System Shock 2: 25th Anniversary Remaster - Reviews Thread

It's nice when a studio actually acknowledges the work of modders and works with them instead or trying to do their own version (and usually ending up with the worse result).

I also wonder if switching mods on and off will be available in the console versions.
 
Oh my God, this game is SO GOOD.

It takes a bit to come to grips with everything at the beginning, but it settles into its rhythm before long and the game just keeps ratcheting things up. The way the audio logs gradually uncover what's going on, the evolution of the enemies, the fucking atmosphere... fuck. It all just works. While I was initially a little dismayed by the melee combat, even that made functional sense before too long, but everything else from a gameplay standpoint just feels great. The game's sense of exploration is fantastic and feels just directed enough make you feel in control, yet with plenty of opportunity for discovery. It all channels a lot of the same notes as something like Super Metroid - that feeling of complete isolation and being lost in an alien world comes through razor fucking sharp. And the game has some legs - I've played a lot of it these last few days, and it just keeps going.

Bioshock really was a pale imitation. It does all the same things SS2 does with a bit more polish, but absolutely none of the poignancy.

This is a masterpiece.
 
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Oh my God, this game is SO GOOD.

It takes a bit to come to grips with everything at the beginning, but it settles into its rhythm before long and the game just keeps ratcheting things up. The way the audio logs gradually uncover what's going on, the evolution of the enemies, the fucking atmosphere... fuck. It all just works. While I was initially a little dismayed by the melee combat, even that made functional sense before too long, but everything else from a gameplay standpoint just feels great. The game's sense of exploration is fantastic and feels just directed enough make you feel in control, yet know what you're doing. It all channels a lot of the same notes as something like Super Metroid - that feeling of complete isolation and being lost in an alien world comes through razor fucking sharp. And the game has some legs - I've played a lot of it these last few days, and it just keeps going.

Bioshock really was a pale imitation. It does all the same things SS2 does with a bit more polish, but absolutely none of the poignancy.

This is a masterpiece.
Now imagine playing it in 1999!
 
Now imagine playing it in 1999!

While on one of my 2.5K walks today I wondered to myself if this game could be made in 2025. I guess you could argue something like Cruelty Squad from the indie space, but I'd probably argue against that for various reasons that have little to do with the quality of these retro inspired immersive sims.
 
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I think the last time I played through this was like 2004/5? It was my windows XP computer so we are talking a loooong time ago, but I do remember the game leaving an impression but I don't think I finished it.

The remaster is great but putting all the technical stuff aside wow is this an incredible game. The atmosphere is so thick, and the story telling and audio logs (something I usually blow off as uninteresting in most games) have me hooked. The rpg mechanics are great fun and feel meaningful, and the resources feel just scarce enough without being frustrating.

Just crazy how good this game still is. It never holds your hand but still provides more than enough information to guide you along. The voice acting and audio work for shodan sounds absolutely awesome. The ship feels very real despite the simple visuals thanks to the level design. It all comes together perfectly.
 
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Started my run tonight after finishing a Deus Ex one.

OSA build

Already so good. I think these graphics age well honestly. I wish more indie devs would give this kind of art style a spin over GZDoom looking ones.
 
I think the last time I played through this was like 2004/5? It was my windows XP computer so we are talking a loooong time ago, but I do remember the game leaving an impression but I don't think I finished it.

The remaster is great but putting all the technical stuff aside wow is this an incredible game. The atmosphere is so thick, and the story telling and audio logs (something I usually blow off as uninteresting in most games) have me hooked. The rpg mechanics are great fun and feel meaningful, and the resources feel just scarce enough without being frustrating.

Just crazy how good this game still is. It never holds your hand but still provides more than enough information to guide you along. The voice acting and audio work for shodan sounds absolutely awesome. The ship feels very real despite the simple visuals thanks to the level design. It all comes together perfectly.

That's actually one of the aspects of the design that I thought was really interesting. There are a ton of rooms in the ship where there's no reason to go into them - there's nothing to pick-up, no enemies, no audio logs. They're just there because they're supposed to be there. It's a subtle thing, but details like that make the world feel that much more tangible, and it contributes positively to the game's slower rhythm.
 
So just to understand this, Warren Spector had nothing to do with System Shock neither 1 or 2, right? It's Ken Levine's baby.

System Shock 1 was 100% Warren Spector

Ken Levine was making "Shock" and then publishers suggested to use System Shock IP and they reworked it for their game to become System shock 2.
 
Started my run tonight after finishing a Deus Ex one.

OSA build

Already so good. I think these graphics age well honestly. I wish more indie devs would give this kind of art style a spin over GZDoom looking ones.
What's really amazing is how these games from 20+ years ago haven't really been surpassed in the immersive sim space.

With all the technological advances and so much more powerful systems and crazy $300+ mil budgets, Deus Ex and System Shock 2 are still at the pinnacle of their (admittedly niche) genre.

I need to do a playthrough of both games as I haven't done so in a few years.
 
What's really amazing is how these games from 20+ years ago haven't really been surpassed in the immersive sim space.

With all the technological advances and so much more powerful systems and crazy $300+ mil budgets, Deus Ex and System Shock 2 are still at the pinnacle of their (admittedly niche) genre.

I need to do a playthrough of both games as I haven't done so in a few years.

Last 20 years are almost exclusively coats of paints after coats of paints, with some other aspects being a regress even compared to early 2000's

Fundamentally, the game mechanics of immersive sims are deep and hard to pull off, but they are peak gaming when done right. Powerful systems don't really matter much as its in the ideas and execution that immersive sims excel.

Also for some reason it seems gamers don't bite on this genre somehow, which means a lot of publishers don't want to touch this genre with a ten foot pole. Even new Deus Ex from freaking Eidos was cancelled 🤦‍♂️
 
Anyone playing this on Deck? Does it have decent controller support?
You may have already gotten replies but when you get used to the control scheme, it plays great! It's a little clunky with the menus but as someone who enjoyed the remake of 1, it's been a short learning curve.
 
I have forgotten how tough an OSA run can be early on

I blame it on getting soft with all the modern easy games and me being rusty. But damn is it fun.

Just need a wrench for BONKS for now

Sorry Head GIF
 
Warren Spector worked on System shock 3 and then cancelled for Thick as Thieves. Not nightdive.

Those who backed or preordered System Shock 1 remake get SS2 remaster for free btw, was surprised to see it in my library.
Thank you, I hadn't read my backer updates and completely missed this!
 
Oh my God, this game is SO GOOD.

It takes a bit to come to grips with everything at the beginning, but it settles into its rhythm before long and the game just keeps ratcheting things up. The way the audio logs gradually uncover what's going on, the evolution of the enemies, the fucking atmosphere... fuck. It all just works. While I was initially a little dismayed by the melee combat, even that made functional sense before too long, but everything else from a gameplay standpoint just feels great. The game's sense of exploration is fantastic and feels just directed enough make you feel in control, yet with plenty of opportunity for discovery. It all channels a lot of the same notes as something like Super Metroid - that feeling of complete isolation and being lost in an alien world comes through razor fucking sharp. And the game has some legs - I've played a lot of it these last few days, and it just keeps going.

Bioshock really was a pale imitation. It does all the same things SS2 does with a bit more polish, but absolutely none of the poignancy.

This is a masterpiece.
I never could get my head around Bioshock popularity and high praise of the game, it just always felt like a SS2 from Temu/Wish. Also, there was that feeling it was dumbed down for consoles.
 
Maybe I'll pick up the remaster at some point. Played through the original game(s) a few times over the years. Very good games and among the first to use the immersive sim design.
 
I never could get my head around Bioshock popularity and high praise of the game, it just always felt like a SS2 from Temu/Wish. Also, there was that feeling it was dumbed down for consoles.

Bioshock I would say is immersive sim light and most of the hardcore community don't even include the game in IM-SIM lists.

But it is more approachable, has console friendly controls to begin with, system shock 2 had never released on consoles, deus ex controls were a mess on PS2 and I guess while being quite shitty, Deus Ex invisible war had started the console im-sim attempts.

Bioshock being more friendly, console ready for a wider audience, they NAILED the visuals for the time also let's not forget that and supported by a much bigger marketing campaign than anything EA mustered for dying Looking Glass Studios could, made it a much bigger success than System shock 2. But imo System shock 2 was always much much better.

Playing it in 1999 I can't think of a more mind blowing experience for its time than that. 8 years before Bioshock. That's a long add time in video games.
 
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