Gareth Damian Martin, the creative force behind the acclaimed RPGs In Other Waters and Citizen Sleeper, is preparing to release a new title, Signet City. This first-person fungalpunk RPG presents a significant departure from their previous work, a risk Martin openly acknowledges given the current climate of the game industry.
Signet City's premise involves players embodying a fungal brain parasite that inhabits and influences multiple hosts within an algae-powered city. Martin, however, is more focused on the 'why' behind this ambitious project than detailing its mechanics, preferring players to experience them firsthand. This deliberate choice to pursue an unconventional game concept underscores a desire to explore new narrative and structural possibilities within the RPG genre.
Martin's previous games have consistently challenged player expectations. In In Other Waters, players acted as an AI companion to a scientist, with communication limited to yes/no responses. This design choice was intended to foster a unique sense of connection and longing. Citizen Sleeper, released in 2022, subverted the typical RPG protagonist by placing players in the role of a marginalized, escaped android rather than a heroic figure, exploring themes of societal exclusion and subjective reality.
Despite this history of innovation, Martin views Signet City as a substantial leap. The foundational ideas for Signet City's setting have been in development since 2017, initially considered too complex for their debut project and later passed over in favor of Citizen Sleeper and its sequel. However, the completion of Citizen Sleeper 2: Starward Vector in January provided the impetus to finally pursue Signet City, recognizing that their skills and creative vision had evolved sufficiently.
The game's structure is heavily influenced by tabletop RPGs like Blades in the Dark, utilizing a dice-pool system for actions. This mechanic, also present in Citizen Sleeper, emphasizes scarcity and difficult choices. High rolls increase the chance of success, but mixed outcomes are common, often leading to unforeseen consequences. Martin believes this structural approach allows for a broader range of stories than games with a singular focus, such as combat-centric quests.
Signet City aims to further experiment with RPG structures, particularly to challenge player expectations for first-person RPGs. Martin describes their approach as "trickster-like," seeking to synthesize their knowledge of RPGs into something original and inherently risky. The reveal trailer for Signet City was intended as a statement of intent, signaling a desire to deliver a fresh and unique experience, even if it evokes comparisons to titles like Dishonored or Disco Elysium.
The game's setting is an industrial city inspired by the urban landscapes of northern Britain in the 1980s, featuring a unique element: a colossal fungal shelf known as The Canker, harvested for fuel. This history is deeply woven into the city's culture and societal dynamics, which players will experience through the diverse hosts they inhabit. Martin aims to create worlds that feel inherently curious and lived-in, a stark contrast to more generic fantasy settings.
Martin perceives a general decline in risk-taking within the industry, positioning Signet City as a personal commitment to pushing creative boundaries. The parasitic fungus mechanic, allowing players to inhabit hosts and influence them from within, is designed to facilitate new narrative avenues. By entering lives mid-stream, players must understand each host's unique perspective and motivations to achieve their objectives.
This approach to narrativizing player difference is a continuation of Martin's exploration of the relationship between player and character, drawing parallels to the fluidity of role-playing in tabletop games. The goal is to immerse players in an unfamiliar psychological and narrative space, a challenging but rewarding endeavor that Martin hopes will resonate with them on a fundamental level. Martin also likens the game's appeal to fans of surreal and unsettling urban environments, citing Jeff VanderMeer's Ambergris and the films of Shinya Tsukamoto as influences.