System Shock

I am writing this review because I am probably in a minority of those playing this game. I have played very little of the original System Shock (I played the Enhanced Edition for all of about 30 minutes) so I have nothing really to compare it to. Nor do I have any nostolgia for the original. I can say that I am having quite a bit of fun with this one. It seems to strike a good balance between having that old-school feel, which it does, and playing very well for a modern gamer. It is much slower than most other first person shooters that you can find on the market, but it controls very similarly. The inventory management feels a bit dated and borders on too faithful to be useful. In the graphics department it looks quite good. For an Unreal Engine game that is as pretty as this it plays very smoothly and won't melt your video card. Everything looks distinct and feels like it has a place in this mazey, claustrophobic station. There are a few bugs but they aren't game-breaking (your head will appear in your chest, or when you load a game every dead enemy will ragdoll). Again, neesd a touch of polish but nothing that is frustrating or off-putting. All in all I am having fun with this game despite not being a fan of the original. About as good as one, and a bit better than, could expect.

Nightdive Studios did a fantastic job remastering this game. They managed to balance the respect for the source material while bringing a viable product for a wider audience. This is the first time I've played a remaster that triggers both nostalgia and novelty. Give these guys a chance to do System Shock 3.

I tried to play the 1994 original a few times, but the controls were too clunky. A shame because System Shock 2 is one of my all-time favourites. Now I'm here in 2023, playing the remastered version and I'm hooked. I want to thank the developers for making this such a great experience and keeping it so close to the vibe of the 2 originals.

I played System Shock for the first time in 2021 and loved the game despite all its gameplay issues. What made me like the game the most was its setting, story and soundtrack. Only two of these elements are present in the remake: the design of the city station and the story. The visuals of the game have been recreated faithfully to the original and brought to more modern graphics. all the details of the station's wall panels are similar and with the same vibrant colors as the first game. However the soundtrack of the remake is completely different from the original game and in a bad way. The soundtrack of the first, was captivating, strange, noisy and even disturbing in some places but it was not BORING like that of System Shock (2023). For me the music was half the ambiance of the game and without it the remake seems soulless, without the strangeness that made the original game a unique experience. Despite this, the game deserves recognition for making the experience of playing System Shock more beautiful and accessible despite having killed the original soundtrack.

It's been a long time since I got so invested in a video game. This is immersive sim at it's purest and is a very faitful recreation of the original. If you like metroidvania style games with a great atmosphere, this game is a must have.