The upcoming RPG from Citizen Sleeper developer Gareth Damian Martin, titled Signet City, offers a unique experience. Set in a brutalist monochromatic Gotham on the brink of collapse, players control a parasite that takes over human hosts, directing their actions to achieve its own goals. The creator describes his work as 'fungalpunk', evoking fungal aesthetics and political storytelling rooted in British history.
Inspirations Ranging from Sting to Horror Manga
Damian Martin drew from an eclectic mix of sources. Among them, Sting's musical The Last Ship, which tells the story of the shipbuilding crisis in 1980s Newcastle. 'There are these amazing pictures of Newcastle in the '80s of huge ships towering over little terraced houses', he recalls. 'I thought it was science fiction happening in the past'. Another key reference is Tsutomu Nihei's manga Abara, featuring strange fungal-like bone creatures. The cult Japanese film Tetsuo: The Iron Man also influenced the vision of a 'parasite becoming powerful, but in a distorted and scary way'. In a tech landscape where major companies like Meta face internal AI engineer revolts, Signet City emerges as an independent project challenging conventions, as discussed in our article on Meta AI workers revolt and tech talent management.
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The Winter of Discontent as a Political Starting Point
The historical period known as the 'Winter of Discontent' between 1978 and 1979 was a crucial starting point for Signet City's narrative. During that time, the UK experienced its coldest winter in 16 years, while workers struck for better pay. This combination led to the fall of James Callaghan's Labour government and the rise of Margaret Thatcher. 'In the UK, it really is such a key moment', says Damian Martin. 'Almost all political dialogues are arranged around what happened in the '80s'. The game aligns with works that look to the past to reflect on the present, such as photographer Tish Murtha's documentation of youth unemployment in Northern England. For historical context, see the Wikipedia page on the Winter of Discontent.
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A Dual Parasite-Host Narrative Perspective
Damian Martin chose to write the game from two perspectives: second-person for the parasite (like a traditional RPG protagonist) and third-person for the host's thoughts. The goal is to create an 'overlapping quality' in navigating the story. The parasite player uses a resource called 'emotion' to influence host actions. 'I'm really trying to put the player in a position where they have to understand the world through a fundamentally inhuman paradigm', says the author. Literary influences include New Weird authors like China Miéville and Jeff VanderMeer.
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Signet City is still in development but can be wishlisted on Steam. While platforms like Squarespace launch new AI builders, Damian Martin's work represents a return to narrative craftsmanship, as highlighted in our piece on Squarespace promo codes and the Blueprint AI builder. The game blends real human elements with surreal ones, promising an experience that challenges conventional RPG norms.
Source: https://www.engadget.com/2198793/fungalpunk-rpg-signet-city-isnt-afraid-to-be-weird-and-political
