System Shock 2

Moby ID: 590
Windows Specs
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Description official descriptions

In the year 2114, forty-two years after the events described in System Shock, a soldier joins the military organization Unified National Nominate (UNN), receiving the number G65434-2, and is shortly thereafter assigned to the military space ship Rickenbacker. This ship's duty is to escort the Von Braun, an experimental faster-than-light starship, on its maiden voyage. However, the next thing the soldier can remember is waking up in a cryo-tube on the Von Braun. It appears that both ships were infected with something so horrifying that nearly the entire crew was either killed or mutated into monsters. The soldier is contacted by a woman who identifies herself as the only human survivor. His first task is a rendezvous with this woman, for which he will have to traverse the monster-infested corridors of the ghost ship.

System Shock 2 is a hybrid of first-person shooter and role-playing game. In the beginning of the game the player chooses a career for the protagonist in the UNN. This choice grants bonuses to the protagonist's initial skills. Marines specialize in combat, navy officers can repair weapons and hack computer terminals, and OSA agents may begin the game with psionic powers. Notwithstanding this initial choice, the player may choose to learn any of these skills as the game progresses, spending acquired cybermodules to develop the main character in a RPG fashion.

As the hero traverses the corridors of Von Braun, he will have to avoid death at the hands of hostile creatures and robots on the way, acquire a variety of items, and complete missions to unlock new areas and advance the story. The game emphasizes survival rather than elimination of enemies; in many situations the protagonist is underpowered, and new enemies may appear in already explored areas.

Combat is done in FPS style, with both ranged and melee weapons. The ranged weapons can accept a few different types of ammo, each of them efficient against different foes, and can shoot in two firing modes. However, ranged weapons deteriorate quickly as the player character uses them, and will eventually break down after prolonged use.

Healing items, such as medical hypos and medikits, will save the hero's life, while other items will shield him from radiation, cure him from poisoning, or temporarily boost his attributes. The soldier can find armor to wear and implants which will amplify his skills, as long as their battery doesn't run out. There are also some alien items that the player has to research (which usually requires finding specific chemicals in the ship's chemical stores); researching weapons and items allows the player to use them, and researching enemies' organs makes it possible to deal more damage to them.

Apart from finding them lying around, items can be bought from "matter replicators" for nanites, the game's currency. Nanites are also used for cybernetic activities (hacking electronic systems), repairing broken weapons and improving them, healing the protagonist on surgery tables, and, after death, resurrecting him in special chambers found on most levels.

Cybermodules are received for successfully completing objectives or found during exploration. They are used to enhance the main character's attributes: the player can improve his strength, agility, endurance, as well as his cybernetics and weapon skills; psionic powers are also acquired in this way. Psi powers allow the protagonist to move objects from a distance, paralyze enemies, become invisible, etc. A special "psi amplifier" must be found in order to use them, and the hero spends "psi points" each time he uses a psi power.

Like in the first System Shock, much of the background story in the game is revealed by finding messages left by crew members before they fell victims to the mysterious infestation.

Spellings

  • 网络奇兵2 - Simplified Chinese spelling

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Credits (Windows version)

146 People (144 developers, 2 thanks) · View all

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Reviews

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Average score: 91% (based on 61 ratings)

Players

Average score: 4.1 out of 5 (based on 282 ratings with 24 reviews)

One of the best (and scariest) games out there

The Good
Atmosphere and storyline were top notch. Whoever said storylines in FPS games didn't matter (like John Carmack), are dead wrong. System Shock 2 hit the nail dead on in the story department. From the creepy audio emails, to the ghostly "visions", this game oozes in fear and tension. The taunting audio emails from SHODAN are well worth the price of admission... The audio soundtrack in the game was also great.

The Bad
Looking back now, the graphics are a bit dated. But that wouldn't be fair, since this game has been out since 1999.

The Bottom Line
If you had to choose between System Shock 2, and Doom 3, place your money on Shock 2. While Doom 3 has the hype and slick graphics engine, Shock 2 makes up for it with it's atmosphere and storyline.

Windows · by Adam Wolfson (5) · 2004

Nothing to shock you but the lack of quality.

The Good
After first time encountering the absolutely marvelous "Deus Ex" appearance, I easily fell under the words "Huh, Deus Ex is everything but original, real originality lies in System Shock 2", especially since both games are made by the same creator. I could easily made this whole review as a comparisson of those two games, 'cos both of them have so much in common, yet there's a huge difference when it comes to addiction to those two games. Instead, I'll just try to concentrate on describing this game in specific, without much comparing it around (but there'll be some comparissons further as you read, nevertheless).

Sure, the thing I usually fall for is good story, and this one seemed to have really taunting one, but no matter this could be called more adventure oriented game than pure action shooter, I could name some shooters with even more profound story with much better atmosphere, I'll name "Half-Life" for example. Now that's the game no man on Earth should pass. Okay, the story makes you choose one of thre classes to play as, a marine (concentrating more on a firepower and macho tactics), a navy seal (being more of a stealth man than the one of action, lockpicking instead of blowing things up), and a psi trooper (using more of psi boosts and powers), though no matter which class you choose, you'll be able to upgrade your charactr to use lockpicking, hacking or psi skills.

Okay, typical boring story, marooned on a huge scientifical ship, you don't remember anything for the past three weeks, and you've been just unfrozen. But there's no way to stop and ask for directions, as it seems that there's a big mess on the ship you're on. With a help of some survivors (or so you think in the beginning), you'll get a few directives that will save your life, and then you'll choose how to proceed any further. Seems that some strange experiments went off-the-hook on the ship, and you'll have to tame 'em. In the beginning it'll be less interesting unless you prefer having a lack of weapon arsenal, and running around all night long, and you'll have to search the ship for messages, logs, and thus finding out about the story and surroundings, and all the strange events that occured while you were god-knows-where.

I'm not sure why I put story under this section, I guess it varies a bit between good and bad point, so it's acceptable more or less. The atmosphere, on the other side, is quite impressive. I mean, nothing we haven't seen before, but it's spooky alright, and you can hear your enemies mumbling or walking behind the corcer or somewhere down the line ahead, so they'll hardly surprise you, but when/if they do, you'll jump back sometimes, that's guaranteed ;))

Okay, until I developed a touch for controls, I was a bit confused and thought that engine has some recoils on occasion, but seems it's pretty much okay, running fast enough, in multiple resolutions, and inventory and interface handling is quite easy once you get accomodated with all the terms. Some songs are also well suited for the atmospherical experience, but they only play on very certain places, and always on the same ones, though. Now let's see if there are reasons for not liking this game...

The Bad
As much as this game looks pretty fine graphically, and I'm refering to ship and the rooms only by saying that, characters, monsters and animals plain suck! Their low line of polygons is simply not understandable for 1999. I mean, "Jedi Knight" which was two years older had the same, or even better looking characters.

I never played original "System Shock", nor have ever seen it, so I cannot comment on that one, but I think that this is pretty cheap try on the sequel. I guess they tried to make a decent sequel, but if that's what they can call their best (and keep in mind that four years passed from the original game), then this kinda sequel can only be for those fans of original game, and barely for someone new. Newcommers to FPS world should better try "Deus Ex" or "Half-Life" for starters. Frankly, I never liked "The Thief" when I first tried it, either, so I guess I just don't like taht kinda graphic in general. It seems kinda too tall for me. I dunno, but this game really looks more tall than wide, and I know this is rather improper view for commenting upon a game, but once you'll start to play it, and see the 3D engine and how it looks form the inside, you may (maybe) just be able to spot that point. But if this was considered a good game, I wouldn't care about the graphic at all... however, I don't find this a good game. Not by a far.

Okay, now, does any of you enjoy having infinite monsters or enemies in any kind of FPS game? I think not, I mean, if we aren't allowed to have infinite ammo, why should they be infinite enemies, and how was that closer to reality? Well, it's not. I mean, you can barely break through some level and kill every monster and hybrid on the way, and getting low on ammo and armour, and then when you need to go back, the level is full of 'em again.

Oh, and one more thing... that SHODAN female badguy is by far the worst nemesis I've ever encountered. Not only she's stupid, but pretty much annoying. I don't want to go offensive to all those fans of original "System Shock", because maybe in original she knew grammar more, but it's pretty bad to see a computer that doesn't even speak properly. I mean, it's a computer, for Pete's sake! Computer is supposed to be something most effective and highest scientifican achievement, yet it's incapable of talking the way we could understand it. And then she want to play a God? Yeah right, what kinda God would have less abilities than we do? ;)) If you're searching for real computer AI nemesis, try battling CABAAL :)

The Bottom Line
I seem to have mentioned all the points, and no matter I've equally said good and bad things about this game, I'm still glad to have it under my collection, and will try to get the original "SS" as well. It's an interesting game, yet very annoying at some points, but worthy passing it once. However, I highly recommend trying "Deus Ex" instead. That game realy made a new standard considering such games, plus it has superb plot and atmosphere. Hey, did I mention that ending in "SS2" is like the worst ever to be found? Well, it is, seems like a cheap shot to make availability for a sequel. I hope they'll make none of it, though.

Windows · by MAT (240759) · 2015

Attention: Threat Detected... Attention: Threat Detected

The Good
God only knows why the sequel to System Shock was released even after the original did not make enough copies. System Shock 2 takes place in 2114, which is 42 years after SHODAN was hacked on Citadel Station. The starship Von Braun, which is owned by TriOptimum, is claimed to be the first faster-than-light vessel in human history. But not everything is what it seems to be.

Before the game begins, you must do some basic training, followed by one of three advanced ones, than you have a choice of being in the marines, the navy, or the OSA. After the training, the real game begins. You are faced with the same situation of SS1. You are transported to somewhere, put to sleep in a cryo tube, then wake up in the medical deck with no memory of the past few weeks, realizing that something is wrong, as you see people dead on the floor and an evil alien race, simply known as The Many, running around all over the place.

You are also given a more cybernetic interface which is more advanced than the one in SS1. You can store more inventory, and refer to the map, find out what your current mission objectives are, and research items that you have found. But what you do in the game will depend on your profession, and the skills that you acquire for it. If you join the marines, you will spend a lot of time in the game shooting at everything (alive or not), but if you have joined the navy, expect to hack locked doors and security systems. If you are with the OSA, you get to develop psionic powers such as the ability to pull objects toward you, stop alarms, do more damage to aliens, and heaps more.

This game is basically about exploring. Explore all areas and you may accomplish a task given to you by a fellow crew member or SHODAN herself. More often than not, audio logs can be picked up. Playing these logs is important as door keycodes and secondary objectives are given to you, plus some rather interesting information about experiments involving monkeys and conversations involving other crew members.

You have an arsenal of weapons that you can use to take out enemies, and these include the shotgun, plus some energy weapons like the laser pistol and the EMP rifle. With the exception of these two weapons, ammunition is fairy limited, but unlike SS1 where you have to search dead corpses, you have something called a replicator, which allows you to buy ammunition for whatever weapon for a certain number of nanites, which can be lowered if you are able to hack the replicator. Energy weapons need to be restored using an energy unit.

Most of the enemies you meet have good AI. When they see you, they tend to follow you around all over the place like puppy dogs. What gave me the creeps is the protocol droid. Not only does he sway left and right while he walks, he looks hideous as well. The hybrids, the first enemies that you meet in the game, attack with a shotgun at first, then manage to throw grenades even when you are on a deck up. There are security cameras that actually do something, alerting The Many to your presence. They are able to find you, no matter whether you think you are hidden.

In almost every area that you go to, there is always machinery in each corner of a room, operating at its full potential. There are also flashing monitors that are similar to the ones in SS1. System Shock 2 is supposed to be scary, and this is demonstrated by the dark lighting in some areas, and the creepy music, as well as certain enemy sounds. Later in the game, you must perform tasks for SHODAN. Her voice sometimes gives me the creeps, especially when she stutters.

To distract you from your mission, there are mini-games that you may pick up along the way. These games have interesting objectives. (One game is an adventure where you must slay goblins, while another is a clone of Minesweeper where you must avoid revealing corn.) Also, these games look much better in your PDA than they do in the pissy 128x128 square that they are restricted to in the original.

The Bad
You get e-mails throughout the game which give you new objectives and some “cyber modules” which you can use to upgrade your stats throughout the game, and they play automatically. Playing them the first time is useless as you usually fight off enemies when they are playing, so you have to go to one of those quiet spots, and listen to them again there. Listening to them a second time is not worth it, considering that you have to get from point A to point B in limited time.

Even though they do not affect the game in any way, there are a couple of bugs. One of them allows you to jump out a window and go through a little spacewalk. If I do this, I fall down quite a distance and cannot get back inside the building.

The training is useful, but it would be better if there was an option that allowed you to return to the training immediately, instead of having to start a new game and do it again if you happen to forget how to do things.

I recently brought a copy of System Shock 2 which only lets you watch cut-scenes only once. Subsequently, the game just bypasses them, making me feel that I am actually playing a CD-Rip that has the cut-scenes removed from it. Installing the only patch to the game did not work, so the only way that I can watch those cut-scenes again is if I crash the game on purpose, forcing me to reboot the computer and starting the game again.

The Bottom Line
System Shock 2 is similar to its predecessor. You are faced with the same situation of waking up from a deep sleep to a massacre. Before that, you have to do some training, and this is really good because it lets you know how to perform certain tasks, and if you forget during the game, you can always go right back to the start and repeat the training. Also, SHODAN is back. Only this time, you work for her instead of against her when you get proper into the game.

I agree that System Shock 2 is scary. It has scary music and some dark lighting that gives the game its scary feeling. You also get to hear some scary e-mails. So in conclusion if you are going to play the game, then be prepared to be scared.

Windows · by Katakis | カタキス (43092) · 2006

[ View all 24 player reviews ]

Discussion

Subject By Date
Which SS2 am I playing? o__O Slug Camargo (583) May 20, 2008
Damn the Many... Unicorn Lynx (181780) Apr 3, 2008
No spawn and no degradation? Unicorn Lynx (181780) Mar 18, 2008
Just Finished, ITS AMAZING!! ricardoe Oct 7, 2007
System Shock 2 Expansion Pack on WinXP dave solin Sep 12, 2007

Trivia

Animations

In addition to using the Dark Engine, the game also uses some animations from Thief, most notably the zombified crewmen with the shotguns and pipes. They use portions of animation from the guardsmen in Thief, specifically when they walk around searching for your character, and when they run over to attack you.

Basketball

In Thief, part of the training mission included a little basketball court at the beginning of the game. In SS2, this basketball is carried over and is found up on a ledge on the 'street' level of the very first training mission. Go around the 'pillar' to the right of where you arrive on the street. You can mantle up to a sloped surface, and on the flat part of the ledge will be the basketball. Bounces very appropriately, too!

On the Recreation deck will be a basketball court, towards the last part to explore in the level. You have to be on the upper running deck to shoot, but if you make a basket with the basketball or even just clip the rim, you'll get a very funny email. Be sure to bring it up in your PDA, as it reads differently than it sounds.

Bugs (Spoiler!)

In a cutscene on Deck 4, the walls will drop away and a cut-scene will begin. However, you can still move around and if you fall off the platform that the room has become, you CANNOT get back up, short of killing yourself or loading your game! A neat little bug.

Cancelled Dreamcast version

There was going to be a Dreamcast version of System Shock 2, but it was cancelled

German version

The localized German version of the game was slightly modified for fear of banning. Some corpses were removed (e.g. a hanged man), and all blood was colored green.

Mods

The graphics for character models in the game was considered by many to be the low-point in the 3D Design. So some fans took it upon themselves to create unofficial high-res models which are known as System Shock: Rebirth and can be found at http://perso.wanadoo.fr/etienne.aubert/sshock/sshock_rebirth.htm

Multiplayer

There is a patch available for System Shock 2 which does not only allow adjustments of the respawning and weapon wear and tear, but adds a cooperative multiplayer mode.

Release

System Shock 2 was published by Electronic Arts instead of Eidos, which was Looking Glass‘ world-wide publisher at the time. This is due to the simple fact that EA held the copyright for the System Shock franchise -- the firm had acquired it with the purchase of Origin Systems.

Sales

Although System Shock 2 was rated a masterpiece by all major magazines, sales were only mediocre. Ironically, the game shared the same fate as its predecessor: Both games never reached a mass audience, partly because of bad marketing efforts.

Shodan

The voice of Shodan was done, as in System Shock, by Terri Brosius. She is the wife of Looking Glass Audio Director Eric Brosius.

Awards

  • Computer Gaming World
    • March 2000 (Issue #188) – Best Sound Design of the Year
    • November 2003 (Issue #232) – Introduced into the Hall of Fame
  • GameSpy
    • 1999 – Role-Playing Game of the Year
    • 1999 - Best Genre-Bender (together with Drakan: Order of the Flame)
    • 2001 – #12 Top Game of All Time
  • PC Gamer
    • April 2000 - #22 in the "Readers All-Time Top 50 Games Poll"
    • April 2005 - #39 in the "50 Best Games of All Time" list
  • PC Player (Germany)
    • Issue 01/2000 - Best Game in 1999
    • Issue 01/2000 - Best Action-Adventure in 1999
  • Power Play
    • Issue 02/2000 – Best Game in 1999
    • Issue 02/2000 – Best Atmosphere in 1999

Information contributed by -Chris, CaptainCanuck, George Shannon, Great Hierophant, M4R14N0, PCGamer77 and WildKard

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Contributors to this Entry

Game added by robotriot.

Macintosh, Linux added by Kabushi.

Additional contributors: xroox, JubalHarshaw, George Shannon, Unicorn Lynx, chirinea, Sciere, jlebel, dorlthed, DarkDante, Patrick Bregger.

Game added December 17, 1999. Last modified March 14, 2024.