I just finished signalis and got the “Memory” ending, and I realized something during the credits. It made me tear up Spoilers! As you might know, The last scene is where the player “Elster” stays besides Ariane “the white haired girl” And then Elster says that she wants to stay by Ariane’s side for a bit longer. If you play with a controller, you can actually feel the controller vibrates like a heartbeat. The heartbeats are active during credits, even during the results screen. I believe this is intentional. You the player are the one who decides to end her cycle, thus ending her life. To continue you must hold any button, they don’t want you to ACCIDENTALLY press a button and end the cycle. This made me feel so much guilt knowing that I’m the one who will end her cycle. So I turned off the game without skipping the RESULTS screen
Just how Arianna infected the world with her memories and emotions, she infected my head with them as well. Can't stop thinking about it, it is truly going into the list of my top favourites of all time
You know, only after watching this did I pick up on the most obvious Silent Hill reference in the game. A world shaped by the memories and thoughts of a dying girl. Ariane is our Alessa AND our Mary. Boy, this game is going to live rent-free in my mind for years to come.
This is the best Signalis video, I didn't even realize the photo at 22:43 was showing the gestalt Elster was based off of and I've played through the game twice this month
I'll share my experience with one completion of the game (Memory ending) First, the most horrifying part of the game for me was when you find the document on Penrose that contains the message for 3000th cycle. You read it and you slowly realize that right at this moment Elster and Ariane are dancing, completely unaware of what kind of message their ship has just received. Second, the ending for me was not sad (and I'm not sure how to feel about the fact that many people deemed it so). It was relieving and hopeful in a way. Like there were so many of dead Elsters on the way but I did it. I gave the Elster under my control solace. Ariane may not have recognized her but that didn't matter. She's alive and she's there. I don't know why I feel a little... idk, jealous of Elster. Of the fact that she has someone to go through that "which is hell" for. I remember the feeling of tunnel vision when I went right to 3rd floor of Sierpinski without even trying to check 1st floor or when I was descending on the elevator to the Mine from 8th floor and I was feeling too much dread about WHAT may be on the bottom of the elevator that when I found the track "Cigarette wife" (the one that plays during this descent) I couldn't remember hearing it. I was going to find Ariane. I was not looking for Alina Seo. Elster was coming. And that one track I might never forget - Die Toteninsel - because when this one played I was feeling so peaceful and was trying to take in as much as possible from the scene. Great game. Your video might just convinced me to recomplete the game three more times for other endings. Though I might not let the idea of getting a CRT-monitor for this manifest itself in reality)
The game's use of the name Sierpinski might be a nod to Wacław Sierpiński, a mathematician who has two planar fractals named after himself: Sierpiński triangle and Sierpiński carpet. The recursive, similar-but-not-quite-the-same narrative surrounding the game's replicants reflect a similar property in these fractals.
Hey everyone! Thanks for watching and hope you enjoyed the vid :) it took a lot of time and effort to make this one. I've changed a bunch of thoughts on theories etc. since making this LOL but still hope it's entertaining nonetheless! Wanna also highlight the sponsor real quick and say that you can use my affiliate link for checking out Lost in Cult's projects and back Volume 005 of lock-on here: www.lostincult.co.uk?aff=22 I've really enjoyed writing for them so far! I've done interviews and my own analytical pieces, and the journals themselves are FILLED with amazing work from so many. If you want a magazine that is beautifully produced and made by a passionate community you should check them out :) Anyway, hope y'all have a great week, I appreciate you being here
Really glad you mentioned the mirrored portraits. They always made me consider the relationship two characters can share even if they've never met. Killing Falke is interspersed with embracing Ariane, because like her, Falke has to die for you to keep your promise. Can't believe two people made this game. It will never really set in how incredible a feat it is.
Both Signalis' cassette futurism aesthetic and constant and aggressive visual references to 90s anime and video games feel like an evocation of Hauntology - resurrection of old cultural artifacts due to the cancellation of any idea of a future. This in itself ties into the game's larger theme of eternal return.
This is not only one of my favorite games ever, it’s also one of the best Lovecraftian stories told imho. I struggle to explain to people why I love it so much except that the game hit me so hard emotionally.
In an update, you find new papers that outright state that living gestalt are used as blueprints for replikas, and are than frozen. All records of them are scrapped from documents afterwards.
I am so happy you pointed out the Kairo connection. I love Kairo and when I first noticed the black smudges left by the dead Gestalts, it was such an "ah-ha!" moment for me during my 1st playthrough. The list of references and inspirations for Signalis is fucking endless. I really enjoyed your video. It's the most in depth analysis I've seen yet, and probably my favorite. This is very close to my own thoughts on the game. Thank you for sharing!
Easily my favorite video on Signalis. You mentioned everything I've wanted people to talk about; the paintings, the flashbacks to the Vinetan war, the mystery of the Itou family, the concept of pareidolia, the rhyming architecture in several parts of the game, and then some. I felt like I was going crazy seeing things no one else seemed to talk about. Thank you, I am now free. You broke the cycle.
I think to me what I appreciate so much about this vid, as someone who also puts this game as my favorite of 2022, is that you don't spend much time going through the surface plot of the game. You jump right into what, I think, is the core of this game's lingering appeal. And what I think makes it so special. This is a rare game that begs to its player, so thoroughly, to be read. To think about the context and events before you. To process the emotions and come to your own reading on what it all means. What is real? What is not real? Even without a concrete answer to these questions, the pathos of the game still hit me like a truck. It's a game that makes me want to cry, without even really being able to fully articulate in words why. It worms its way into your subconscious as the sum total of the visual and audio input bombard you with ideas, words, static and emotion. Items and rooms that ask you to fill in the context as best as you can. To me this is what makes the Pareidoilia puzzle one of the most brilliant things I have seen in a game. All of this information is in this game hinting at this larger meaning. A meaning that can be seen with a shift in mental perspective.. and can be changed just as easily to mean something else. A microcosm of the game as a whole inside the game itself. I love this video for engaging with the game on this level. Of raising these questions and providing your views and your interpretation. I think this is the sort of game you could talk about for ages without running out of new things or new questions. And so, raising these questions and pointing out new possible references and context leaves it off on a note to continue to think and continue to engage with these mysteries.
(And my theory on the games events, for what it's worth): My feeling is that the entire game is not 'real.' We are not actually physically in any of the locations we visit. Rather what we are experiencing is the breakdown of reality in the penrose ship. As Elster copes with having to fulfill her promise and undergoing deterioration and the experiences of mental resonance brought about by Ariane's condition getting worse and worse. Of course, the game is clever and gives lots of evidence that can support this, but also some evidence to counter it, as it does with a lot of things. We are given enough to think, but not enough to be able to be certain. To truly understand the reality of the game.
For a game that's so menacingly uncomfortable - you still made a very comfy video 😌. I cannot get enough of this soundtrack, it be making me cry fr 😭 Amazing work as always. 🙏 Thank you for explaining a game that flew 100% over my head.
Something that I love about Signalis is how it becomes a nexus for people to share their feelings, perspectives and experiences surrounding not only the game itself, but the very core nature of its themes in regards to our own perception. In resume: this video has been prepared with eco friendly material gathered from the sea of flesh. It is a beautiful blob that made me appreciate a game I already wish to praise constantly even more than before.
This is the best Signalis video. Other attempts to explain Signalis, including my own, have failed because we're trying to UNDERSTAND the game, which is purposefully impossible. You clearly LOVE the game, which is needed to help others navigate Signalis. Thank you.
This might be my new favourite video on your channel, just delightful. Matching the video aesthetics to the game is on point. It's really fun how much you focused on the themes only, yet this is one of the longer videos you've made. That in itself speaks to how interesting Signalis is.
Thanks for taking your time and giving your insights on this wonderful game. I think Isa is a part of Arianes memory because of the bullying scene. It passes quickly but the german in the flashing scenes after she see's Ariane getting beaten up say "In the end, it was my sister, not me, who ended up helping Ariane. This short moment of weakness cast a lasting shadow over our brief friendship. I've always been useless." So it is either her immense regret which let her manifest again somehow or it's a sort of punishment for not helping her, as Ariane clearly saw her / was looking at her in the scene.
Beautiful words on a beautiful game. I love this game and it's so nice to hear other people's feelings on it. I also appreciate how you stress these are how YOU felt and saw, and how it's important not to take things entirely literally. One of the disappointing things about any mysteries these days are the inevitable "THIS is what really happened" explanation videos that often have a very surface level take. Signalis is so important and rewarding because you don't know all the details and answers, but it can still be tremendously engaging and moving, right down to the little details you keep spotting on repeated playthroughs and watching other people's videos. Another great video, and well worth the wait!
Great overview of the game's narrative maze. It's eerie how Signalis invades the player's mind and haunts us long after it's over. It creates a new layer of empathizing with its characters like we're going through a (very) toned down version of their experience.
The real horror of Signalis is I havent been able to play any other games for months now. Thanks for putting the complex appeal of Signalis into video form, and a superbly wonderful one at that.
This game made me want to make a game similar to it with my friend but that kinda fell through. The thing that hooked me instantly was the the song ‘the Promise’ idk why but it gripped its fingers into me and I played the crap out of it. I even have this song in my playlist
Hello. I just wanted to say that I've found your channel not that long ago and since then watched every video on your channel, some of them more than once. Your videos are one of the few things that keep me sane these days and makes power outages bearable (I live in Ukraine). I download then on my phone because we dont have internet when the power goes out. You also inspired me to start writing and editing again because I had something like a mental block so now I can work on things when we get power back. So basically its my long way to say thank you for what youre doing, it meants a lot. (sorry about my English by the way, must've been a pain to read heh)
**this comment will contain spoilers** it's funny, i didn't interpret ariane as the source (though it makes a LOT of sense). rather, i thought maybe the planet they crash on at the start has some eldritch monster at the bottom of that hole. and that monster used ariane's memories to create the game we play, spurring elster on in light of her promise to ariane. every time elster goes through the gate, everything deteriorates further, which i figure the eldritch entity wants. the process lets it infiltrate this reality more. in short, lesbians are so powerful that we can be used to destroy the world.
i've finished the game last month and there are parts of the game that is still rent free in my head, this and chained echoes is 2 of my favorite games this year
By far the best analysis of this game that I've seen so far, whether its the way you presented it, the way you talked about it, everything ticked the boxes, fantastic work ! I'm also really happy to see I wasnt the only one noticing the reference of "The Shining" with the iconic carpet lmao This game is a pure piece of art to me, I will never forget about this game. Thank you for giving it the justice it deserves
Easily your best video yet, and easily the best piece on Signalis I’ve read/watched. Makes me appreciate this masterpiece of a game even more. Outstanding work.
Really great video I'd say your best actually Loved the cinema feel of it the old tvs the flashing quotes and the camera angles inside the game (how did you do that I was really impressed?) and the dark rooms and just all the shots of the game that could be posters or laptop backgrounds it just sucked me in due to being so visually interesting. Also loved your interpretation, I finished the game not too long ago but despite loving the gameplay I was just really really confused about everything but seeing yours and other youtubers perspectives has honestly elevated the game for me as it truly is a game where your interpretation matters. Like it could be something as wild as the player (and everyone the player represents) is the infection and so whenever you play the game again another Elster is now plagued by memories of the past and again going though the cycle again and only ends when you end it. So yeah in short loved the video.
OH MY GOD THIS VIDEO IS ABSOLUTELY INCREDIBLE, GREAT JOB!!! You are so good at editing ughhhh!!!!! Couple of thoughts: 1 - I think this is one of my favorite videos of yours. The presentation is absolutely delightful, and I also might be a bit biased because it's based on one of my favorite games of 2022 that's been very fresh in my mind lately. 2 - I always think about the relationship between us and our own memories. Are we still us if we lose our memories? If we build new memories, do we become someone else? And what if suddenly our old memories come back, who are we now? To me, SIGNALIS was an absolutely fascinating game exactly because of that, and it's absolutely wonderful to see a video exploring the concept in the game. Especially because there were many details here that I just... never realized, and probably would never have realized if not for this video. So thank you! I hope this video gets the attention it absolutely deserves!
Beautifully made video for a beautiful game! This is the greatest analysis of Signalis story I have seen so far, addressing the roles of both Alina and FALKE, pointing out many references that most of us are unfamiliar with. I wasn’t even aware of the presence of the island of life. Almost everything in Signalis can be connected in some ways. Even the creation background of Schubert’s Standchen perfectly fits the story of Signalis. it’s really crazy how many thoughts were put into this game, have to give rose engine my biggest salute!
What an absolutely superb love letter to Signalis. I'd been really looking forward to the video, and you went above and beyond my expectations. Signalis is now one of my favorite games of all time, and you captured what I loved about it perfectly. (I love that you've played it five times!) The use of footage on the CRT television, my god! Your thoughts on the game were excellent, and beautifully poignant - the focus and exploration on memory was particularly fascinating. The use of first person mod footage was beautiful, too, it was amazing to see so many scenes and areas from a more immersive perspective. I've already got an itch to rewatch the video again, and I can see myself revisiting it many, many times in the future. Thank you for such an incredible video essay, your work and channel continues to be an absolute gem. ETA: I'd forgotten about Kairo, too! I'll be checking it out, it looks intriguing.
The amount of Direct Influence from silent hill in this game made me love it SO much, from many of the aestetic and psychologic aspects, to starting the game.. in a dim grungy bathroom, peering deeply into a mirror.
I haven't played Signalis but this is pretty compelling. One thing you might have picked up on already: "Rotfront" means "Red Front", echoing the idea of the red tide just across the gate.
This is such a beautiful, beautiful video. There have been a lot of lovely videos for this amazing game made that I've really enjoyed a ton, but you've truly captured something so special about it that I've had trouble putting into words--that I still have trouble putting into words. Thank you so much.
Many people recommended Signalis to me after I got deep into the Fear & Hunger series last year and was looking for another similar game to play. Spectacular game…much like F&H I couldn’t stop thinking about it for weeks. Just started thinking about it again and found your video, very well done you have the perfect voice for videos like this!!!
Frankly, I find sharing a consciousness with someone intriguing. Like, you stay at a place and now you know piano. Of course, it’s kind of hard to look on the bright side when the same event is making demons with legs for heads.
Finally got around to playing the game so I could watch this -- I love this video! I think you do an excellent job at laying out your own interpretations while not providing too many answers, like leaving breadcrumbs for us to come to our own conclusions. It's fascinating to see so many different interpretations, all of which plausible. Easily my GOTY for 2022, thanks for showcasing it and doing it justice!
Finish the game yesterday and in my way to understand more about story and the meaning of the end i got (memory ending) but ended up way more confused about it after looking for information. And formed some theories as well with each end The one were Elster leave dying alone looking for her home, this case is vineta and not ariane. The Memory is Elster looking for her home, Ariane and the happy moments they've shared The Promise ending is the one were take more time for the player because Elster doesn't want to reach Ariane knowing that she want to end her life but ultimately Elster wanted to keep the promise, ending Ariane´s life and agony, the loop and Elster finally resting along side the person she loved. This game really marked me, thank you for this video
During the cutscene where Elster and Ariane look to their names, if you look very carefully in good quality images you see the furthest one away for both of them is Falke, hinting that she plays a bigger role and linking back to how Falke is unintentionally the anchor for Ariane to latch to while in the Penrose.... I always took the interpretation that the station and characters are part of Arianes life, how all Replikas are aggressive and untrustworthy except Elster, Isa looking for Erika much like she did when they were kids and with Ariane wanting to bring Elster back to life inadvertently brings everyone back, enemies don't stay dead, Isa is alive when her and Erika died presumably before Ariane went on the Penrose....damn I could sit and dissect this game forever it's amazing!!
Though no doubt said elsewhere, I really need to gush about the presentation on this video. Aside from the blending of external sources with the in game footage, such as the evangelion character overlaid onto the rapidly flashing tv (which is an excellent way of demonstrating the game's blending of memory and reality) and also the gameplay sequences themselves, which seemed to be displayed on some kind of CRT monitor, but I can't tell if it was a real-life set up (which, if so, props to you for putting in the effort) or if it was some kind of a 3D render. Fantastic work!
A belated follow up: I watched 'Kairo', and it was incredibly memorable experience. I'd also forgotten to highlight how much I loved your Signalis video essay highlighting the paintings used in the game, and how there are multiple copies of The Isle of the Dead and The Shore of Oblivion, which I had no idea about. It made their use in the game in turn all the more meaningful and poignant.
So far I only watched your intro and I am already SO interested what you have to say. Signalis touched me on a deep level and I cannot fully understand how or why. Just that it does.
I'm a member of a DID system. The concepts of blurred identities, sense of self, and memory all resonated strongly with me. Often, we find ourselves not entirely sure who we are, who's fronting, and our memories shift and obscure, blending into one another at times to the point we can no longer make sense of them. Often we do not know what memories belong to whom. The passage of time is much the same.
I'm so glad a game this good got a video of appropriately amazing quality exploring it, genuinely one of the best videos on a games story and themes I've ever seen.
you know, I love lore and plot, so I fine combed the notes and here are something I notice: Alina and Elster's gestalt were in service in Empire war. Then one of them use the artifact (fake ending, maybe it is the Gestalt memory resurfaced), maybe to save the other, maybe this was the making of Elster replika. After that Aline and Elster unit was working on Leng mining, where Ariane was born before going to Rotfront. Finally, Ariane went to space from there. The player is Elter-512 from Penrose 512, Ariane ship. But the oddest thing is Falke unit seem to merge with player Elster, not Ariane, and the artifact safe in Ariane room, which is 2 rooms away from Falke boss room. >The following is purely theory and interpretation: The "memory" end (short playtime) vs "promise" end (long play time) ("leave" doesn't have direct opposing requirement in comparison to others) give me an idea: Elster is going back in time by sending her memory to previous Replika version. With shorter playtime, we have Ariane who had waiting so long, she forgot Elster. And the opposite for the long playtime. Which raise the question how did Elster do it, without Ariane power? Bring us to the artifact. Ariane may be the bioresonance source, but Elster was the one with the artifact power all along. Thanks to which that Elster can save, load and insert herself into Elster units. But with Falke who is also a bioresonant, Falke involuntary merged with Elster 512 in the process. Even Alina on Leng is merging to Ariane picture. It was Elster who is corrupting everything the closer she is to the artifact. >lore interpretation: From the game play wise, I can say the "promise" end happened first. Because on first playthrough, you will kill, take damage and spend lot of time to explore the game. Then the later on 2nd and 3rd times your skill is enough to shorten the time play (the only way to increase "memory" requirement value) and explore more of the npcs you missed, checking secret door (increasing "leave" requirement). "Artifact" ending requires you to get AT LEAST ONE ENDING first. But "artifact" end is also what make the game start in the first place, looping everything once again for a moment of eternity. We are playing the game with a backward timeline, a mobius strip that converge at the artifact, as Elster 512.
I feel like I haven't had the time or the right mindset to properly get into this game yet. I also have a strange thing about 2D-ish horror games that I rediscovered as I played the first 20 minutes or so. Something I can't quite put my finger on. Even if it turns out I won't enjoy it as much as I've seen other people do, it definitely is a game that is *very* interesting to hear other people discuss. And it certainly feels like a game tailor made to be discussed on your channel. Great work as always! I especially like the observation that the people in this universe are trying to create perfect artificial humanity with highly outdated tech, and how that detail alone tells us so much about how futile their attempts have ultimately been. Or maybe that's why they actually managed to replicate just how chaotic the human experience is. I feel like one can apply that to something like the Terminator franchise as well. How their "retro" technology is used to build something not even it can fully comprehend or control. It's an interesting contradiction I think!
Great timing with this, because I just finished it in the early hours of yesterday morning, with the Memory ending. This is a game that is going to stay with me for a very long time. What a wonderful video as well, excellent breakdown of all the themes and events of the game. Well done! You’ve earnt a new subscriber 😊
I'm so excited to watch a video of yours about Signalis, I played this non stop on release and am waiting for that physical release in February to plunge in once more, but these last few months I've been slowly digesting my experience with it. I'll edit this comment with my thoughts on the video after I watch it, thanks for your work!
In Falke's words: Signalis shows you, no, touches you, poisons you. It truly posseses you, once you start playing, you can't stop wondering about things, and the more you know, the less you know and the more you want to know. It also makes you look for happiness, cling to hope, only giving you a feel of despair and dread in exchange the more you progress. You begin playing as Elster and the game turns you into Elster.
Your videos are wonderful and your narration super relaxing. You have an appreciation for aspects of games that I never even thought about. I'm definitely subscribing.
I don't know if I want to watch the video because I haven't played the game yet and don't want even the slightest spoilers but on the other hand I'm SO SO excited for new video
I love this game and all the post game clarity it brings with it. I love all the theorizing it created. The only thing about all of this that bother me really is that the Penrose-512 spent at least 8 years going away from the solar system. How did it get back? Maybe Elster turned it around before dying? .... OH FUDGE! Did it even get back?
In my opinion, Signalis is THE titular "King in Yellow". The more you want to know about it, the crazier one gets.
I love Signalis' aesthetic so much
I too am enchanted by the cassette futurist, international Soviet, anime lesbian aesthetic
I just finished signalis and got the “Memory” ending, and I realized something during the credits. It made me tear up
Spoilers!
As you might know,
The last scene is where the player “Elster” stays besides Ariane “the white haired girl”
And then Elster says that she wants to stay by Ariane’s side for a bit longer. If you play with a controller, you can actually feel the controller vibrates like a heartbeat. The heartbeats are active during credits, even during the results screen. I believe this is intentional. You the player are the one who decides to end her cycle, thus ending her life. To continue you must hold any button, they don’t want you to ACCIDENTALLY press a button and end the cycle.
This made me feel so much guilt knowing that I’m the one who will end her cycle.
So I turned off the game without skipping the RESULTS screen
one of the best games last year, shame it is still kinda underappreciated and mostly went under the radar
I got most of my friends into it. After weeks of nagging and praising.
Its not underappreciated, people just dont know that it exist. As soon its get touched, everyone loves it.
A lot of the best gems are sadly 🥲
Just how Arianna infected the world with her memories and emotions, she infected my head with them as well.
Can't stop thinking about it, it is truly going into the list of my top favourites of all time
the character in the back (23:43) is Falke, being overwritten by Elster. She's on both sides.
You know, only after watching this did I pick up on the most obvious Silent Hill reference in the game. A world shaped by the memories and thoughts of a dying girl. Ariane is our Alessa AND our Mary. Boy, this game is going to live rent-free in my mind for years to come.
This is the best Signalis video, I didn't even realize the photo at 22:43 was showing the gestalt Elster was based off of and I've played through the game twice this month
I'll share my experience with one completion of the game (Memory ending)
First, the most horrifying part of the game for me was when you find the document on Penrose that contains the message for 3000th cycle. You read it and you slowly realize that right at this moment Elster and Ariane are dancing, completely unaware of what kind of message their ship has just received.
Second, the ending for me was not sad (and I'm not sure how to feel about the fact that many people deemed it so). It was relieving and hopeful in a way. Like there were so many of dead Elsters on the way but I did it. I gave the Elster under my control solace. Ariane may not have recognized her but that didn't matter. She's alive and she's there.
I don't know why I feel a little... idk, jealous of Elster. Of the fact that she has someone to go through that "which is hell" for. I remember the feeling of tunnel vision when I went right to 3rd floor of Sierpinski without even trying to check 1st floor or when I was descending on the elevator to the Mine from 8th floor and I was feeling too much dread about WHAT may be on the bottom of the elevator that when I found the track "Cigarette wife" (the one that plays during this descent) I couldn't remember hearing it. I was going to find Ariane. I was not looking for Alina Seo. Elster was coming. And that one track I might never forget - Die Toteninsel - because when this one played I was feeling so peaceful and was trying to take in as much as possible from the scene. Great game.
Your video might just convinced me to recomplete the game three more times for other endings. Though I might not let the idea of getting a CRT-monitor for this manifest itself in reality)
The game's use of the name Sierpinski might be a nod to Wacław Sierpiński, a mathematician who has two planar fractals named after himself: Sierpiński triangle and Sierpiński carpet. The recursive, similar-but-not-quite-the-same narrative surrounding the game's replicants reflect a similar property in these fractals.
Hey everyone! Thanks for watching and hope you enjoyed the vid :) it took a lot of time and effort to make this one. I've changed a bunch of thoughts on theories etc. since making this LOL but still hope it's entertaining nonetheless!
Wanna also highlight the sponsor real quick and say that you can use my affiliate link for checking out Lost in Cult's projects and back Volume 005 of lock-on here: www.lostincult.co.uk?aff=22
I've really enjoyed writing for them so far! I've done interviews and my own analytical pieces, and the journals themselves are FILLED with amazing work from so many. If you want a magazine that is beautifully produced and made by a passionate community you should check them out :)
Anyway, hope y'all have a great week, I appreciate you being here
Really glad you mentioned the mirrored portraits. They always made me consider the relationship two characters can share even if they've never met.
Killing Falke is interspersed with embracing Ariane, because like her, Falke has to die for you to keep your promise.
Can't believe two people made this game. It will never really set in how incredible a feat it is.
Both Signalis' cassette futurism aesthetic and constant and aggressive visual references to 90s anime and video games feel like an evocation of Hauntology - resurrection of old cultural artifacts due to the cancellation of any idea of a future. This in itself ties into the game's larger theme of eternal return.
This is not only one of my favorite games ever, it’s also one of the best Lovecraftian stories told imho. I struggle to explain to people why I love it so much except that the game hit me so hard emotionally.
In an update, you find new papers that outright state that living gestalt are used as blueprints for replikas, and are than frozen. All records of them are scrapped from documents afterwards.
I am so happy you pointed out the Kairo connection. I love Kairo and when I first noticed the black smudges left by the dead Gestalts, it was such an "ah-ha!" moment for me during my 1st playthrough. The list of references and inspirations for Signalis is fucking endless. I really enjoyed your video. It's the most in depth analysis I've seen yet, and probably my favorite. This is very close to my own thoughts on the game. Thank you for sharing!
Easily my favorite video on Signalis. You mentioned everything I've wanted people to talk about; the paintings, the flashbacks to the Vinetan war, the mystery of the Itou family, the concept of pareidolia, the rhyming architecture in several parts of the game, and then some. I felt like I was going crazy seeing things no one else seemed to talk about. Thank you, I am now free. You broke the cycle.
Playing footage on an actual CRT was an amazing touch.
THE CRT! 🥺
I think to me what I appreciate so much about this vid, as someone who also puts this game as my favorite of 2022, is that you don't spend much time going through the surface plot of the game.
You jump right into what, I think, is the core of this game's lingering appeal. And what I think makes it so special. This is a rare game that begs to its player, so thoroughly, to be read. To think about the context and events before you. To process the emotions and come to your own reading on what it all means. What is real? What is not real? Even without a concrete answer to these questions, the pathos of the game still hit me like a truck. It's a game that makes me want to cry, without even really being able to fully articulate in words why. It worms its way into your subconscious as the sum total of the visual and audio input bombard you with ideas, words, static and emotion. Items and rooms that ask you to fill in the context as best as you can.
To me this is what makes the Pareidoilia puzzle one of the most brilliant things I have seen in a game. All of this information is in this game hinting at this larger meaning. A meaning that can be seen with a shift in mental perspective.. and can be changed just as easily to mean something else. A microcosm of the game as a whole inside the game itself.
I love this video for engaging with the game on this level. Of raising these questions and providing your views and your interpretation. I think this is the sort of game you could talk about for ages without running out of new things or new questions. And so, raising these questions and pointing out new possible references and context leaves it off on a note to continue to think and continue to engage with these mysteries.
(And my theory on the games events, for what it's worth): My feeling is that the entire game is not 'real.' We are not actually physically in any of the locations we visit. Rather what we are experiencing is the breakdown of reality in the penrose ship. As Elster copes with having to fulfill her promise and undergoing deterioration and the experiences of mental resonance brought about by Ariane's condition getting worse and worse. Of course, the game is clever and gives lots of evidence that can support this, but also some evidence to counter it, as it does with a lot of things. We are given enough to think, but not enough to be able to be certain. To truly understand the reality of the game.
Amazing analysis,
Well made and well articulated as to why Signalis is such a amazing title.
For a game that's so menacingly uncomfortable - you still made a very comfy video 😌. I cannot get enough of this soundtrack, it be making me cry fr 😭 Amazing work as always. 🙏 Thank you for explaining a game that flew 100% over my head.
Something that I love about Signalis is how it becomes a nexus for people to share their feelings, perspectives and experiences surrounding not only the game itself, but the very core nature of its themes in regards to our own perception.
In resume: this video has been prepared with eco friendly material gathered from the sea of flesh. It is a beautiful blob that made me appreciate a game I already wish to praise constantly even more than before.
Fantastic video, I haven't felt this way about a horror game since I played Silent Hill 2. This game is an absolute masterpiece. It's so good.
OMG MARIA IS BACK AT IT AGAIN BABYYYYYYYYYYYY
This is the best Signalis video. Other attempts to explain Signalis, including my own, have failed because we're trying to UNDERSTAND the game, which is purposefully impossible. You clearly LOVE the game, which is needed to help others navigate Signalis. Thank you.
This might be my new favourite video on your channel, just delightful. Matching the video aesthetics to the game is on point. It's really fun how much you focused on the themes only, yet this is one of the longer videos you've made. That in itself speaks to how interesting Signalis is.
Thanks for taking your time and giving your insights on this wonderful game. I think Isa is a part of Arianes memory because of the bullying scene. It passes quickly but the german in the flashing scenes after she see's Ariane getting beaten up say "In the end, it was my sister, not me, who ended up helping Ariane. This short moment of weakness cast a lasting shadow over our brief friendship. I've always been useless."
So it is either her immense regret which let her manifest again somehow or it's a sort of punishment for not helping her, as Ariane clearly saw her / was looking at her in the scene.
Or Ariane manifests her wishes into flesh which turns into Isa
@@ShayCooper-fz1dwomg stop making so much sense. Actually, dont stop
Beautiful words on a beautiful game. I love this game and it's so nice to hear other people's feelings on it. I also appreciate how you stress these are how YOU felt and saw, and how it's important not to take things entirely literally. One of the disappointing things about any mysteries these days are the inevitable "THIS is what really happened" explanation videos that often have a very surface level take. Signalis is so important and rewarding because you don't know all the details and answers, but it can still be tremendously engaging and moving, right down to the little details you keep spotting on repeated playthroughs and watching other people's videos. Another great video, and well worth the wait!
Great overview of the game's narrative maze. It's eerie how Signalis invades the player's mind and haunts us long after it's over. It creates a new layer of empathizing with its characters like we're going through a (very) toned down version of their experience.
The real horror of Signalis is I havent been able to play any other games for months now. Thanks for putting the complex appeal of Signalis into video form, and a superbly wonderful one at that.
This game made me want to make a game similar to it with my friend but that kinda fell through.
The thing that hooked me instantly was the the song ‘the Promise’ idk why but it gripped its fingers into me and I played the crap out of it. I even have this song in my playlist
Hello. I just wanted to say that I've found your channel not that long ago and since then watched every video on your channel, some of them more than once. Your videos are one of the few things that keep me sane these days and makes power outages bearable (I live in Ukraine). I download then on my phone because we dont have internet when the power goes out. You also inspired me to start writing and editing again because I had something like a mental block so now I can work on things when we get power back. So basically its my long way to say thank you for what youre doing, it meants a lot. (sorry about my English by the way, must've been a pain to read heh)
**this comment will contain spoilers**
it's funny, i didn't interpret ariane as the source (though it makes a LOT of sense). rather, i thought maybe the planet they crash on at the start has some eldritch monster at the bottom of that hole. and that monster used ariane's memories to create the game we play, spurring elster on in light of her promise to ariane. every time elster goes through the gate, everything deteriorates further, which i figure the eldritch entity wants. the process lets it infiltrate this reality more. in short, lesbians are so powerful that we can be used to destroy the world.
i've finished the game last month and there are parts of the game that is still rent free in my head, this and chained echoes is 2 of my favorite games this year
By far the best analysis of this game that I've seen so far, whether its the way you presented it, the way you talked about it, everything ticked the boxes, fantastic work ! I'm also really happy to see I wasnt the only one noticing the reference of "The Shining" with the iconic carpet lmao
This game is a pure piece of art to me, I will never forget about this game. Thank you for giving it the justice it deserves
A horror masterpiece, such a beautiful and haunting game.
Easily your best video yet, and easily the best piece on Signalis I’ve read/watched. Makes me appreciate this masterpiece of a game even more. Outstanding work.
Really great video I'd say your best actually
Loved the cinema feel of it the old tvs the flashing quotes and the camera angles inside the game (how did you do that I was really impressed?) and the dark rooms and just all the shots of the game that could be posters or laptop backgrounds it just sucked me in due to being so visually interesting.
Also loved your interpretation, I finished the game not too long ago but despite loving the gameplay I was just really really confused about everything but seeing yours and other youtubers perspectives has honestly elevated the game for me as it truly is a game where your interpretation matters.
Like it could be something as wild as the player (and everyone the player represents) is the infection and so whenever you play the game again another Elster is now plagued by memories of the past and again going though the cycle again and only ends when you end it.
So yeah in short loved the video.
OH MY GOD THIS VIDEO IS ABSOLUTELY INCREDIBLE, GREAT JOB!!! You are so good at editing ughhhh!!!!! Couple of thoughts:
1 - I think this is one of my favorite videos of yours. The presentation is absolutely delightful, and I also might be a bit biased because it's based on one of my favorite games of 2022 that's been very fresh in my mind lately.
2 - I always think about the relationship between us and our own memories. Are we still us if we lose our memories? If we build new memories, do we become someone else? And what if suddenly our old memories come back, who are we now? To me, SIGNALIS was an absolutely fascinating game exactly because of that, and it's absolutely wonderful to see a video exploring the concept in the game. Especially because there were many details here that I just... never realized, and probably would never have realized if not for this video. So thank you! I hope this video gets the attention it absolutely deserves!
Beautifully made video for a beautiful game! This is the greatest analysis of Signalis story I have seen so far, addressing the roles of both Alina and FALKE, pointing out many references that most of us are unfamiliar with. I wasn’t even aware of the presence of the island of life. Almost everything in Signalis can be connected in some ways. Even the creation background of Schubert’s Standchen perfectly fits the story of Signalis. it’s really crazy how many thoughts were put into this game, have to give rose engine my biggest salute!
What an absolutely superb love letter to Signalis. I'd been really looking forward to the video, and you went above and beyond my expectations. Signalis is now one of my favorite games of all time, and you captured what I loved about it perfectly. (I love that you've played it five times!) The use of footage on the CRT television, my god! Your thoughts on the game were excellent, and beautifully poignant - the focus and exploration on memory was particularly fascinating. The use of first person mod footage was beautiful, too, it was amazing to see so many scenes and areas from a more immersive perspective. I've already got an itch to rewatch the video again, and I can see myself revisiting it many, many times in the future. Thank you for such an incredible video essay, your work and channel continues to be an absolute gem.
ETA: I'd forgotten about Kairo, too! I'll be checking it out, it looks intriguing.
my english teacher told me abt signalis and im so glad its getting the coverage it deserves
The amount of Direct Influence from silent hill in this game made me love it SO much, from many of the aestetic and psychologic aspects, to starting the game.. in a dim grungy bathroom, peering deeply into a mirror.
I haven't played Signalis but this is pretty compelling. One thing you might have picked up on already: "Rotfront" means "Red Front", echoing the idea of the red tide just across the gate.
This is such a beautiful, beautiful video. There have been a lot of lovely videos for this amazing game made that I've really enjoyed a ton, but you've truly captured something so special about it that I've had trouble putting into words--that I still have trouble putting into words. Thank you so much.
Many people recommended Signalis to me after I got deep into the Fear & Hunger series last year and was looking for another similar game to play. Spectacular game…much like F&H I couldn’t stop thinking about it for weeks. Just started thinking about it again and found your video, very well done you have the perfect voice for videos like this!!!
The game itself is creating a pool of memories that we share with each other
Can't believe I didn't catch this video on release. Such a perfect match for this channel, legit stoked to settle in for this one.
Frankly, I find sharing a consciousness with someone intriguing. Like, you stay at a place and now you know piano. Of course, it’s kind of hard to look on the bright side when the same event is making demons with legs for heads.
SIGNALIS goes hard asf
This is THE best video on signalis I've seen so far, thank you very much!
Finally got around to playing the game so I could watch this -- I love this video! I think you do an excellent job at laying out your own interpretations while not providing too many answers, like leaving breadcrumbs for us to come to our own conclusions. It's fascinating to see so many different interpretations, all of which plausible. Easily my GOTY for 2022, thanks for showcasing it and doing it justice!
Also I thought I was reaching when I connected the black body outlines to Kairo, so that part was extremely vindicating for me lol
Finish the game yesterday and in my way to understand more about story and the meaning of the end i got (memory ending) but ended up way more confused about it after looking for information.
And formed some theories as well with each end
The one were Elster leave dying alone looking for her home, this case is vineta and not ariane.
The Memory is Elster looking for her home, Ariane and the happy moments they've shared
The Promise ending is the one were take more time for the player because Elster doesn't want to reach Ariane knowing that she want to end her life but ultimately Elster wanted to keep the promise, ending Ariane´s life and agony, the loop and Elster finally resting along side the person she loved.
This game really marked me, thank you for this video
During the cutscene where Elster and Ariane look to their names, if you look very carefully in good quality images you see the furthest one away for both of them is Falke, hinting that she plays a bigger role and linking back to how Falke is unintentionally the anchor for Ariane to latch to while in the Penrose.... I always took the interpretation that the station and characters are part of Arianes life, how all Replikas are aggressive and untrustworthy except Elster, Isa looking for Erika much like she did when they were kids and with Ariane wanting to bring Elster back to life inadvertently brings everyone back, enemies don't stay dead, Isa is alive when her and Erika died presumably before Ariane went on the Penrose....damn I could sit and dissect this game forever it's amazing!!
Though no doubt said elsewhere, I really need to gush about the presentation on this video. Aside from the blending of external sources with the in game footage, such as the evangelion character overlaid onto the rapidly flashing tv (which is an excellent way of demonstrating the game's blending of memory and reality) and also the gameplay sequences themselves, which seemed to be displayed on some kind of CRT monitor, but I can't tell if it was a real-life set up (which, if so, props to you for putting in the effort) or if it was some kind of a 3D render.
Fantastic work!
The feeling which arises from Signalis can only be described through poetry or pure music.
Personal GOTY 2023, and if nothing else- we'll see- but-.. Game of the Decade. Such an impact.
Starfield may be GOTY 2023..but for me Signalis is potentially game of the decade..
even in just the first minute it really shines through how much u love this game
A belated follow up: I watched 'Kairo', and it was incredibly memorable experience. I'd also forgotten to highlight how much I loved your Signalis video essay highlighting the paintings used in the game, and how there are multiple copies of The Isle of the Dead and The Shore of Oblivion, which I had no idea about. It made their use in the game in turn all the more meaningful and poignant.
Babe wake up, new Maria video is up
So far I only watched your intro and I am already SO interested what you have to say. Signalis touched me on a deep level and I cannot fully understand how or why. Just that it does.
I'm a member of a DID system. The concepts of blurred identities, sense of self, and memory all resonated strongly with me. Often, we find ourselves not entirely sure who we are, who's fronting, and our memories shift and obscure, blending into one another at times to the point we can no longer make sense of them. Often we do not know what memories belong to whom. The passage of time is much the same.
This is really good! I love the analysis you made for its in-universe elements as well. :)
I'm so glad a game this good got a video of appropriately amazing quality exploring it, genuinely one of the best videos on a games story and themes I've ever seen.
Signalis is so so good! With every rad video somebody makes like this, I hope more people play it and get into it.
hiya, just want to say i havent gotten around to beating this game yet, but as soon as i do, this is immediately going on the watch list :)
Just beat this game a couple of days ago because of you, so seeing this vid pop up is awesome. I loved this game.
you know, I love lore and plot, so I fine combed the notes and here are something I notice:
Alina and Elster's gestalt were in service in Empire war. Then one of them use the artifact (fake ending, maybe it is the Gestalt memory resurfaced), maybe to save the other, maybe this was the making of Elster replika.
After that Aline and Elster unit was working on Leng mining, where Ariane was born before going to Rotfront. Finally, Ariane went to space from there.
The player is Elter-512 from Penrose 512, Ariane ship. But the oddest thing is Falke unit seem to merge with player Elster, not Ariane, and the artifact safe in Ariane room, which is 2 rooms away from Falke boss room.
>The following is purely theory and interpretation:
The "memory" end (short playtime) vs "promise" end (long play time) ("leave" doesn't have direct opposing requirement in comparison to others) give me an idea: Elster is going back in time by sending her memory to previous Replika version. With shorter playtime, we have Ariane who had waiting so long, she forgot Elster. And the opposite for the long playtime. Which raise the question how did Elster do it, without Ariane power?
Bring us to the artifact. Ariane may be the bioresonance source, but Elster was the one with the artifact power all along. Thanks to which that Elster can save, load and insert herself into Elster units. But with Falke who is also a bioresonant, Falke involuntary merged with Elster 512 in the process. Even Alina on Leng is merging to Ariane picture. It was Elster who is corrupting everything the closer she is to the artifact.
>lore interpretation:
From the game play wise, I can say the "promise" end happened first. Because on first playthrough, you will kill, take damage and spend lot of time to explore the game. Then the later on 2nd and 3rd times your skill is enough to shorten the time play (the only way to increase "memory" requirement value) and explore more of the npcs you missed, checking secret door (increasing "leave" requirement). "Artifact" ending requires you to get AT LEAST ONE ENDING first. But "artifact" end is also what make the game start in the first place, looping everything once again for a moment of eternity. We are playing the game with a backward timeline, a mobius strip that converge at the artifact, as Elster 512.
I feel like I haven't had the time or the right mindset to properly get into this game yet. I also have a strange thing about 2D-ish horror games that I rediscovered as I played the first 20 minutes or so. Something I can't quite put my finger on. Even if it turns out I won't enjoy it as much as I've seen other people do, it definitely is a game that is *very* interesting to hear other people discuss. And it certainly feels like a game tailor made to be discussed on your channel. Great work as always!
I especially like the observation that the people in this universe are trying to create perfect artificial humanity with highly outdated tech, and how that detail alone tells us so much about how futile their attempts have ultimately been. Or maybe that's why they actually managed to replicate just how chaotic the human experience is. I feel like one can apply that to something like the Terminator franchise as well. How their "retro" technology is used to build something not even it can fully comprehend or control. It's an interesting contradiction I think!
I really love this channel
holy shit you really did your research. The references enrich my experience of the game so much. Easy subscribe, keep it up
Damn I didn't even notice the repeating imagery in the room layouts. Awesome catch!
BEAUTIFUL VIDEO you did a incredible job with everything :D
Great timing with this, because I just finished it in the early hours of yesterday morning, with the Memory ending. This is a game that is going to stay with me for a very long time. What a wonderful video as well, excellent breakdown of all the themes and events of the game. Well done! You’ve earnt a new subscriber 😊
I'm so excited to watch a video of yours about Signalis, I played this non stop on release and am waiting for that physical release in February to plunge in once more, but these last few months I've been slowly digesting my experience with it. I'll edit this comment with my thoughts on the video after I watch it, thanks for your work!
Kolibri is my favorite of the pre-corrupted Replikas in signalis. An absolute bitch to fight but I love them regardless. Also Mynah is a close second.
This game... I feel like a part of me is stuck in the cycle with them ever since I've played it. The soundtrack takes me straight back. Zyklus.
Song of my soul, my voice is dead,
Die thou, unsung, as tears unshed
Shall dry and die in
Lost Carcosa.
What a great Video, probably the best analysis I watched so far, it literally kept me up at night.
This game really gives me that Silent Hill 2 feeling, not the gameplay obviously, but the story and the puzzles.
In Falke's words: Signalis shows you, no, touches you, poisons you.
It truly posseses you, once you start playing, you can't stop wondering about things, and the more you know, the less you know and the more you want to know.
It also makes you look for happiness, cling to hope, only giving you a feel of despair and dread in exchange the more you progress.
You begin playing as Elster and the game turns you into Elster.
I just want to say that your description of bioresonance is the most clear that I saw on UA-cam. Nice work!
Liked your analysis, or interpretation very much. Thanks for making the video. Also liked that you mentioned „Kairo“… 👌🏻😍
Wonderful video!
I love your use of CRTs.
I also never made the connection between the twins and Elster. Fascinating revelation.
It really is a beautiful game! Thank you for making this. :)
signalis is a gorgeous game and i must say it has the best ost and sound design i've experienced in years... truly a masterpiece.
Your presentation of Signalis was amazing
God I love this game so much I love how many different conclusions you can come to I love it so much
Your videos are wonderful and your narration super relaxing. You have an appreciation for aspects of games that I never even thought about. I'm definitely subscribing.
Haven't played signalis yet, but i wanna mention this video is mentioned in GMTK's january reading list, which is always nice
Another certified Eurothug W
I don't know if I want to watch the video because I haven't played the game yet and don't want even the slightest spoilers but on the other hand I'm SO SO excited for new video
Gorgeous video
This is one of those games that just sticks with you hours after you finish it
What a great deep dive into one of the games that became one of my favorites immediately.
Ooo im going to have to come back to this vid after I play the game
Fantastic video. I bounced off the game on first play but this has got me up for jumping back in!
Fantastic analysis to a great game! (Nice touch with the first person footage, I love the aesthetic of the game)
Great work ! Thank you.
I love this game and all the post game clarity it brings with it. I love all the theorizing it created. The only thing about all of this that bother me really is that the Penrose-512 spent at least 8 years going away from the solar system. How did it get back? Maybe Elster turned it around before dying? .... OH FUDGE! Did it even get back?