System Shock 2
Game Info:
| Platform: | PC |
| Developer: | Looking Glass Studios / Irrational |
| Publisher: | Electronic Arts |
| Players: | 1 |
| Format: | 1 CD-ROM |
| Gallery: | |
| Minimum Req.: | 300MHz Pentium II or AMD equiv. 64MB RAM 400MB HDD space 8MB DX7 video card Windows 98/2000/XP |
| Reviewer's Machine: | AMD Athlon 1.33GHz 384MB RAM 30GB HDD 64MB GeForce3 Windows XP |
Editor review
SHODAN is back
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System Shock 2 is the sequel to one of the most intriguing RPGs in history, System Shock. The SS series was made by Blue Sky Software, otherwise known as Looking Glass Studios today. The first SS wasn't very successful in sales, but in the hearts of hardcore gamers, it was a gem. PC Gamer's Top 50 games of all time has System Shock at number 13. The game's sales suffered from the Doom craze when everyone had a copy of Doom and wanted to kick some demon ass. The game was overlooked and left in the dark. Very few gamers even bothered to try it. LGS then decided to make a sequel to the game, using current 3D technology they own which is the Thief 3D Engine. The new game was made to appeal to the gamers who want action. You play the role of a cybernetically enhanced soldier and you must go through several training exercises and then choose your career path. You are referred to as only "Soldier" in this game. There are three paths to go to: OSA - The special branch of the military that utilizes Psionic powers and abilities to attack and defend themselves. People who join OSA get higher Psi ability and more "spells". Navy - The navy is the branch of the military that utilize stealth and knowledge to get through situations. People who join the navy get higher Hacking skills and higher skill in manipulating electronic devices. Marines - The main military branch which utilizes instinct and pure strength to succeed. People who join the marines get higher weapon skills and higher strength levels. After you choose your path the story then starts with you waking up to a beaten up Von Braun, which is the ship you were assigned to. A doctor then contacts you and tells you to find out what is controlling the ship. You will later meet several computer entities such as Xerxes, who is the computer in charge of the Von Braun and then you will meet SHODAN who is the entity who is bent on taking over the ship and you. But before she takes you over, you have to get rid of the 3rd entity who is stronger than the both of SHODAN and Xerxes. The entity known as "The Many", has taken complete control of the ship by mutating crew members into human/annelid hybrids who are bent on taking over the ship and landing on the Earth and dominating. What a job huh? The game features 14 weapons and several monsters. The game is played like an RPG in a First-Person perspective. The game is definitely not played like Quake or Doom. There is an Inventory system which holds all Items and Weapons. The inventory is limited and you can only hold a small number of things depending on your strength. That means that you can't carry that huge Fusion Cannon if you have too much other guns. The game features some RPG elements like killing monsters and collecting experience points. You don't really get XP by killing monsters and you don't really "level up". The character is a cyber enhanced soldier which can be upgraded. To upgrade you must collect Cyber Modules which you get by killing monsters and sometimes they have it inside their bodies. The best and sure way to get it is by completing your duty. The doctor tells you to do something and when you finish, she'll give you a number of modules. The modules can be used in Upgrade Terminals to upgrade certain features such as: Weapon Skill, Psi Skill, and various computer skills such as hacking. You can also upgrade your OS which can allow you to do Overhead Strikes and other special abilities. Items and Weapons can be found in bodies or lying around weapon storage rooms. The game is still available at most stores at around 17 or 19 dollars. Looking Glass Studios is gone now because of financial problems, but Irrational Games can still make any future incarnations because they own the rights to the game. | |||||||||
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