Gareth Damian Martin, the visionary behind Citizen Sleeper, returns with Signet City, a narrative RPG set in a dystopian monochrome city. You play as a parasite inhabiting the minds of multiple hosts, seeing the world through their eyes. The game blends tabletop-style dice mechanics with a rich, multi-perspective story inspired by novels like Perdido Street Station.
A City in Crisis
Signet City is a place of overlapping crises, where each host brings their own environment and emotional storyline. You'll explore areas like algae burners and pubs, using your hosts' emotions to modify dice rolls and unlock actions. The narrative and mechanical elements are inseparable, creating a deeply immersive experience.
Striking Monochrome Aesthetic
The game's black-and-white visual style is inspired by 80s social photography, particularly the work of Tish Murtha. Hand-drawn characters blend with photographic environments, and a complex post-processing effect adds grain for imaginary detail. This aesthetic ties into the game's themes of British history and culture, drawing from the 1980s and events like the winter of discontent.
Gameplay and Story
Players have limited actions per day, balancing parasite objectives (growing in power) with hosts' personal goals. The dice-based system governs actions and is affected by host emotions—for example, angering a host might make them stronger. The result is a unique blend of sci-fi and social realism that promises an utterly original gaming experience.
Signet City is set for a 2027 launch, but this early preview showcases Martin's unmistakable talent for innovation and game design.
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