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.
