System Shock 2

Three years after System Shock's release, its creators decided to return to a science-fiction world where an AI created by great corporations stands up to the humans. This time, Looking Glass (the original game's creators) were supported by Irrational Games. Electronic Arts was the publisher. Although the budget amounted to just 1.7 million dollars and the works took 18 months, the game set new standards in the survival-horror genre for many years. System Shock 2 came out in 1999.

Plot

In System Shock 2 for PC, the plot was based on the events depicted in the original game. System Shock 2 is set 40 years after destroying the Citadel. A military organization known as the Unified National Nominate tries to limit the power that great corporations enjoy. Von Braun, a modern-day spaceship is supposed to help in achieving that. The player takes on the role of a soldier volunteering to take part in the vessel's first flight. Suddenly, the protagonist is woken up from coma and finds out that most of the crew was murdered and that the ship is swarming with mutants and rebellious robots. As befits a survival-horror game, the plot here is filled with sudden twists and maintains the player in suspense until the end.

Mechanics

System Shock 2 for PC is played from the first-person view. The player chooses a profession from among three available, which determines which abilities the player has access to at the beginning. The abilities can be adequately developed using cybernetic modules acquired alongside progression.

Combat was strongly emphasized. The protagonist has both ranged and melee weapons at their disposal here. Moreover, they can also upgrade weapons, repair them, or even create new models.

System Shock 2 features many puzzles as well. Those are not particularly complex however, because the player is usually required to position different levers adequately. Nonetheless, the in-game puzzles simply enrich the experience.

Game modes

Apart from a singleplayer campaign, the game offers a minimalistic multiplayer mode. Up to four players can meet in a session, connected either via LAN or Internet. Their goal is to face the threats waiting for them onboard UNN Von Braun together.

Technical aspects

System Shock 2 for PC utilizes the modified Dark Engine. Importantly, one of the updates introduced high screen resolution settings. The player is taken to a crude, dark world, and the tension is palpable thanks to the soundtrack.

Last updated on September 21, 2016