System Shock

Ich hatte mich sehr lange auf das Remake zu System Shock gefreut und muss ehrlich zugeben, dass ich das Original damals nicht gespielt habe. Bei mir spielt also keine nostalgische Verklärung mit hinein. Ja ich bin Bioshockliebhaber und alle haben davon geschwärmt, wie grandios System Shock mal WAR aber das ist 1000 Jahre her. Im Endeffekt habe ich die letzen Monate mehrfach über System Shock nachgedacht und da ich grob wusste, wie es vom Gameplay und dem Setting her aufgebaut ist, hat es mich dann doch ziemlich gejuckt. Das Spiel ist bisher (ich bin noch lange nicht durch, habe aber schon mehrere Stunden investiert und viele Aspekte vom Spiel gesehen) ziemlich genial. Die Atmosphäre alleine trägt schon das ganze Spiel, der Soundtrack ist genial und einfach nur richtig richtig gut. Gameplay macht auch sehr viel Spaß. Man hat verschiedene Waffen und Gegner, die mal mehr oder weniger anfällig für bestimmte Waffenarten sind. Munition muss immer schön gesammelt und eingeteilt werden. Story findet fast nur über Audiologs statt, ist aber alles kompakt und knackig gehalten. Der Schwierigkeitsgrad ist anpassbar in drei Bereichen, Rätsel, Kämpfe und ich glaube es war noch Cyberspace. Man kann also auch zur Not einfach entspannt spielen und die Atmosphäre genießen, ohne sich mit Munitionsmangel durch Massen an Gegnern zu quälen und alle paar Minuten einen Guide zu öffnen. Oder halt auch andersherum xD Was Nightdive hier auch vom Stil und Präsentation herausgeholt haben, Respekt. Für mich bisher eines der Schönsten Remakes. Der Pixelstil passt sogar ganz gut und gibt dem Spiel einen eigenen Charakter. Jeder der Bioshock mochte, auch gerne in alle Ecken guckt und sich Stück für Stück eine labyrinthartige Spielwelt erschließen möchte, sollte hier sehr gut aufgehoben sein. Mindestens sollte man mal die Demo spielen. Für mich eines oder sogar vielleicht DAS Spiel des Jahres und genau das Richtige, was ich bei den Spielen dieses Jahr endlich mal wieder gebraucht habe.

I played System Shock when it was released back in the days. It was an experience. While technically good but not overwhelming, all its style, the feeling, the mood were captured excellently. Its story and SHODAN were not only remarkable but remberabel and some of if found its way into pop culture, deservedly. In 2015, I've played the enhanced edition and even though over two decades lay between between the two versions, the feeling of '94 came back immediately. So there I was again, on that station, fighting and hacking against an fearsome AI, with pen and paper marking important thing since the lack of a log. T'was fun. And now, fanfare, System Shock Remake. I bought it, I downloaded it, it startet it, '94 again. The good '94, I might add. Not the "First I have to free some conventional memory before I can play and the screen is small and the controls are okay but not really good and it's all a bit clunky despite being a fantastic game, but we didn't complain since we didn't have anything". System Shock Remake is in fact the "'94 System Shock through rose-colored glasses made real"-version. Up-to-date-ish graphics, slightly pixalated for old people's delight, gently updated controls, some subtle QoL adjustments and still that mood and feeling together with sweet nostalgia. I'm very glad they that they have held back on modernization. Granted, System Shock, no matter what version, is not for everyone. It lacks many comforts of modern games, like a quest log, waypoints, frequent respawn points. And maybe I'm a bit biased through the mercy of an early birth. Nevertheless, total recommendation. For old people like me it's fantastic game mixed with a blast from the past, for younger audience it's a opportunity to play a fantastic game mixed with the experience to get a feeling how games were in the more or less good old days.

At first I couldn't stand this game. It seemed cold, boring and unsatisfyingly difficult. Then I realized, in the old days, you would have got a helpful manual with the game (it was very difficult to play games in the 90's if you didn't first read the manual). So I used the gamepressure guide. It didn't feel like cheating, and I finally started enjoying it. Then I was hooked and couldn't stop playing.

This is a great game - and I don't say that lightly. I'm an old enough gamer to have played the original System Shock when it was released, but I never did. I've spent a lot of time in System Shock 2. This remake is phenomenal. If you have ever enjoyed an immersive sim, ever enjoyed great gun battle, ever enjoyed feeling powerful but alone in a dangerous environment, THIS is the game, the remake, for you. Don't hesitate. Worth every dollar (and it's a great price for the amount of enjoyment). This is my game of the year so far. Runs great. Haven't experienced any major problems right up to the end of the game. Very well made. Controller support was the only issue. But I would expect improvements soon as it's slated for console release. The recent update added many quality of life fixes. So, I can't recommend System Shock Remake highly enough.

Absolute masterpiece. Worth the long wait. This is a must play. Runs on Linux with current WINE...