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SYSTEM SHOCK 2 (PC)
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Publisher: EA.
Developer: Looking Glass Studios; Irrational Games. Released: August 1999 (US), 2013 (WW). Genre: FPS; Survival-Horror. Posted 22nd July 2013. By Alan Passingham © 2013 |
Okay, time for a game of guess who.
Snot-nosed kid: Are you a survival horror?
Me: Yes. (clack, clack, clack)
Snot-nosed kid: Do you feature weapon modifications and an inventory?
Me: Yes. (clack, clack)
Snot-nosed kid: Is the game set against the backdrop of a derelict spacecraft where everything is not as it seems?
Me: Well… yes. (clack, clack, clack, clack, clack)
Snot-nosed kid: Where the crew landed on a planet only to bring something back with them, which has subsequently turned the crew into rampaging, deformed mutations of their former selves?
Me: But of course. (clack)
Snot-nosed kid: And where the plot is progressed through the random recordings left by the now dead crew?
Me: Sure thing. (clack, clack, clack, clack)
Snot-nosed kid: Easy. You’re Dead Space!
Me: No, I’m not sodding Dead Space. Get the f*ck out. Now, you dim-witted clagnut…
Of course, this is an easy mistake for younglings to make. Until recently System Shock 2 had been one of those titles stuck in infernal legal limbo. Unless you were fortunate enough to pick up the game shortly after its 1999 release your only experience of cowering on the Von Braun from unrelenting terror would likely be via Dead Space (which borrows wholesale form System Shock 2’s plot and design) or Bioshock, it’s frequently referenced spiritual successor. Even GLaDOS, the manically bonkers artificial intelligence from Portal, owes a passing nod to System Shock 2. Sadly this means many modern gamers have only ever played a close approximation of the real deal; a first-person shooter with RPG depth that’s exquisitely nerve-jangling throughout. But anyone with a PC really has no excuse now. Re-released on GoG and Steam earlier this year, everyone with half a brain should be picking this up so they can truly understand what the phrase ‘innovative genius’ really means.
Assigned to the crew of the Rickenbacker, a military escort for the Von Braun - a new faster than light ship on its maiden voyage, the expectation was this would be a nice cushy little detail looking after science pleps for the next couple of years. Then you awake from a cryo-tube remembering bollocks all about the recent past, discover cybernetic implants grafted to your body and note with considerable concern that all hell has broken loose on the Von Braun. With infected roaming the corridors of the derelict ship beckoning you to join them, one lone mechanical female voice could prove to be your salvation. Problem is do you trust her? And will you follow her instructions as you piece together just what in the blue hell has happened to the crew of the Von Braun?
Wasn't me sir, honest
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Okay, finding one bloodied corpse in a day, I can ignore. But two? Fishy...
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Part FPS, part RPG, part survival-horror; System Shock 2 revels in the fact it cannot be easily pigeon-holed. Yet there is no antagonism between the genre types; they merge seamlessly to create one utterly terrifying and highly absorbing game that’s hard. Feck hard. If you’re not a fan of mouse and keyboard then the number of keyboard shortcuts System Shock 2 employs will probably give you an embolism. Yet that won’t have you hiding under the desk begging for mercy though. The relentless pursuit by the Many across the Von Braun, whilst your ammo depletes and your nerves fray is what makes System Shock 2 a balls-to-the-wall challenge.
In this sense the RPG element is probably the most intriguing component of the game. Other than Deus Ex, few other FPSs have followed a similar design preferring the simplicity of point and shoot over a more insightful system that manipulates the core gameplay. Character creation and the eventual build you choose have a discernible impact on the way you play. Marines are the gung-ho element providing the point and shoot dynamic more comfortable with modern gamers. The navy officer is more a jack-of-all trades, avoiding combat where possible and making particular use of other skills (such as hacking) to meet objectives. Finally, the OSA agent has a variety of psionic abilities (think Bioshock’s plasmids) but limited ability in gun-play. Along with the main difficulty setting (whatever you do, don’t play on normal) the three character types provide an increasing level of challenge. It’s easier blowing the crap out of stuff than thinking your way around obstacles, and whilst the OSA agent gets knocked down more often than a gnat in a fart storm to begin with - a bit like a mage in standard RPG titles – it has a great build to develop as you level up. Smacking the infected around with a wrench whilst juiced up on a psi-high is quite glorious.
It’s likely you’ll be doing this a fair bit across character builds anyway to conserve ammo. Removing the capacity ordinarily found in routine FPS’ to just pick up guns and switch between them at will, the inventory space for one’s character determines a more thoughtful approach to just blowing the crap out of everything. Firstly, hording all available weaponry is not possible. Secondly, differing types of ammo only work against certain types of enemies. Thirdly, you have to maintain and look after weapons otherwise they’ll snap like a rich tea biscuit dunked in a luke warm cup of tea. And finally, particularly on higher difficulty settings, ammo is a sacred source that drops infrequently. Pure blasting will only get you so far. Alongside the character generation and skill options available (be it base characteristic increases, weapon proficiency, technical abilities or psionic powers) System Shock 2’s inventory mechanics ensures for contrasting methods of play and inviting replay value.
In this sense the RPG element is probably the most intriguing component of the game. Other than Deus Ex, few other FPSs have followed a similar design preferring the simplicity of point and shoot over a more insightful system that manipulates the core gameplay. Character creation and the eventual build you choose have a discernible impact on the way you play. Marines are the gung-ho element providing the point and shoot dynamic more comfortable with modern gamers. The navy officer is more a jack-of-all trades, avoiding combat where possible and making particular use of other skills (such as hacking) to meet objectives. Finally, the OSA agent has a variety of psionic abilities (think Bioshock’s plasmids) but limited ability in gun-play. Along with the main difficulty setting (whatever you do, don’t play on normal) the three character types provide an increasing level of challenge. It’s easier blowing the crap out of stuff than thinking your way around obstacles, and whilst the OSA agent gets knocked down more often than a gnat in a fart storm to begin with - a bit like a mage in standard RPG titles – it has a great build to develop as you level up. Smacking the infected around with a wrench whilst juiced up on a psi-high is quite glorious.
It’s likely you’ll be doing this a fair bit across character builds anyway to conserve ammo. Removing the capacity ordinarily found in routine FPS’ to just pick up guns and switch between them at will, the inventory space for one’s character determines a more thoughtful approach to just blowing the crap out of everything. Firstly, hording all available weaponry is not possible. Secondly, differing types of ammo only work against certain types of enemies. Thirdly, you have to maintain and look after weapons otherwise they’ll snap like a rich tea biscuit dunked in a luke warm cup of tea. And finally, particularly on higher difficulty settings, ammo is a sacred source that drops infrequently. Pure blasting will only get you so far. Alongside the character generation and skill options available (be it base characteristic increases, weapon proficiency, technical abilities or psionic powers) System Shock 2’s inventory mechanics ensures for contrasting methods of play and inviting replay value.
An apt time to arm yourself with a stress-ball
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"What's with all the menus?! Just use the damned wrench!"
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This in itself is quality stuff that makes System Shock 2 a unique entry within the bastion of existing FPS titles. But it still has a trick up its sleeve. In gaming history you’ll be hard pushed to find a title that has such constant, palpable tension that never lets up. Primarily this is down to the threat of the infected; they are never fully eradicated as you move through the corridors of the Von Braun. Intelligent re-spawning of enemies (rather than an unfair stream of constant reinforcements) provides an unrelenting and oppressive atmosphere that other game mechanics support – such as insufficient ammo. And their depiction is pant-wetting inducing. Okay, maybe not the graphics, where the rendered 3-D of the late nineties is now creaking beyond shoddy (graphical MODs do exist though to improve the visuals) but the sound quality of System Shock 2 is magnificent.
There is nothing quite like looking around for that one bastard infected crying out ‘I see you’ from beyond the other side of a window or from a platform above. It can’t hurt you (well, not until they start picking up shotguns and fuzzing grenades) but the fact it’s there taunting you that it’s there, waiting to club your head in is creepy as hell. As is first contact when the Many introduce themselves; the eerie, lingering dialogue chewed up by multi-layered voices bouncing between genders expounding the glory of the flesh to you - Christ, it gives you the willies just thinking about it. As introductions go there’s little in survival horror that’s better. In addition, the recordings left by other crew members, allowing the backstory to form gradually and provide some particularly haunting moments, was a revelatory dynamic at the time and now much used in modern gaming story-telling. Perhaps only Portal out does System Shock 2 in this regard.
Unfortunately, modern gamers are more likely to look down on System Shock 2’s w*nky graphics and be scared off by the depth. A sad reflection of this Modern Warfare era. Yes, it is challenging, especially on the higher difficulty levels and if playing as the OSA agent. Yes, it will frustrate you because it’s not super-easy. Yes, the graphics are particularly crude. Yes, there is a bit of an issue with regards to whatever character played hacking always becomes a requisite. But within the confines of the technology available at the time System Shock 2 remains absolutely masterful. It’s the perfect example of how to do atmosphere and story without the pace of gameplay ever lagging (which it does in Dead Space in all honesty). It’s also the perfect example of how to do survival-horror. It just never lets up in its intensity, you remain on the edge of your seat throughout from the tangible sense of dread and you go to bed with the light firmly switched on. And it’s also a reminder of what good old games were all about. If you made a crap character build you would get to a point where you would just be unable to progress any further. That would initiate a re-think, a re-start and the employment of a better strategy next time around. Rather than booing like a baby you dealt with it and got on with mashing the Many.
So, just think about the games that have been heavily influenced by System Shock 2’s innovation; Deus Ex, Bioshock, Dead Space. That’s some legacy. Not one of those games is better than System Shock 2 though. And perhaps it cannot come any more highly recommended than that. One of the finest games from the golden age of FPS and one that stands majestically alongside Half-Life, Unreal Tournament and Quake II. You’d have to be some kind of goon not to spend a freaking tenner on it. After all, SHODAN does command you…
There is nothing quite like looking around for that one bastard infected crying out ‘I see you’ from beyond the other side of a window or from a platform above. It can’t hurt you (well, not until they start picking up shotguns and fuzzing grenades) but the fact it’s there taunting you that it’s there, waiting to club your head in is creepy as hell. As is first contact when the Many introduce themselves; the eerie, lingering dialogue chewed up by multi-layered voices bouncing between genders expounding the glory of the flesh to you - Christ, it gives you the willies just thinking about it. As introductions go there’s little in survival horror that’s better. In addition, the recordings left by other crew members, allowing the backstory to form gradually and provide some particularly haunting moments, was a revelatory dynamic at the time and now much used in modern gaming story-telling. Perhaps only Portal out does System Shock 2 in this regard.
Unfortunately, modern gamers are more likely to look down on System Shock 2’s w*nky graphics and be scared off by the depth. A sad reflection of this Modern Warfare era. Yes, it is challenging, especially on the higher difficulty levels and if playing as the OSA agent. Yes, it will frustrate you because it’s not super-easy. Yes, the graphics are particularly crude. Yes, there is a bit of an issue with regards to whatever character played hacking always becomes a requisite. But within the confines of the technology available at the time System Shock 2 remains absolutely masterful. It’s the perfect example of how to do atmosphere and story without the pace of gameplay ever lagging (which it does in Dead Space in all honesty). It’s also the perfect example of how to do survival-horror. It just never lets up in its intensity, you remain on the edge of your seat throughout from the tangible sense of dread and you go to bed with the light firmly switched on. And it’s also a reminder of what good old games were all about. If you made a crap character build you would get to a point where you would just be unable to progress any further. That would initiate a re-think, a re-start and the employment of a better strategy next time around. Rather than booing like a baby you dealt with it and got on with mashing the Many.
So, just think about the games that have been heavily influenced by System Shock 2’s innovation; Deus Ex, Bioshock, Dead Space. That’s some legacy. Not one of those games is better than System Shock 2 though. And perhaps it cannot come any more highly recommended than that. One of the finest games from the golden age of FPS and one that stands majestically alongside Half-Life, Unreal Tournament and Quake II. You’d have to be some kind of goon not to spend a freaking tenner on it. After all, SHODAN does command you…
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VERDICT
Visual: 6/10
Audio: 10/10 Gameplay: 10/10 Longevity: 10/10 OVERALL: 10/10 |