System Shock® 2 (1999)

Around 2008 I was getting used to the idea of not getting fully immersed anymore. Becoming 30, having seen, read and heard more of the world may have spoiled the fun: I was too mature to loose myself in a game anymore. Would I know I hadn't played the right games for a while? After a few hours I was completely living it. That's how I decided it was still worth my while to seek out new games. Of course, it's like Bioshock, but maybe better. If you enjoyed said game, you'd be clinically insane to not play this. Get used to the aged graphics in under 30 minutes and see what gaming is all about.

This game is good. Really good. If you're looking for a Cyberpunk Horror experience there really is no other option worth considering. Some say System Shock 1 was better, but I could never get over the clunky controls. SS2 is a game I have fond memories of wasting away hours in just the demo when I was a kid. I didn't live anywhere near a game store so I couldn't obtain a full legal copy at the time. Years later when I stumbled upon it, unopened, in a bargain bin, I jumped on the chance to have the game. I still have that unopened copy on my shelf. Of course, now with the summer-sale happening, I think I'd like to play on a legal version of the game.

If I had to pick one word that encapsulated my experience playing System Shock 2, I would probably go with "helplessness." This game succeeds in making you feel like your fighting back is pointless. And that's a good thing. It immerses you in its world to a terrifying extent. The first person gameplay serves to ground the horror of the situation. You feel like its YOU on that spaceship, that those are YOUR footsteps echoing on the cold, metal floors, that those moaning creatures are coming, not after Soldier G65434-2, but after YOU. You start out the game with little to help you in combat, except for a wrench. (I have never felt so attached to a wrench before. It grows on you fast.) You travel through the empty halls of this derelict ship, desperate for some sign of humanity or companionship. Instead you hear the mutterings of mutated creatures as they creep closer, and you wait behind a corner, hoping you can land the first hit before they spot you. You feel completely and utterly alone. Although your main character can fight back against the terror he faces, you really don't feel powerful. Throughout the game, you are stuck between a rock and a hard place, just worming your way through oppressive evil forces. Even as I approached the final boss, I did not feel like I would be able to win. Despite that helplessness, you also feel a small glimmer of hope. Maybe taking it one enemy at a time, you might be able to save humanity not only from that rock, but also that hard place. (And I cannot decide if the ending is the best ending to a video game ever, or the worst. When was the last time a one syllable word carried so much weight?) If you are looking for a game that will immerse you in its terror so much it'll keep you trudging forward despite how helpless you feel, you need to play this game.

System Shock came as a freebie disc in my adventure game pack back in the day. I popped this sucker in after playing those casual relaxing games, curious as to what this first person shooter thing was all about. Within 5 minutes I was screaming out loud and sweating. Thus my introduction to scary shooters began. This was the holy grail of games to me, what immersion was all about. To this day I still hear those cursed freaky monkeys stalking me and get a lump of empathetic pity all the other ship crew who didnt run fast enough to survive, dying alone and backed into corners. Will I get this from GOG and see if the magic returns... probably not. It is rare that one can return to an old game and not have that wonderful memory tarnished by dated graphics and game mechanics. But those that dont mind all that I would recommend this game.

Just got off the back of finishing this game (I know, a little late) as it did pass me by when I was younger which I see now as one of my biggest regrets, this game holds it's own by today's standards of FPS RPG's let alone back in 1999, this must have literally been mind blowing. Few minor points, I did find myself in a couple of situations where my poor choice of upgrades etc left me with little to no options in some situations. Also the ending was a little hit and miss considering the quality of everything that led up to it, however I did read that Ken didn't mean that to be the ending but had to stick with it due to time constraints. (roll on SS3) All in all this game is fantastic and any gamer out there that enjoys sci-fi / action /rpg type games should give this a go.