System Shock for Windows

A remake of the well-loved classic

Brought to life by Nightdive Studios, System Shock is an ambitious remake of the well-loved and critically acclaimed 90s action-adventure video game of the same name. Whether you played the original or whether you are a newcomer to the game, you should not miss the opportunity to play the classic title in its new and improved form.

The System Shock remake fully takes advantage of the technology of the twenty-first century, providing a familiar yet refreshing approach to the 90s classic. It employs the same first-person perspective shooter game and the iconic AI villain SHODAN. You can try the game’s demo before purchasing it.

The same high-tension gameplay from the 90s

Veterans will be happy to discover that System Shock stays loyal to the aspects that made it a cult classic — in the same vein, newbies can try out the remake first before playing the original, so they can fall in love with it even more. The game plunges the player back into the Citadel Station, a lonesome space station that has been overtaken by the lunatic AI being SHODAN. Moreover, SHODAN has turned the crew into murderous mutants and cyborgs.

Carrying the same leaning toward a combination of adrenaline-inducing action and blood-pumping horror, the game presents a non-linear gameplay that takes place in a hellish space station. The main objective is simple, which is to eradicate SHODAN — who is voiced by the original voice actor, too — and stop it from turning the Earth into its twisted plaything. Players must travel the labyrinthine hallways of the Citadel Station, unlocking and going back through some passages as they go. With more detailed graphics and sound, it packs a scarier experience.

Survive while solving puzzles 

As a faithful remake, System Shock retains the original gameplay approach as the 1994 original. The player, an unnamed hacker, listens to the SHODAN’s overly dramatic plan to destroy a target city and establish itself as a god. Then, you roam around a particular area of the Citadel Station in search of clues, mostly in the form of log discs and e-mails.

There are also varying levels of difficulty, from zero to three. By default, the game is set to level 2, which is the normal mode. There are also four subsections for combat, puzzles, mission, and Cyber. For example, setting Cyber to 3 is the hardest option available. You have difficult enemies and puzzles, plus an exceedingly short five-hour time limit. 

Does it stay loyal to the original?

The simple answer is yes. Through the free-to-play demo that has been released in anticipation of the full thing, it is obvious that the remake retains the sophisticated story that gripped players through the 90s and makes the game’s sci-fi world even more immersive than ever before. It keeps the same goosebumps-raising gameplay that has made traversing through the Citadel Station a haunting, isolating experience, but adds a new layer of horror by making the player feel even more alone.

However, no matter how loyal a remake is to the original, at the end of the day it is just that: a remake. Avid fans of the 90s cult classic may still prefer the original’s more difficult and discover-everything-on-your-own type of gameplay, as this one is a bit more beginner-friendly. Making one’s way through the maze of the space station is made easier and there are visual guides like flashcards now. On another note, another popular title BioShock is not a sequel to this game—contrary to popular belief.

A more beginner-friendly version

Whether or not you have ever played the original System Shock, this remake will be worth a shot. It was made by a team that understands why the first title became such a fan favorite and knows how to bring that tried-and-tested appeal into the contemporary gaming landscape. The gameplay and graphics have been fine-tuned to suit a modern gamer’s taste, though those loyal to the original may prefer its difficulty over the more beginner-friendly remake.