- BGG rank
- BGG #6,232
- BGG rating
- 7.6
Here Lies
- 2–5 players
- 30–50 min
- Complexity 2.0/5
- 2025
- BGG rank
- BGG #8,285
- BGG rating
- 7.2
Signal
2025
Rules assistance for Signal
Plain-language explanations of turns, card effects and disputed situations, with official source references and saved question history.
- 2–6 players
- 10–20 min
- 10+
- Complexity 2.0/5
For 2 players
Rules assistant for Signal
What would you like to know?
Answers come from the official rulebook, with the page to check.
Signal is a board game released in 2025 for 2–6 players, 10–20 minutes per game, and ages 10 and up. It was designed by Jasper Beatrix and its main mechanics are Deduction, Cooperative Game, and Communication Limits.
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Perspectives
- 2–6 players
- 60–90 min
- Complexity 1.8/5
- 2023
About the game
In Signal, players take on the role of Experts seeking to understand the Alien player, who in turn is seeking to be understood. The Experts will create and transmit "signals" to the Alien, who has certain rules for how to respond that must be deduced by the Experts. Once the Experts understand these rules, they can ensure that they come to agreement with the Alien, succeeding co-operatively. On a turn, the Experts arrange black and white pieces on a mat to represent a graphical signal, discussing and debating how and what to send. Once finished, the Alien then replies by using pre-set rules only they can see to add, remove, and adjust the signal, both to be helpful and to try to reach an agreement, which is represented by a pre-set signal that they are trying to achieve with their limited response capabilities. As the Experts analyze and understand the Alien, they can use limited guesses and a few hint-like abilities to discover which signal they can send that will result in agreement. The Alien even has a little leeway in how they respond; after all, they want to be understood. After succeeding at the first round, Experts then reset and continue with the same Alien, except new rules are in play on top of the previous ones, showing a deeper and deeper familiarity with the Alien player. After three rounds of successful agreements, all players win co-operatively and receive a score based on leftover guesses and unused abilities. —description from the publisher The publisher has issued errata to correct errors on three of the Alien cards.
Categories
Designers
Publishers
- DVC Games
Questions and answers
Signal supports 2–6 players according to the catalogue. This range comes from the publisher’s listed player count, so the game can be set up for any group size within it. Some setups, rules and scoring details may still vary by player count, so check your edition’s rulebook for the exact configuration.
The listed playing time for Signal is 10–20 minutes. This is the publisher’s estimate for a full game. The actual duration depends on the group, the player count and familiarity with the rules: first sessions usually run longer, while experienced groups often finish faster. Setup and teaching time are not included in this estimate.
The catalogue lists Signal for ages 10 and up. This is the publisher’s recommendation and reflects reading demands, rule complexity and small components rather than theme alone. Younger players can often join with help from an adult, so check the age guidance on your edition and consider your group’s experience with board games.
Signal has a complexity rating of 2.0 out of 5 from BoardGameGeek players, which makes it a medium-light game. The rating reflects how much rules knowledge, planning and decision-making a typical game demands. Expect a longer first teach for heavier games, and use a preparation guide before game night.
Signal belongs to these categories: Deduction, Puzzle, and Science Fiction. Its main mechanics are Deduction, Cooperative Game, and Communication Limits. Categories describe the theme and setting of a game, while mechanics describe what players actually do on their turns. Each mechanic links to a catalogue hub with similar games, which helps when you want something comparable.
The credited designers of Signal are: Jasper Beatrix. These credits come from the published game data and name the people responsible for the game’s design, not its illustrators or publishers. Designer pages on MeepleRules collect other titles by the same designers, which helps when you enjoy a game and want to find similar ones.
The catalogue lists Signal as a base game. It can be played on its own with the components in the box and does not require any other title. Expansions, if any exist, add new content or rules on top of it and are listed separately in the catalogue with a link back to this base game.