Signal Veil, preview of the Chilean horror game that looks to past classics

Over the years, the video game industry has seen multiple genres lose their popularity or disappear entirely from circulation, perhaps due to market changes or technological innovations that have rendered some mechanics or design choices obsolete.

For example, rhythm games have seen the instrument-shaped peripherals that accompanied us during countless house parties disappear, embracing virtual reality instead. Or point-and-click games, which have become a product of the past and only survive thanks to a few indie studios or some remakes and remastered versions.

The horror genre, however, has undergone a design change that has totally revolutionized the way the genre is developed and understood: the introduction of the over-the-shoulder camera.
A mechanic introduced in the early 2000s that, over the years, has become the mainstream choice for many action and horror experiences.

This innovation has retired the fixed camera, which for years allowed for the management of the limited computing power of old consoles, but also created suspense and tension with enemy and space management based on what is seen and unseen.

However, in recent years, a growing number of software houses have decided to develop their titles using this tool from the past, combining it with innovative ideas or stylistic choices, bringing the fixed camera back to life and creating products that have managed to leave their mark on the industry: Signalis, Them and Us, Murder House, Alisa, Crow Country, and Tormented Souls, to name a few.

And soon to this list we could add Signal Veil, a survival horror title developed by Time Hunters with the aim of narrating a horror-tinged story, proposing the style of old 32-bit era classics, made of environmental puzzles, inventory management, and fixed cameras.

The inspiration from classic horror genres is not accidental. Time Hunters is made up of many former Dual Effect members, the studio that gave birth to the Tormented Souls saga, who for their debut title decided to combine what they do best – survival horror – with their passion for Japanese animation.

Signal Veil is an ode to old-school survival horror

I had the opportunity to try an exclusive preview of Signal Veil, and the game proved to be a product with excellent potential, despite some things that clearly need refinement, with many captivating ideas and a top-notch graphics compartment.

As soon as the game starts, it's clear that the inspiration from old survival horror games is not just visual. Signal Veil allows you to choose between modern controls and tank controls – and only a madman wouldn't use tank controls in a fixed-camera game – and furthermore, it offers a completely original inventory management system.

The preview I was able to try lasted about thirty minutes and allowed me to get acquainted with the game's protagonist, with whom I had to explore the corridors and classrooms of a school.

Right from the start, it's clear that there's something sinister in the air. The room where the trial begins is protected by an Ofuda – a typical Japanese paper charm – and after turning a few corners, I found myself in front of one of the many monstrosities that inhabit the place.

Playing Signal Veil, one of the first things that stands out is the deeply Japanese design of the title, both in its aesthetics and its settings. The school I explored seems straight out of an anime, and the various writings on the blackboards or posters are in Japanese.
This, as José Rojas, CEO of Time Hunters, explained to me, is dictated by the Chilean studio's love for Japanese animation and Japan in general, which over the years has allowed the team to collaborate with major companies in the country and refine their style to make it an artistic signature.

How does Signal Veil play with a controller in hand?

Another thing that doesn't go unnoticed is the inspiration from survival horror giants like Resident Evil, Silent Hill, Project Zero, or Galerians.
However, Signal Veil succeeds in the complicated intention of drawing inspiration from others without ever falling into imitation. Playing the title, there's a constant feeling of being in front of something familiar, but thanks to the creative spark and stylistic signature of the Chilean studio, the game maintains its strong identity.

To give some examples: the combat system is strongly inspired by Silent Hill, but the need to use the phone's flash to stun enemies adds a twist that makes it very different from Konami's titles.
Similarly, the inventory looks to the Resident Evil saga, but the need to switch to first-person to access it, and especially without pausing the game, adds greater strategy and depth to the mechanic.

During my trial of the title, I also appreciated how it introduces a whole series of gameplay mechanics by hiding the tutorial in the game environment – like the blackboards in the various classrooms or the posters on the walls. Nothing extraordinary, mind you, but still a small design choice that usually doesn't belong to the indie world.

As a good survival horror, environmental puzzles are not lacking. During the trial, I found two: one quite simple and immediate that required me to find an object to open a door, while another, much more complex, required searching for codes scattered throughout the school, visible only by using a specific object, to decipher them to open a door.

There's still work to be done, but the premises are good

Despite the many positive things that the preview highlighted, Signal Veil also showed points that need polishing by the team.

The enemies, although well-defined in their graphic presentation and animations, must all be faced following the same pattern.
Before attacking, they offer a time window that allows you to stun them with the phone's flash and attack them; a mechanic that, while interesting, needs to be expanded, perhaps by introducing battery management or specific lenses.

The fixed camera, then, did not always follow the character between rooms, which created more than one problem during exploration phases and encounters with enemies.
Similarly, the controls were not always responsive, which led me to suffer easily avoidable attacks or to struggle with the first-person view and inventory. The experience changed completely when I switched to mouse and keyboard, where the controls were impeccable; so it seems the problem is related to controller use.

On the positive side, chatting with the development team, they emphasized that they are aware of the various issues and are already working to resolve them, showing good openness to feedback.

In short, Signal Veil presents itself as a decidedly interesting product, and if it manages to keep the promises made so far, it could offer an interesting experience for survival horror lovers.