System Shock: Enhanced Edition

Firstly, I didn't "grow up" playing this game so I have no sentimental issues with it whatsoever; I just recently discovered it after a stint with Doom. Secondly, when judging old games, I think there are two considerations - how good the game is overall, comparing it to all games one has played, and how good it was for its _own time_, taking into account contemporary hardware limitations, other games etc. In both regards, I find SS superb. It's exquisitely crafted by a team of obviously very smart bunch of people who also had an excellent knack on how to tell a story, create an atmosphere and characters, and utilize every single byte and Hz out of the limited hardware of the time. I mean, the in-game physics alone - you can throw objects, and they bounce when hitting things and have inertia, in 19-bloody-94! Voice logs are a cliche now, but then they were a new idea, which is important to remember. Oh, and you can go back and forth between levels, at any time. It was much ahead of its time. It has in-game-games that serve no purpose whatsoever. They're just there for your amusement, to create immersion, and you can collect them and play them in a safe place. I just saw in one review that there was a game cartridge somewhere with a Wing Commander -like game in it - I never found that one, and now I want to (I mean, who ok'd all that stuff?)! The cyberspace is also a sort of another dimension within, with its own rules, enemies and tactics. It's just extraordinary. Much has been said about the difficult interface. I personally only found it difficult in the beginning; by the 2nd level you're fine. I don't even want the new mouse look. I like that you can aim and move independently, as in real life. I enjoy the fact that the interface had so much going on. Once you master it, it's a blast, you're in control freak heaven. And yeah, as a game, it's better than SS2. The graphics are '94 of course. But its genius, attention to detail and design are timeless. 10/10

The title is no hyperbole. System Shock is one of the best games ever made. Like Doom meets Super Metroid meets I Have No Mouth And I Must Scream, Looking Glass' magnum opus is an atmospheric journey through a murderous space station, filled with mutants, cyborgs and the ghosts of the dead. Many consider System Shock 2 to be the superior title, but the stat-laden fluff, abysmal combat and lackluster story execution drag it into the dirt. System Shock doesn't have these problems, only suffering from the slightly awkward controls that come with 20 years of aging. Luckily, like the System Shock Portable community release before it, Enhanced Edition adds System Shock 2 style mouse-look support, elevating this title several atmospheres above the sequel. I could go on further, but I don't need to. Play this game. System Shock is as influential on games as Half-Life 2 was 10 years later, and you absolutely owe it to yourself to take in this masterpiece.

Excellent game and a true classic. A littleironic, though, that this "Enhanced Edition" uses the low res assets from the DOS verion rather than the higher resolution graphics from the Macintosh version.

System shock I of the game I have really fond memories of. Exploring the station in a really none linear way, with a mad A.I. - that you helped to create - chasing you down with an army of cyborgs, mutants, and robots. System shock is ... to use 1 word: Awesome. But more the bloody f*cking awesome kind. The plot is amazing, even if it's very simple and straight forwards, there are really some moments in the game that are blood curdling. The voice-acting and music in System shock is brilliant, I remember getting the original CD version with a lot of voice acting. The primary villain in the story is just amazing as well, Shodan still ranks really high on the list of best villains ever. Sure, System shock had flaws: Low definition engine, hard to master control scheme, sometimes overwhelming interface. But the story and immensity of the game more then make up for these flaws. And now for an inspirational quite from one of the best villains of all times: "Look at you, hacker. A pathetic creature of meat and bone. Panting and sweating as you run through my corridors. How can you challenge a perfect immortal machine?" https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5iZMD_eCpEo

TLDR: Enhanced edition has mouselook and needed quality fo life enhancements. Tried the classic to experience the original. After barely reaching the main hallway of the first level I thought this one was one of those games where you should go for the sequels instead. While searching for system shock 2, I noticed I have SS1 enhanced edition as well. I thought it would be a waste of time but I was wrong. You can freely mouselook and disable the HUD for a great shooting experience. The mechanics, the level design still hold after so many years. I have to admit I chose easy as the difficulty but save scumming is also an option if you want a more thrilling experience. For me, just reading though the logs, finding the secret areas and corners of the map while clearing up the infected is worth it. If I were to compare it to other classic games I played, I would say it has the vibe and mechanics of Deus Ex in a Dark Forces level like shooter package. And if I were to compare it to the BioShock series, I would say it has the core gameplay loop in a tigher, less time wasting package. The modern incarnations have lots of drama, cutscenes and no tension. This one is the original.