A shocking good game, although a shokcing bad pun... (System Shock 2 (PC))

Member Name: The Duke

Product:	System Shock 2 (PC)
Date:	11/01/01 (48 review reads)
Rating:

Advantages: Atmoshperic, nice touches

Disadvantages: Too short?

I’ve never played the original System Shock, but I had played the demo of System Shock 2, and also played Thief: The Dark Project by the same guys. As I’ve said in other opinions, I like my first person shooters, but playing the demo of System Shock 2, it seemed different to other FPS’s – more thought provoking with some RPG elements thrown in for good measure.

A few months later, I spotted a copy on sale for only £20, so I snapped it up. As usual installation was not a problem, and I launched into the game.

After a bit of training in the basic equipment, as well as telling you how to operate buttons, use lifts, jump around etc. you then go off and select some skills via “Tours of Duty” – what this means is that you supposedly have gone off to space for a year on some sort of assignment, and as a result of that year, you gain some skills or attributes. After 3 of these “tours”, then game begins properly…

The game opens with you in a spaceship somewhere, and a soothing female voice is telling you that the bit of spaceship you are currently standing in is about to blow up, and leave you a very dead space farer. Following the instructions you are given, you escape only to find that the crew have all disappeared, and the only person left is the woman giving you the instructions via your email links. It’s up to you to find this woman and find out what the hell is going on!

The graphics engine is good for it’s time – it’s nearly two years old now, and the sound is incredibly atmospheric. The atmosphere really sets this game apart – there are times when you turn a corner and a monster will just be there, ready to attack you, and you jump out of your skin!

***Minor plot spoiler – skip to the next paragraph if you do not want to know…***
One thing that bothered me though was the fact that you’re meant to be on a spaceshi
p with a finite crew, but as each monster is spawned from a crew member, surely there are only a finite number of monsters?
***End of plot spoiler***

The game’s interface is good too with a lot of information on hand, but never in a confusing way, and it’s all there within a few clicks of your mouse button. There are a few nice touches that I haven’t seen before in games of this genre – the weapon degradation for example.

Weapons that you find or use in this game are prone to damage, or wear and tear. Weapons that you pick up might not be instantly usable, and require fixing before they are in any fit state to be fired. Weapons can also be upgraded via your skills, if you are sufficiently qualified to do so.

The puzzles are not really that difficult to solve mentally, but they do require a lot of tramping around the spaceship, and later you find yourself going to and from decks (which is annoying because each deck is loaded desperately).

I liked the story too – some games (Quake, Quake 2 and even Duke Nukem 3D) are just hardcore blasters with some excuse tagged onto the end of them, but others require a story to help you along, and immerse you in the game (Deus Ex, Half-Life) and this is one of them. I liked the story – it keeps you interested, and motivated so that when the game does hit some slow spots (it’s not a fast paced game as such, but as I said earlier, later there’s lots of tramping around)

All in all though, I thoroughly enjoyed this game, but perhaps it was too short. With hindsight, I seemed to get through this game quite easily, and without too much bother, although I wouldn’t consider myself to be a top notch gamer, and I recall Half-Life taking far longer to complete…

It’s out on budget now, and at that price, if you liked Deus Ex, Thief, or if you like first person shooters, but fancy something a bit different, then this is wh
at to go for. It doesn’t require a top end PC to enjoy either. You don’t even need to have played the original System Shock either because everything is explained that needs explained!

Summary: