System Shock® 2 (1999)

perfection of a game, cult classic

issssssss awesomeeeeeeeeeeeeeee!!!

System Shock 2 is the sequel to System Shock, taking place 4 decades later. You play as a soldier assigned to a military starship, which during its flight, is infected by a sentient, hivemind biomass and its army of assimilated creatures. Compared to the first game, the gameplay is similar but improved, feeling more like a modern game with smoother controls. Inventory is shown in a grid rather than text. The puzzles are simpler, you only need to connect 3 nodes. Enemy respawn is not as common as the first game, except during the final part of the penultimate level. But the biggest change is the addition of a skill tree system. This can be both a blessing and a curse. Good if you like character building, but the downside is that it prevents the use of some weapons. Wanna use that cool fusion cannon, or that disgusting organic gun? Better max out their required skills! But remember to keep your repair and maintenance skills as well to be able to fix them. There's also a psionic amplifier, allowing you to use powers. These use the same resources as the skill upgrades, so be wise. The levels are better-designed as well, looking more detailed and functional rather than the simple "hallways with electronic stuff" in the first game. But ironically the levels look less distinct, despite its simple design the levels in the first game looks more unique and colorful. To be honest, the early levels of this game are boring, and somewhat still mazelike. It gets better though, but I still wish the levels have more color. And a flashlight would be nice, since some areas are kinda dark. Many people say System Shock 2 is a major improvement over the first game, but to me both games are equally great, with strong and weak points unique to each. You can play SS2 as a stand-alone since its not too strongly attached to the first game, and some events are retold, but I would advise you to finish the first one.

Everything else is absolute trash.

The Remaster better be good, but besides that I hop you get rid of that clunky rpg system, the game would be better if it worked like a more classical Metroidvania.