Hudo
Member
I actually remember reading that this remaster uses a community-made texture mod. Dunno if that's true or not.
System Shock 2: 25th Anniversary Remaster - Reviews Thread
- Thread starter adamsapple
- Start date
Killer8
Member
Should just show up in your Steam library.
GnomeChimpsky
Member
It's true, it uses several community mods. You can read about them in the settings and uncheck the ones you don't want.
roosnam1980
Member
some of the music is missing in this remaster
IbizaPocholo
NeoGAFs Kent Brockman
Danny Dudekisser
I paid good money for this Dynex!
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.
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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Now imagine playing it in 1999!
Danny Dudekisser
I paid good money for this Dynex!
Yeah, that must've been some mind melting stuff. But even 25 years late, this remaster looks so clean that I still find it visually appealing, and the story is still compelling cosmic horror.
bender
What time is it?
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.
roosnam1980
Member
Bry0
Member
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.
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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Buggy Loop
Member
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.
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.
Gp1
Member
roosnam1980
Member
finally reached deck 4 , reminded that im an insect
Danny Dudekisser
I paid good money for this Dynex!
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.
Buggy Loop
Member
Deep dive with nightdive studios and Ken Levine
amigastar
Member
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.
Buggy Loop
Member
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.
amigastar
Member
Ah, ok i see. So it was Warren Spector but only System Shock 1.
StereoVsn
Gold Member
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.
amigastar
Member
I'm waiting for the VR Deus Ex version which should come out this year.
Buggy Loop
Member
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
FeastYoEyes
Member
FinalBossWithTheMostPower
Member
Loved the remaster.
Will grab this on a discount.
Gamers deserved better.
Will grab this on a discount.
Gamers deserved better.
Buggy Loop
Member
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
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
Soodanim
Member
Thank you, I hadn't read my backer updates and completely missed this!
roosnam1980
Member
reached deck 5 recreation
very tense , wish i had a flashlight
very tense , wish i had a flashlight
Nemesisuuu
Member
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.
Buggy Loop
Member
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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