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System Shock 2
67 Trillion miles from Earth aboard a huge starship is probably not the best place to run into hostile alien life forms but that's not even the worst of your troubles in System Shock 2. Taking place 42 years after the events of the first game you awaken aboard the Von Braun, Earth's first faster than light spaceship. The problem is you have no idea why you were in cryogenic sleep or where all the cybernetic implants you now have installed comes from. Survival is your primary goal while attempting to discover what happened to the rest of the crew.
When the first game came out way back in 1994 amid a sea of Doom clones it didn't exactly sell like hot cakes but gained a bit of a cult following. Five years later and fans were still eagerly awaiting a sequel so thankfully Irrational Games treated the license with the respect it deserved. The original game was a classic but this sequel has taken all the best parts and added so much to the formula that you can't help but be impressed all over again. The game uses an updated version of the "Dark engine" last seen in the blockbuster Thief and it fits the game perfectly. Few things come close to sneaking around a dark and scary spaceship with monsters stalking you and mutilated bodies strewn all over the place. System Shock 2 may appear to be a first person shooter but just try running in guns blazing. Now take a look at how long you survived. Instead ammo need to be conserved since it's scarce, weapons maintained because they can jam and break with use, stealth employed to avoid security cameras and monsters, and every nook and cranny searched for valuable clues and items. Still not convinced? How many First Person Shooters allow you to "upgrade" your skills and stats with Cyber Modules, research enemy organs to gain a tactical advantage, hack into computers to temporary disable security or even use your mind as a weapon. System Shock 2 packs a lot of features but suffice to say that if you enjoyed the first game you'll absolutely love this sequel. Even if you never played the original you'll fully enjoy it although there's lots of little homage's to the first title for fans to spot. Although the environments in System Shock 2 are well designed, creepy and varied, the engine has a bit more trouble with humanoids. Characters appear angular and blocky, but trust me you don't want to be that close to them in the first place. Besides, in the dark everything that moves look scary, especially if it suddenly lunges at you from out of the shadows. Since the entire game is set aboard the Von Braun and its security escort, the Rickenbacker, you might think that the environments are dull and uninteresting but nothing could be further from the truth. Each deck has a function like Hydroponics, Engineering and Recreation and as you sneak around them boredom will be the last thing you experience. Creeping through the devastated remains of a mall or running for your life from a deadly security droid, System Shock 2 takes survival horror to a whole new level. Even after hours of playing I still jumped when something unexpected happened. While the graphics play a big part in this it's the sound that really shines. If your soundcard isn't EAX compatible you're definitely missing out. Leaning around a corner and listening for the telltale whir of a security camera or spinning around trying to determine the direction of those fast approaching footsteps are integral parts of the game. Instead of character interaction, you learn of the fate that befell the rest of the crew through audio logs and e-mail's scattered about. These reveal important clues and add a lot to the game. Thanks to your implants you'll also stumble across "psychic interference" from time to time. To put it in simple terms you'll be seeing a few ghosts. Then there's the voice of "The Many" that'll threaten you from time to time, the creepy ships A.I that's been compromised as well as a mysterious A.I picked up along the way. Hmm could it be? System Shock 2 packs quite a few surprises and plot twists so I won't go into the excellent storyline too much. If you were a fan of the first games weapons and gadgets you'll thoroughly enjoy the new ones. Because ammo is scarce you'll still be sneaking around equipped with a very sturdy wrench most of the time but your full arsenal include goodies like EMP rifles, grenade launchers, laser pistols, assault rifles and even a PSI amp to utilize your mental powers. Then there's the alien weaponry and items that need to be researched first. Also available are goodies like patches and boosters, armor, equipment and various implants. The bad news is that all of these (including those weapons) take up valuable inventory space so you need to be picky when it comes to what you lug around with you. Strength upgrades will help you carry more but don't skimp on the weapon or maintenance skills or you'll find yourself unable to use a weapon or incapable of fixing it when it jams. PSI skills are also very valuable but it takes a lot of precious modules to learn skills from the higher tiers. When it comes to negative aspects there aren't many but System Shock 2 has a few. Sneaking around low on health, outnumbered and outgunned can be very atmospheric and creepy but at times it's just plain annoying. Being low on ammo and attacked from all sides only to find your last remaining gun jam all of a sudden also sucks. Lastly the game can feel like on big keycard hunt at times. The pros definitely outweigh the cons though and the game has more cool features than I can mention in this review. I was constantly noticing cool details or little touches that add to the atmosphere. If you are looking for a unique gaming experience, way cool storyline and don't mind the occasional heart attack then System Shock 2 comes highly recommended. Just do yourself a favor and play it alone at night in the dark with the sound turned up high. Anything less and you're not doing the game justice. [*Review first published in 1999]
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System Requirements
TAGS: System Shock 2, Shodan,
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