The Signifier

The Signifier is almost an essential experience for anybody looking for a sophisticated and complex meditation on the effects of technological progress on the nature of humanity but as a game it doesn’t quite hang together. Even more frustrating is the fact that its short running time means that it ends just as it's starting to find its feet. As a result it’s a title that I am really glad that I have played but can’t fully commit to recommending it.

The Signifier is an ambitious game that is also aware of its limits. Unfortunately, that is not enough to elevate it among the greats. It offers a great, alienating and at times disturbing atmosphere, but its strongest suit is tackling issues that force the player out of his comfort zone. Unfortunately, mechanics are not as strong as the atmosphere, which makes the short duration (about six hours) a good choice. The ending is a bit fuzzy, however – and probably a setup for a sequel.

The Signifier has all the conceptual elements required to deliver a great experience. The world intrigues and engages, the personal relationships have potential, the brain scanning idea opens up a lot of gameplay possibilities. The game never quite reaches that potential but it’s still great to see such solid foundations for an indie title. Gamers who love immersion and emotional experiences should dive deep into the memories and dreams The Signifier offers, even if the gameplay is a little limited and the ending fails to live up to the initial excitement. And I truly hope that a sequel or a spin-off is in development to take advantage of all the solid groundwork that the developers created.

The Signifier could have been some much more than it turned out to be. It does a lot of stuff right, though, especially regarding the design of the stages. It creates a believable, atmospheric world and the story, alltough not too creative, is intense. If it wasn’t for the ending and the boring gameplay, The Signifier could have been a classic.

The Signifier is an intriguing journey into an unknown and dark mind, in search of uncomfortable truths and buried memories.

Those looking for an intriguing sci-fi tech thriller could do worse than The Signifier – it’s competent and intriguing until the second half. That said, with a more fleshed–out plot, more interesting puzzles and a stronger finish, Playmestudio could have had something special on their hands.

Even without hitting all the objectives set at the outset, Playmestudio's debut work remains, if nothing else, a laudable attempt to bring to the stage themes and theories of a certain depth, which we hope will not go completely unnoticed.

The Signifier has a quite an original concept, but falls short in holding any momentum with repetitive sections and and a mess of hastily forgotten plot points. If only the dev team had a bigger budget, then maybe this game could have become something entirely else.

If its atmosphere as its concept are successful, The Signifier struggles to develop its very good ideas and comes up against a certain repetitiveness even though the ground of the game would have been fertile enough to diversify both the puzzles and the phases of the game.

The inherent weirdness of exploring a person’s memories and an ever-evolving mystery help make up for some obtuse gameplay and a lack of proper resolution in The Signifier.