Unsettling Union: How Signet City Merges British History and Fungal Horror

In the upcoming RPG Signet City, players take on the role of a parasite navigating a crumbling, monochromatic city. This 'fungalpunk' game draws inspiration from a wide range of sources, including British history, horror manga, and musicals. Developer Gareth Damian Martin cites their British upbringing and the country's complex history as key influences, particularly the Winter of Discontent, a period of labor struggles and ecological crisis in the late 1970s. Martin also found inspiration in the work of photographer Tish Murtha, who documented the devastating effects of Thatcher's policies on working-class communities in the north of England. The game's unique blend of influences is reflected in its mechanics, where players control a parasite that takes over human hosts, directing their actions and accomplishing its own objectives. Martin's goal is to create an 'overlapping quality' in the game's story, where players experience the world through both the parasite's and host's perspectives. With its unsettling union of fungal horror and British history, Signet City promises to be a thought-provoking and unconventional gaming experience. The game is set to release next year, and players can wishlist it on Steam now.