Where do I even begin?
System Shock 2 is one of the most atmospheric, deep, interesting, and flexible first-person roleplaying experiences I have ever had the succinct pleasure of devouring.
The narrative of the game is very linear; there is no way to deviate from the storyline, but it nevertheless manages to capture most players' minds and imaginations for a good, long time. The plot outlines the story of a lone marine who has been released from stasis on a ship, the Von Braun, whose entire crew has been nigh-completely wiped clean by a subversive alien symbiote. It outlines the struggle between this race and its creator, a supercomputing AI who has gone well off of the deep end.
One of the largest pulls in this game is the excellent writing and acting. Although the voice actors aren't exactly super-celebrity, they get across the feeling they need to and really add to the atmosphere of the game. As the player moves through the game and begins to unravel the mystery of what has happened on board the Von Braun, he finds a large number of data pads with vocal log entries of many different officers and enlisted men. Each has his or her own story, and the slow degeneration and gnawing madness expressed by these short clips, spoken even while battling the former comrades of these unfortunate individuals, strikes home along with the design and graphics to create an atmosphere of terror and insurmountable difficulty.
This game is one of the very first of its kind. Although it is an FPS, ammunition is seriously limited and oftentimes one must whip out the trusty wrench to bash an enemy's skull in. Combat is simple (particularly for Thief fans, who will no doubt recognize the engine) to learn but difficult to master, requiring timing and footwork as well as solid aim. Ammunition is scarce and funds are just as much so, and although there are a number of skills which allow a player to hack vending machines to spend less on their contents or open locks which contain extra currency or upgrade units, there is still a significant, ever-present dearth of equipment. Rarely does one enter a gunfight (until the very end of the game) without thinking back on exactly how many cartridges are in their weapon as well as their inventory, and how it is that those precious few materials will be replaced. There is always serious entropy, and half of the game is battling to keep all of your gear in good enough shape to protect you from the powerful enemies you will make. Even psychic abilities require Psi energy, which can only be found in medical sleep beds or in hypos designed to refill your bar. Nothing regenerates and there is a definite feeling of desperation and need at all times. Comfort is rare and fear is commonplace, lending itself nicely to the dark atmosphere and looming harshness of the world in which the player lives.
Graphically, System Shock 2 is not impressive. It's old, it's moldy, and it uses the Thief and Thief 2 engine, as well as a number of their animations and suchlike.
The nice thing is that you'll forget all about that quite shortly.
This game is an absolute classic in every category. Music and sound are atmospheric and listening to enemies lumber by your hiding place as you think madly of where you can get more ammo for your spent pistol or more tools to fix your shotgun is a frightening experience in and of itself; the eerie "I'm... sorryyyy..." that the infected crew-members manage to wrestle forth are serious reminders that the men and women you are slaying have no quarrel with you and are themselves victims in a game over which they have no control. Morally, all you can say is that you did what you have to do... but the reminders of a humanity they would so dearly love to return to are frequent and very strong. This game also ties in nicely with a bit of a hypothesis I've been developing that goes something like this:
A good game can be good. A good game with an authentic, charismatic and apt villain makes you want to play it again and again and again. SHODAN is one such villain, and she is one of the creepiest and one of the most well-spoken and well-written in the history of the industry.
If atmosphere and good writing were everything, the gaming world would have both begun and ended with System Shock 2.
It's fortunate that Shock 2 manages to get the gameplay down pat as well.
If you haven't played this, you owe it to yourself to give it a shot. If you're not an FPS person, you may still enjoy it, but honestly it's best to steer clear if you can't abide FPS; that's the sort this game is, and despite the excellent feeling of immersion it manages to convey, you'll still be playing an FPS and it will likely leave a bad taste in your mouth.
The interface can be a tad clunky, but once learned it becomes simple muscle memory. This is my only complaint about System Shocok 2.
There is no better first-person RPG on the market.
Play this game.
Learning Curve: Takes a second
Gameplay:
Graphics:
Replay Value:
Fun Factor:
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