silent Hill and Resident Evil.

[@yenmeng]

The way Elster's arm breaks is a reference to Ghost in the Shell!

[@HyperionStudios]

Just started it and about an hour in. This game really scratches all of those itches for the genre. The perspective changes is one of those things that adds that extra layer of immersion for me. Signalis is an excellent addition to the Survival Horror genre, and I frankly think it deserves a lot more attention.

[@AvalancheReviews]

Hard agree on every point

[@PugsyP]

Theyre few and far inbetween

[@btchiaintkidding7837]

i am so glad to find this gem of a game. it really scrathed a specific scratch of mine 😅 i always wanted to play a game classic survival horror like this, unfortunately as much as i appreciate games like old school og Silent hill, old school RE, and love online content about these games from youtubers that loves these games, i just couldnt convince myself get into trying them, not cuz of the graphics but the old sound effects , tank controls etc. recently played "nightmare of decay" fell in love with the combat /gameplay loop of the classic survival horror gameplay loop thankfully signalis has really good sound effects(i am not a graphics guy but i hate sh^tty sound effects and am really nitpicky about it), visuals and aesthetics as well as the atmosphere is pretty awesome too even the puzzles pacing are great as well with healthy backtracking holy sh^te signalis having perfected the aspect of classic survival horror gameolay loop/mechanic

[@Green_scholar27]

I’m going to return to this video after I get through some of the other endings, but from the intro I can tell you hit the nail on the head. Going into SIGNALIS I was cautious and about two hours in I was hooked. It brings back everything I loved about survival horror but haven’t seemed to be able to find outside of partially from psych horror rpgmaker games.

[@that1guy375]

I finally finished it. I enjoyed it like a fine wine, took my time explored everything, never looked at anything besides the trailer. I absolutely loved it. The atmosphere, the aesthetic, the characters and designs. It creeped me out, it made me curious about the world, it made me tear up a little and feel a bit of melancholy by the end. My definite game of the year so far. Perfect survival horror. Now time to watch your review lol

[@AvalancheReviews]

Well it looks like there's no need. You already said just about everything I did in the video.

[@that1guy375]

@@AvalancheReviews Well, I knew there was a reason I liked your videos lol. Thanks for introducing me to the game with you modern survival horror videos.

[@matteste]

Apparently, this game has had several main inspirations. As for literary ideas it mostly seems to borrow from "The King in Yellow" by Robert William Chambers, "The Festival" by H.P Lovecraft and "An Inhabitant of Carcosa" by Ambrose Bierce. It also borrows from art with "Toteninsel" (or "Island of the Dead") by Arnold Böcklin and "Gestade der Vergessenheit" (or "Shores of Oblivion") by Eugen Bracht. Meanwhile, it seems to borrow a lot of its style from Tsutomu Nihei's "Blame!".

[@cursedcliff7562]

Hmmmm, probably more influence from Aliens and Silent Hill for the environment design

[@mniakan3544]

The way some of the cutscenes would just cut to a bright red color or just show a text calling out the player or that red sea shore at the end more then anything reminded me of end of evangelion honestly with berserk

[@JetRevue]

this game's ui and aesthetics, even beyond the foundational style of low-pixel low-poly, is just incredible. the moment i opened the game, i was absolutely wowed, and it brought me to that retro sci-fi place that Alien: Isolation only approached.

[@awesomegenome6883]

As a long time survival horror game fan this game was absolutely mind blowing since I came across this game randomly on game pass.

[@AvalancheReviews]

It's a blessing that so many games like this are coming out recently.

[@PugsyP]

Oh youre a fan? So you can see how its a frankensteins monster of silenthill? And that impressed you?

[@capsgj5425]

@@PugsyP what?

[@awesomegenome6883]

@@PugsyP I was just happy to randomly came across a game with all the mechanics i wanted to be in a game. Pleasantly surprised is a more accurate way to describe my feelings of the game.

[@SeanPS]

@@PugsyP imitation is the sincerest form of flattery.

[@Acdrop1]

Jared given us a full one hour banger on release day. It’s a good day to be an avalanche fan

[@AvalancheReviews]

Gotta give the people what they want. Long ass videos about dope as games.

[@marshallfranco9221]

@@AvalancheReviews spoke facts, thx dude

[@PugsyP]

"banger" cringe

[@morriganrenfield8240]

@@PugsyP why is it cringe?

[@carlpotter1926]

​@@PugsyP I hope you have someone or something that makes you smile on the inside.

[@Stand_By_For_Mind_Control]

I instantly got Fear Effect/Parasite Eve vibes from this. Looks cool. Definitely have to see more.

[@buburbasi3983]

I'm so happy this game exist. Played the demo and now playing the game. It's good for an old style brought back to the modern games.

[@t.j.8388]

Absolutely nailed it with the resources section. I tried to avoid combat as much as I could and engaged when I needed to or was in danger of taking damage, but I ended the game on a veritable dragon’s hoard of weapons and ammunition. However, throughout the run of the game I ALWAYS felt like I never had enough ammo and I carefully considered every single shot from start to finish. Being able to only carry 1 slot worth of ammo for a specific weapon and that stack of ammo having a very small cap ensured that the exact number of shots I had on me was always at the forefront of my mind. Absolutely brilliant balancing the devs achieved with this game

[@Nuxenity]

This game is a actual masterpiece i went into the game blind and immediately fell in love with the game i never played a game like this but just because of this game i might play more like it this is such a good game and for me its my favorite game of all time i also played for 12 hours straight the first time i booted it up

[@ChadCorrin1985]

If you liked this, please play silent hill2.

[@biohazard_hq]

@@ChadCorrin1985 or, idk, RESIDENT EVIL? lmao

[@LtMcMuffin87]

Currently an hour or so in. Fucking LOVE this game. CRT mode is such a neat little addition.

[@AvalancheReviews]

One of the better crt modes I've come across honestly.

[@LtMcMuffin87]

@@AvalancheReviews Yeah absolutely insane how it gets the warping *just* right. Cozier than a blanket and coco

[@wilott90]

Industrial design engineer here... So this type of perspective is called Axonometric perspective, which basically means there are no vanishing points like in linear perspective (the natural 3D world). Isometric perspective is a type of axonometric perspective, but in order for it to be technically isometric, any of the projected edges of a shape must have an included angle of 120 degrees, which basically means it has a 3/4 view camera angle looking diagonally at a scene... if that makes sense.... another great example of a survival* horror game with a front on axonometric perspective is Conscript, which I believe you covered in the past. Anyway, loved the video, keep up the great work!

[@SashaS-s2z]

For me, the top-down perspective was the biggest reason I could play this game - I generally feel anxious and uncomfortable in first-person/over-the-shoulder games regardless of their subject. Having a bit of a distance between you and the gruesome environment is something a lot of other games don't allow - I want the dread to build up over time, and I want to still be there for that. Crow Country, for instance, has a much closer camera - and it's too scary for me to play.

[@RevolverRez]

I've finished it twice now with both the promise and memory endings. I loved every second of it and can only hope the game gets the attention it deserves in the coming months. That said I think it could do with a patch or two. Entering rooms and picking up some items can be a bit finnicky with the prompts not always showing up. It could probably do with a new game + mode too somewhere down the line.

[@k___________]

some people play signalis for the survival horror , I play signalis for the romance story we're not the same

[@colli_wolly]

I just found your channel and have been binge-watching your Silent Hill Retrospective series. You really put a lot of time and effort into your videos, and I definitely find them to be very informative and compelling, especially your video on Silent Hill 3. Not only do you now have yourself a new subscriber, I'm actually gonna go buy this game now because I trust your judgement. I've been on a horror game binge, replaying some of the Resident Evil and Silent Hill games, and I've been wanting to experience some of the more overlooked stuff in the indie-horror genre. I'll come back here and share my thoughts after I've beaten it, but until then, keep up the good work!

[@darkgamereviews8287]

The indie scene is popping like crazy right now.

[@12ealDealOfficial]

Seriously. Better shooters, platformers, and games like this for sure. It's a slight downer that most of the really good games share similar aesthetics, but the emphasis on gameplay and a single cohesive vision is a seriously welcome return to form for gaming in general.

[@asgads]

As i speak German i can tell you that all of text ingame is highly entertaining and adds a layer to it

[@toddclawson3619]

Anime survival-horror always sounds like a good way to pass the time. I am a bit surprised it doesn't seem to pop up more often. See plenty of psychological horror and a few in the run away and hide type of games, but it doesn't feel like I have seen many survival-horror ones. Might be a nice video for you to make of any good anime survival-horror games out there. Thank you for the review. About the map keeping track of where you have been, one thing I really did appreciate with RE2 remake and RE3 remake was how good the map was. Any item, locked door (and how it was locked) or puzzle you encountered was automatically marked down which was nice for backtracking and a room turning blue to let you know you got everything meant I didn't have to stress about potentially missing stuff just because I didn't walk around every single inch of the room. I really appreciate it when games do stuff like that rather than expect you to keep a spreadsheet of everything you have come across. Some games have you more involved in fun ways though. Persona Q for example let you use the stylus to jot down notes on your map while playing so there a fun sense of building your own map, but the game still does most of the work for you. I did laugh when you mentioned it doesn't sit right to trash your items. I have that exact problem where I am frequently running back to an item chest to stock everything rather than trash an item and move on. Usually is worth it for the endgame, but it sounds like that it might not always be the best judgment call in this one if the enemies will always come back unless permanently put down. Edit: By the way, thank you for doing these videos on modern survival-horror games. Quite a few of the ones you recommended are currently on sale on steam right like Heaven Dust and Lamentum so I got them. Never would have heard of them if you hadn't talked about them.

[@natedoggcata]

This is now my game of the year. I sat down with it and finished it in two days. I couldnt stop and was absolutely incredible. I cannot wait to see what this studio does next.

[@Saved_Sinner0085]

What an amazing game! It's so artistically crafted and appears to truly be a labor of love and passion.

[@Darxide23]

The only weak point that I think Signalis had for me was an extremely muted "horror" aspect. I never got the same sense of fear or dread while playing it, even at night in the dark. There were tense moments when entering a room with 5 or 6 enemies and you had to snag some item without dying. But never actual horror. But that's literally the only negative mark that I can give this game. It's a flawless masterpiece of a game otherwise. Kudos to the **TWO PEOPLE** who were responsible for creating this gem. I hope they have a long and illustrious career ahead of them in the survival-horror genre.

[@DSkulle1]

personally my biggest problem was after you get to nowhere the doors became incredibly unreliable, takes a few seconds for the arrow to pop up and even then you couldnt enter as soon as the icon popped, which led to me taking FAR more hits than i should have. also you cant interact wih stuff while sprinting which is a little annoying but overal this game was fucking amazing

[@Titan1930S]

Its Hard to get scared with the isometric camera but gameplay wise this was a true survival horror experience

[@molotovmutt3365]

@@DSkulle1 this is very true my mate

[@licethelouse5618]

definitly made me feel more sad and empty than scared, which is fine cause i think thats what it was trying to do but i do wish some of the enemies were even more freaky

[@sukamadik5983]

This review just reminded me I can start downloading it from game pass. I love that a small Indie title like this is getting such a beefy review from you Jared. Thank you 🙏

[@AvalancheReviews]

The crazy thing is, I went into this one trying to make it a little shorter. Ha!

[@sukamadik5983]

@@AvalancheReviews Seriously asking has that ever once worked out for you?😂

[@bahamut5608]

Got the promise ending on my initial runthrough last night. Definitely took a moment to compose myself. Hurt me somewhere deep in the soul. Masterpiece of a game. Incredible true blue survival horror

[@Titan1930S]

Finally a game that gave me that feeling of playing all those old games like re and sh, this was a masterpiece

[@tetrahedron4990]

There's so much to this game that I don't think one review does it any justice. There's just so much to dig into you really have to play it for yourself. Indulge in the world building and story telling that is Signalis. This rabbit hole of a game will make you feel something for weeks to come by after playing it.

[@BoulderPunch]

On the six-item limit, I was mostly OK with it. Dumping everything and then going out to collect as much as you could was pretty exhilarating. I do look forward as well to seeing others break the story down. Pieced together a fair amount from notes, but even then I'm not sure. I ended up with the "promise" ending. Curious to see what the other endings are.

[@MicrosoftNestleTea]

Personally I think one extra slot later on would've been nice

[@SnarkyLesbian]

Oddly enough, when I played it with Keyboard and Mouse, I kept wondering how people play this with a controller, since it seemed so easy and well going off the hand on keyboard and mouse. So I suppose I can confirm that it works excellently with either controls. Also, Signalis is insanely good YES!

[@Lord_Deimos]

Played the demo some time ago and I couldn't believe how old school survival horror it is, not to mention how beautiful the retro ps1 visuals look.

[@AvalancheReviews]

That demo hooked me in real hard.

[@xsct878]

I don't think this is a game that looks convincingly like it's something that could have actually run on PS1 hardware, unlike something like say Puppet Combo's games, but I think they've managed to successfully understand and emulate the general aesthetic of games at the time while tastefully upressing the game to really let that design work shine, and it's all the better for it, this game looks fantastic.

[@landonhagan450]

Your comments on the story's payoff perfectly demonstrate the difference between great and mediocre examples of abstract horror. Most of the greatest works of that sort of horror have a relatively straightforward baseline narrative that ties the story together and which acts as a launch pad toward the more esoteric stuff for anyone inclined to dig deeper.

[@berserk4souls]

Got a random invite to this game’s sub since I’m a survival horror fan. I didn’t join but remembered the name and picture. Last night I’m on PS4 and see it sitting there. I click on it and watch the trailer. I bought and downloaded it immediately. This is such a excellent throwback love letter to the survival horror we all grew up on. The creepy sci-fi setting that feels right out of BLAME! and the 90s anime aesthetic was just icing on the cake. I recommend this to all Resident Evil, Silent Hill fans!

[@dadquest1982]

another great video, I just wanted to say thanks for inspiring me to get creative again. up until recently I hadn't made a video project in 15 years. keep up the good work.

[@jasonless1975]

37:30 Exactly when I play, especially at the very end of the game when you come across the big or dark rooms filled with tons of enemies and items. Running in without knowing what in there while I don't have any spare room to pick up things is so frustrating, even got killed while trying to sorting things out because I don't want to go back there to deal with them. Despite some of the issues like you have encountered in playing and in the review, I must say the dev did a fantastic job for making a game like this. I just want to say to you Dev: more please, I can play these kind of games any days.

[@victorsilva-rz9sw]

This game is a masterpiece we need more survival horror games like this

[@sierrakobold6896]

This game has a graphical style just like the SVGA graphics of mid 90s Sierra games before they went 3d, specifically Space Quest 6. I love this game and am so glad you recommended it, am I the only one who is reminded of Enemy Zero when playing this?

[@mrpetebojangles21]

I think retro-futurism is just about my fav things ever and this game just oozes with it. From the physical assets, to the fonts being used, to the classic style maps and menus.. I love it. I love the fact that I’m playing a VHS on a giant crt style tv that a sub woulda rolled into the classroom to watch Bill Nye on haha. It’s just so good.

[@Lacatrelle8888]

11:19 reference for "the isle of death" it s a painting that, for strange reason, got some people litterally obsessed with it and it meaning, it s representing the passage that link death and the living world, basically the island is a passage, or the location, where dead people reside, separated to the world by a no ending sea.

[@andrewuk2781]

Got this game during Christmas. Absolutely fantastic! Your survival horror video put it on my radar. I am 100% sure you significantly boosted its sales and reach. Good work Commrade!

[@ShippoFoxD]

Been waiting for this so long and releases on my birthday, love it so far. The OST is so good. This game is such a banger, great review man!

[@AvalancheReviews]

Hell yes!!

[@gt4666master]

I want a Kolibri and I WANT IT NOW

[@RevenantPoet]

This is an absolutely fantastic review of what's quickly becoming one of my favorite games out there! Thank you so much for all of your hard work!!!

[@Rucarlul]

This game was undoubtedly jaw dropping for how amazing it was it was everything I ever wanted in a modern game

[@blackflame4506]

Trying to catch up on your reviews and still doing a bang up job on it bro. Thanks for the videos.

[@gochi6542]

Wathcing this at work, and can’t wait to get home and pick this up. Exactly up my alley.

[@TheLastDaysOfSorrow]

Great review. I love this game and am itching for a second playthrough with the newly found understanding of the story.

[@humanafterallTF2]

I have to get this at some point on pc. Here in Finland an old gaming magazine called "PELIT" praised this also. I rarely get gaming magazines anymore but it's fun to read younger and old-time reviewers write about games.

[@dadandvideogames]

I literally just heard about this game and have been playing it this morning! I was thinking "Man, I gotta tell Jared about this!", Then I see this! Thanks, man.

[@4fives992]

The sheer passion and artistry oozing out of Signalis' pores assures me that the future of Survial Horror and videogames is bright.

[@shintenku]

Spot on ,,,, Unless your name is Crapcom or Konami , Those 2 are so determined to kill the survival horror genre at any cost .

[@PugsyP]

Right, copying someone else is passion, gotcha

[@shintenku]

@@PugsyP Yeah because we got a lot of games like signalis right !? , By your logic any game which is inspired by a certain game is a copy , Even RE which is a copy and paste of Alone of the dark and home sweet home , According to your amazing claim . 😏

[@yaboil7774]

@@shintenku cmon silent hill F seems interesting atleast, don't have alot of faith in the bloober remake though tbf.

[@shintenku]

@@yaboil7774 Honestly I don’t ether , Unless I see gameplay footage fella , Trailers trickery are used more shamefully by a lot of devs , Also yeah I have zero faith in SH Reboot because Bloober team suck major ass .

[@Falconion1]

this game is an essence of oldschool resident evil, silent hill, neon genesis evangelion and h.p. lovecraft. just finished it today and it was an absolute blast!

[@WaxMandible]

I thank you for bringing this gem to my attention just as I thank you for being such a brilliant content creator. Keep on keepin’ on, brotha.

[@Hrotriks]

This game flew completely under my radar... looks so awesome , also I catched the nod to Ghost in the Shell as well... will definitely buy

[@HappyAspid]

15:00 - shit, I didn't knew you could just shoot those Kolibries. Always thought that they are only vulnerable to radio. About puzzles - only time I ever needed to check walkthrough was the puzzle that I wasn't able to solve because I failed to find single item in a place that I have visited many times (and thus thought that I have found everything there). About puzzles themselves and their solutions - I managed to solve all puzzles myself, which for me almost impossible - for usually I am too dumb and inattentive, or lack of patience for. So the ability to solve stuff myself (because puzzles are actually make sense for me) was quite satisfying.

[@aicguy]

I wanted to like this game more than I have. I totally knew (without finding out online) that this is a game requiring multiple playthroughs. I just don't have any desire to replay. I appreciate the look/design elements and just how purposefully obtuse the story plays out. Just didn't grab me the way I'd hope. Would still recommend it to any survival horror fan. For the ordinary gamer, beware, this game is pure doom and gloom that holds its secrets close to its chest.

[@astreakaito5625]

Looks fantastic both in story and visuals. I especially appreciate the dark anime design and those flat red and black sections Definitely playing

[@witherwolf3316]

I have yet to play the game, but you've certainly got me considering it. There are a few things I'm seeing here that I like. For one, just the general vibe and art look stellar, but I also appreciate having weapons that are based on real ones, I'm seeing a SPAS-12 shotgun, MP5, and almost want to say a Browning Hi Power? And another thing, the game looks like it doesn't pause when you pick up items, which for some reason really intrigues me. Also, puzzles and background logs also look nice.

[@NapoleonBlownapartMMA]

My only complaint is its too damn short. Other than that, its survival horror perfection. I have to say i grinned ear to ear when i hit the first save room and saw the SH2 inspired save point

[@graham3400]

Honestly for a survival horror game it was pretty long! My first play through took me 8 hours and I was neither rushing nor particularly taking my time.

[@xbl4ck7]

How is it short?.... It took me 10-12 hours. For a two developer game that's actually really long.

[@mniakan3544]

Signalis was the first game in a long long while I haven’t been able to stop thinking about after I finished it, the story had a huge impact on me personally especially with its themes of guilt and unfulfilled promises, in a way it reminded me of presentable liberty and that’s the other I haven’t really been able to stop thinking about

[@JJRodriguez]

Great video to pass time in a long flight. Thanks, Jared

[@hunn20004]

I've been playing it. Just reached the mines. The 6 item mechanic is a bit silly and I wish the eye camera and the flashlight were either integrations (shoulder mounted flashlight doesn't take inventory space) or more critically why we can't use the eye camera like we can the radio.

[@CaptainRasmot]

In a weird way, the game almost looks like/feels like "Metal Gear Solid but make it horror~" mostly because of the radio and In a way the sort of gunplay

[@mattmatter5643]

I just beat it yesterday. I loved it, it’s definitely a solid game. The game checks all the boxes for an old school survival horror. I actually found parts unsettling, a lot of wtf moments. I didn’t feel that there wasn’t a lot of ammo I had a bunch left over at the end of the game. I didn’t really kill a lot though

[@dvache1366]

Did you do the new game plus?

[@mattmatter5643]

Not yet, I’ll definitely play it again to get the secret ending. I need to finish other games first, ghost song and bloodstained: ritual of the night.

[@Sleepless2402]

I litterly just put the game on my wishlist and your notification popped up, thanks for the great review!

[@lulairenoroub3869]

I'm playing it right now, and as great as it is, God, I just keep thinking, I hope that the next thing they do is that they take this engine, and they make a Metal Gear game. I have always felt like MGS1 was kind of a fraternal twin sister game to RE2 They're both action movies made into video games about giant conspiracies, double-crosses, cinematic camera angles, a directed camera even during gameplay that enabled the game to show you exactly what it wanted you to see (less so in MGS, but it was still not a free camera), decent performances, an emphasis on avoiding combat that periodically opens up into more action heavy set pieces, light metroidvania level design, strong characters with emotional heft, but still a little nutty, a little campy and over the top where it needs to be without ever fully jumping the shark, and I don't know how well this counts as a thematic parallel, but they both came on two discs, which at the time couldn't help but communicate a lot about the game's ambitions. Even their differences made for interesting parallels. The conflicts in Resident Evil focus on the Private sector. Corporations so enormous that they are basically unaccountable. Resident Evil tended to keep its lore grounded more in scifi, with fantasy elements not really showing up until later entries. The abject horror of pure exploitation, with an unending, Cthullian level hunger that plows through life like it were bacteria, in a cancerous drive toward endless growth. RE2 kept narrative focus relatively small, domestic, on the ground. It was about the world hiding in plain sight, the cogs of bureaucracy that conceal the rot, even as ordinary middle class people lived through it, completely unaware, until it was too late. The conflicts in MGS are military, Governmental, terroristic, and generally operate within that scale. MGS had a healthy dose of fantastical elements, but in a way that felt oddly like, these things were only reachable due to the scale of the parties in conflict. Government operatives and globe-trotting private militaries encounter these things, because they're the ones with the power and will to go to the grey parts of the Earth, where the malformed creatures of sin and sorrow bend and break nature by the sheer force of grand scale trauma, only to then be further exploited and merged with science to expand beyond what can happen by accident. It's focus was much more remote. Secret islands, military installations, far away from anyone stumbling drunks that could accidentally stumble into the wrong door at any time. These two games had an enormous impact on my at the time. The idea that games could be this, genuinely shook me, and my stupid 11 year old brain that had up till that point basically understood video games to mean Alex Kidd, Donkey Kong, Doom, and if you were feeling spicy, a little Warcraft 2 or Command and Conquer, with some actual voice acting and performances. But none of those games ever gave you the sense of world, narrative, characters, and relationships, that you got from RE2 and MGS1. Gah! TL;DR this engine is perfect for an MGS throwback.

[@AvalancheReviews]

I can't say I'd disagree. Imagine this kind of story telling using that mgs gameplay style. It'd be sick!.

[@HuhWhatHuhwhatHuh]

I do realize “Lovecraftian” is just a general term, but I’m assuming, due to seeing Arthur Machen’s “the King in Yellow” it takes its cues from Machen, one of Lovecrafts contemporary’s. Like True Detective when they mention the King in Yellow and Carcosa.

[@ViRatio]

I love this aesthetic and it’s survive horror!

[@Safersephiroth777]

I finished it myself with the good ending. I didn't used a guide and yeah I was stomped in some puzzles but I dit it myself. A tip for everyone. Don't be afraid to use Medkits and Ammo. I killed more than 100 enemies and got hit many times but by the time I reached the final boss I had tons of ammo and medkits. Plus you always find ammo and healing items in the Boss rooms too.

[@acehughj4527]

Congratulations on 150k subs my man!

[@brandontadday6288]

“It’s like the perfect middle-ground between something like Event Horizon and Jacob’s Ladder” Literally, the perfect description for the vibe of this game.

[@Adam-xv7du]

I bought the game barely half way through this review. I beat it earlier this week, and I have spent practically every moment thinking about it since. What a phenomenal game. Thank you for the review. I wouldn't have heard about it otherwise.

[@Yora21]

From this video, I am also seeing big influences from Blade Runner, and at least one shot that references Ghost in the Shell.

[@markmccain1124]

What this dev team achieved is absolutely brilliant. The world building was phenomenal and was given to you in a way that wasnt super in your face. An absolute unit of a 10/10 for me

[@gabrielblyde2176]

I played this game because I saw the cover on game pass and thought that Elster was hot so I started playing it without giving it a second thought. Next thing I know I'm 9 hours deep sad about all these characters I just got to know were having a bad time in this nightmare hellscape. Truly beautiful game design.

[@l0rdfr3nchy7]

Nice video man, 50minutes and i don't feel like i've been spoiled about the game or the mechanics much, impressive

[@chadrageus]

Avalanche now hearing you complain about the backtracking. I remember what it was like playing as Chris in og Resident Evil...

[@serule1]

I just started this game and it's just not resonating with me yet. The inventory system is really annoying. I get not wanting to give the player the ability to carry everything, which is fine, but with only 6 slots, either you're running around with only the ammo in your gun and no healing or you're frequently going back and forth from the item box multiple times in a section, both of which are highly annoying and don't really add any tension, just frustration. I'm sticking with it though!

[@Pixel-oo7vw]

Great review! I love the Evangelion Influences (Both Story Wise and Art wise )

[@M1ndblast]

Its basically Silent Hill in space and its fucking excellent. Better than the silent hills that came out after the first four.

[@stephenthedude4383]

Definitely

[@DMTInfinity]

I'm pretty freakin' stressed today. Thank you for making this video.... It's seriously calming me down....

[@OfTheEndless]

I don't enjoy retro side-scrollers, but love classic survival horror and now I'm almost done with the game. It's extremely enjoyable! I'll probably replay it after this.

[@freshlymemed5680]

I knew I was in for a great and regretful time when the demo alone with no real jumpscares already had me at wits end. The game nails atmosphere, aesthetics, sound design, and just overall game design. This game is definitely the definitive neo-classical survival horror game of the modern era for me and I hope it grows more popular. Oh and did I mention I'm too much of a wuss to play and beat horror games? This game was good enough to make me play it start to finish.

[@_shivers]

Just started playing this. So far I like everything this game is about.

[@bananasean5145]

I have been starving for content discussing this game and this is by far the best video I've found on it. This game has been so captivating I can't get myself to play anything else and I bought MW2 but I just don't care after playing this.

[@amasunprime69]

I had this game on the radar for quite a while just for the artstyle and look of the game. I have never played old horror survival games before nor new, modern ones in my life and I am hooked by this game. Downloaded it today and was bound to my PC for several hours. The two devs have really made a good game in my opinion as a complete newbie to the genre

[@purplepolecat]

I'm glad you mentioned Ergo Proxy! I got the more obvious anime references, but I had a feeling there was one I was missing. Signalis has so much in common with Ergo Proxy thematically and aesthetically.

[@Shawnredfield98]

Day 1 on GamePass! Can't wait to play it later tonight.

[@MoluskToeCheese]

Thank you... THANK YOU for bringing the demo to our attention. Picked it up immediately as soon as i got home

[@Angel-zr8gj]

to me is the evolution of the classic survival horror with the gameplay of residen evil and art stile and story style like silent hill

[@JinKee]

It's got that resident evil 1 pixelation

[@mrpetebojangles21]

Damn, just beat this masterpiece and needed to watch a KZbin video of someone discussing it! What a gem of a game. I thought I’d simply check this game out… instead I got absolutely hooked and played till 6 in the morning… As someone who grew up playing Silent Hill, RE etc and someone that lived in Germany for a couple years, I could of not asked for a more custom tailored game 😂. I love that a lot of the German is untranslated which definitely added a little something extra. Incredible game, PERFECT balancing of difficulty, amazingggg puzzles, just great.