I recommend keeping a notepad close by while playing. Just write down whatever looks like it could be useful. That should reduce some backtracking and avoid frustration. As some might have doubtlessly realized, this game makes heavy use of German and a dash of Chinese. Some parts of the story and implications are hidden behind this language barrier. Maybe someone who can read the Chinese text can give input on that as well? In any case, for my peace of mind here's some translations of names that will keep popping up with a pronunciation guide: LSTR - Elster "Magpie". Pronounced close to "Elle-ster", "else-tar" or "L-star". Eule "Owl" Pronounced somewhere between "Oil-eh" or "Oy-lay" Adler "Eagle" Pronounced "Uhd-lair" Star "Starling" Pronounced like "star" or "Sh-tar" Replika "Replica" Pronounced pretty much the same. Gestalt - "literally shape (or amalgation of different parts in philosophical context)" Pronounced almost the same but the S like an "sh" followed by a hard "T". Falke "Falcon" Pronounced "Phall-keh" Replicants and Gestalts... Where have I heard that before? Protektor - "Protector" Pronounced "protector" :P Mond und Töchter - "Moon and daughters" As can be inferred from this and all visible beings so far being female, the world of Signalis is female dominated. Fun fact: The "ch" sound is like a hiss, kinda like imitating an angry cat. The well known arms manufacturer HK is thus actually Pronounced "Heckler oond Co-*cat noises*. Hissing clearly is a superior form of communication. Storch "Stork" That pesky hissing sound again! Pronounced "Sh-tore-HISS" Kolibri "Hummingbird" Pronounced "Co-lee-bree" Boot text: L Kernel 5.6.1f Replica OS Generation 5 Surveying-/Ship-Technician replica Frame: LSTR (Pioneer) Manipulator: D-14 Arms (5-FNG) Locomotion: D-12 Legs (CMPCT) Persona: MAGPIE As we can infer, Elster has all 5 fingers on each hand but no feet. Intro screen for woman holding a knife: ITOU, ISA Personal ID Nmbr: --- Type: Gestalt Homeworld: Rotfront Sector C [File access granted] Elevator: LENG ORBITAL SURFACE MANUCATURING WORKERS SICK BAY PERSONELL PROTECTORS Command Mine Access Letter Envelope: Radio officer Iris Yeong Communications Station 6 Rotfront West Orbital mail distribution service Stamped: Rotfront Radio Command Und nun wisst ihr alle was zu tun ist, wenn euer Luftkissenboot voller Aale ist. Denn Wissen ist die Hälfte der Schlacht!
The use of bird names also puts me in mind of the folk song (Volkslied) “Alle Vögel sind schon da” by Hoffmann von Fallersleben. Specifically the line: “Amsel, Drossel, Fink und Star und die ganze Vogelschar”. So I fully expect blackbird, thrush and finch to make an appearance.
I'm getting a laugh out of you describing our German ch-sound as "angry cat noises." Yes, it really is, and English has no proper equivalent to it. It's apparently a surprisingly hard sound to make if you've never done so before.
I love the cinematics and style. Right as you hit the end of the code 39486 60170 24326 01064, you get a really quick cut to the character. It's so crisp, so good. Some guy's already doing the German part so I guess I'll do a bit of the Japanese / Chinese part. 19:55 The words that flash, [犠牲] represents 'sacrifice'. 20:15 The word inscribed on the door [冷] stands for 'Cold'. In Japanese this is read as 'hiya', 'rei', or 'tsu' in [冷たい]. If we understand the Kanji as a result of the cultural exchange between JP natives and Chinese traders, [冷] is pronounced as leng3, which helps us understand where the name Leng comes from. Probably hints at these orbits being far removed from the suns / stars in a planetary system. 20:24 [加載] means 'addition' in Japanese, and in Chinese it stands for 'loading'. You can tell that the game isn't limited to 3 languages alone. 20:36 [鵲神女核心] -> Magpie Goddess Core, but can also be interpreted as Magpie Miracle Core (female). The word [鵲] itself represents Magpie, that's why you see it on her health state. 22:41 [故障] JP: Breakdown CN: Obstruction / Fault. 23:09 What I can only presume to be [鎖著], which means 'Locked'. I've tried like 3 different dictionaries (JP & CN alike) & none have the exact shape & writing seen. Probably an artistic choice. Upon unlocking, shows [玄関] which means 'Entrance'. 28:07 [礦], or more aptly [石廣], roughly translates to 'stone quarry'. It matches 'mine' well.
signalis isn't shy about pointing towards its influences, but its greatest strength is that it takes all those diverse elements and makes a cohesive whole out of them
There is a shove mechanic if you just run into them, it gives you time to run around them but you can't just spam it, there is a brief delay. I'm not sure why the game doesn't teach you this early on
Signalis didn't quite unseat Elden Ring for my GOTY, but it had about as good a go as you could ask for. I love how it wears its influences just right on its chest while still being purposeful and original in how it wields them.
When they say "They Just Don't Make 'em Like This Anymore", Signalis is what they're reffering to. I have my issues with it, but it is the leanest, tightest, most *coherent* Survival Horror game I've played since 2003. Coherent in a gameplay sense, I mean.
God I really love this game. I feel like it's one of the first I've played in which its influences are called on more like intertextual calls to some canon of games rather than surface level references. Like it felt like knowing about concepts established in Silent Hill 2 deepened the symbology of this story.
42:01 That's a fan. Mostly for ventilating the room, I guess, if Replikas (can) find the environment stuffy / need the air to move so their belongings can dry or something.
Glad you read the text files so I can listen to this playthrough in another tab instead of skipping it altogether due to the flashing and flickering lights.
Fun fact: almost all these German words can be found in Rammstein songs. Rammstein was the first band I came to love in my youth, picked up some German from them, so I can tell that the elevator here is called Heaven.
Hey sgf you play so many new games all the time, can you do a little intro about the game so we have some idea what they are about since i find it hard to keep getting invested in the new game(s)
Ok, that was seriously weird. I am a bit hungover, brain is slow. When they started reading out the numbers I listened to them twice, because hey, I am learning German, I know these, but I kept messing up. Went back and listened again, and I am pretty damn sure some of the words spoken were in Swedish!? (Could be Danish or Norwegian, but I think Swedish,) Swedish is my first language. I am not in the right mindset for that kind of a mind fuck at 08.30 in the morning. XD
No it is German but I can't rule out some words are the same in swedish since both languages are related to each other. One thing to mention is, that they say "zwo" instead of "zwei" (two), which is usually done in radio transmitions to avoid confusions with the similar sounding word "drei" (three).
Me personally I’m hoping he sinks his teeth into Genshin and Transformers and then maybe also Bubsy 3D and also Croc for the original Sony PlayStation One (1)
