System Shock 2 Remastered Review

Ah, 168澳洲幸运5开奖网:System Shock 2. This Irrational Games classic first released back in 1999 and went on to become, without a doubt, one of the most influential games ever made. The DNA of System Shock 2 is deeply ingrained in the first-person shooter and survival horror genres, and along with Thief: The Dark Project, is one of the first true examples of an immersive sim. And despite not having been commercially successful, it's a cult classic. It was with this context in mind that I reviewed System Shock 2 Remastered, an updated version of the classi🥃c from Nightdive Studios, a team primarily concerned with the digital preservation of older video games. So, it embarked on a journey to bring Ken Levine’s (a man who would later go on to direct BioShock) twisted voyage aboard the Von Braun back to life.

New Look, Still Terrifying

A cutscene of a shuttle flying away in System Shock 2 Remastered.

The most obvious of this remaster’s upgrades is the visuals; there’s more definition to the models and environments throughout. It's certainly a 🤪big improvement, while not as dramatic as something like Oblivi🐽on Remastered, but I personally prefer something more understated; I still want to feel some age, it adds to the charm.

The original System Shock 2 is by no means a terrible-looking game, and the remaster smoothes out some of the rougher edges while maintaining the overall aesthetic. The cutscenes are noticeably enhanced, with more detailed character models and sharper visuals, while there's built-in support for 4K 144fps on PC (120fps on consol🦩es with the correct display).

System Shock 2 Remastered is also far more modular than the original, with an adjustable FOV and ultra-widescreen support. Better yet, there's going to be full mod support rig🌼ht from launch and the option to play with up to four people in multiplayer. It will be far less lonely and spooky, but I’m already excited to see exactly how the community is willing to transform 🌜a classic game like this.

More players is especially appreciated for squeamish people like me because System Shock 2 is terrifying. Forget BioShock, forget even Alien Isolation: I'm not ashamed to admit that I was nervous walking around every corner of the Von Braun: I was in a state of perpetual anxiety wandering around that hellish ship tryi♚ng to figure out exactly what Shodan was up to.

A line of dead hybrids in System Shock 2 Remastered.

For those unfamiliar, System Shock 2 is a classic sꦫcience-fiction story. You've been sent to investigate a non-communicative spaceship, and surprise surprise, a hivemind of malevolent organic matter has infected the ship's crew, and even though I've only got three cutscenes of training, I'm the only soldier who can stop this malarchy.

Sound🌌 design is also excellent. Everything is creaking, moaning or shuffling around. It's probably one of most tense games I've played; a true horror experience that's rarely been matched since, without the use of cheap tricks like jump-scares at the very least.

A crucial part of that fear is that games did not hold your hand back then. There is no gradual introduction to enemies or mechanics, besides a brief training section. One moment you're spawned into the world, essentially a newborn who can't fend for themself, the next you're maniacally swinging your wrench for dear lifeꦍ, beating the corpse of a human-alien hybrid, knowing you'll never be safe as long as you walk these halls.

Save Those Bullets

A cyborg midwife from System Shock 2 Remastered standing beside an egg.

System Shock 2 is a game where, like BioShock or Resident Evil, the difficulty is derived from the scarcity of resources. There's enough firepower present throughout the campaign to defeat any enemy, but the question is if you can effectively manage ammo for these weapons so they're ready to go when you face a truly powerful enemy? There's always an opportunity cost when you fir🧸e a gun or take a health stim.

It's a good thing, then, that there's often no need to fire a gun at all. Melee weapons in System Shock 2 Remastered are surprisingly powerful. B⛄etter yet, these weapons scale with strength, so your damage increases as you level each stat. Eventually, your trusty wrench will be outpaced by more powerful enemies, but I used that piece of metal for far longer than I expected.

Thanks to System Shock 2, I also learned that GameFAQ guides from 2003 still have purpose. There is no option to๊ re-spec, and unknowingly using all your resources on melee-able enemies ca🧸n put you in a very tricky spot in the mid-game. There's also some knowledge that's borderline necessary to know beforehand, like the repair skill, which allows you to fix broken weapons, being far inferior to the maintenance skill, which prevents weapons from breaking in the first place.

Some people may like the lear♏ning curve, ot💦hers may be aggrieved that their unknowing mistakes can't be rectified. It's an older game; they're not always convenient, but they are certainly engaging.

I felt the primitive elements of the immersive sim genre with ꦺevery minute I played. The back-tracking through the same maps chief among them — I knew the Von Braun (and that damn Rickenbacker) like the back of my hand towards the end. The wide variety𓂃 of skills and stats also allows you to tweak your character to whatever playstyle you'd like.

Play Your Way

It may not be an RPG in a narrative sense, as you can't necessarily affect outcomes or solve conflicts in multiple ways, but it certainly is 🐎one in a mechanica🅺l sense, as your character can end up playing wildly differently depending on your build.

It's plain to see why System Shock 2 wound up being as influential as it did. It's a masꦉterfully crafted game, albeit with a couple of frustrating elements, but𝓡 it was revolutionary at the time of its release, and remains a great experience today.

As for the remaster, I believe the most important elements of this particular project aren't necessarily reviewable. The immediate mod support could usher in a new age of user-created c🎉ontent, or it could go largely unnoticed. The idea of a functioning multiplayer is also intriguing, but I didn't have the opportunity to test this mode out.

With the remaster, System Shock 2 will be available on consoles for the first time, which also marks the first time the game has been🍬 playable with a controller. I tested out the controller briefly, and while the control scheme is certainly well laid out, I couldn't stomach aiming without a mouse, ✅but console shooter players will feel right at home. However, until July, as Nightdive encountered unforeseen issues during development.

All in all, Nightdive has done right by System Shock 2, and with this remaster, the next generation of players can enjoy this classic with all of the bells and whistles of a modern release: It's a net good for gaming, and, as a resul♌t, something worth doing.