Signs of the Sojourner

Signs of the Sojourner is a superbly cute game with a ton of personality, a truly outstandingly vibrant and gorgeous artstyle and some of the most comfy vibes ever. It approaches every topic in a refreshingly mature way and explores character's emotions through conversation. The core mechanic is simple and elegant but still reasonably challenging and works really well in the context of the game, however the game does the job of matching the actual dialogue with the puzzle result. There is something lost here, because it doesn't exactly feel like you are fully in control of the conversation. Maybe I'm missing something? Despite that I really have to commend how well integrated all of the gameplay elements are into the story. I definitely recommend checking this out if you enjoy story driven or puzzle games, it's a wonderful journey both literally and figuratively.

[u]Signs of the Sojourner[/u] is a cosy game with a simple card mechanic about communicating with different communities. The story of learning about your late mum’s life and stocking her shop is pleasant, with optional side stories that vary depending on where you travel. However, the card system never became interesting enough to encourage multiple runs. If you want a richer card-based story game, [u]Black Book[/u] is a better option.

The metaphors of the game are spot on -- as in, the gameplay mirrors my emotional experience

A game that uses cards to simulate how your experiences change the way you speak with those around you. Genuinely the only card-based games I've played that made me have emotions (other than elation at an infinite combo or anger at bottom-decking a useful card). Your first game will probably be a failure. But don't be discouraged! It's only a couple hours to get there and you'll learn from it.

it is actually crazy this was not a hit, exactly the kind of tight, innovative indie that people go nuts for. incredible soundtrack too

a really cool deckbuilding game about conversations. this game has some really cool ideas, the whole deckbuilding mechanic in relation to having conversations was such a cool way in melding gameplay and story. it really made me engage in the story making sure I was always choosing the right cards, and the right order, just so I could maximize my trips every month. it took me one run to realize how to properly gather cards so that you have more chances of succeeding in conversations, that by the second run I was very satisfied with my outcome. Yes, sometimes the card draw of you or the other person might not help the conversation, but if you play your cards right you can even mitigate situations like that. I will definitely play more so I can explore more but I am already very satisfied with just two runs and with both endings I got. A recommend for those who want a different kind of deckbuilding card game with some really cool mechanics and an intriguing story.

Wow! So rare to find a game where the mechanical system and narrative design are in perfect accord like this. I really got caught up in this, and there's many more plot threads than you can tease out in any one playthrough.

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