In the 'System Shock' remake, the player sets off into the dark catacombs of the space station single-handedly to collect weapons to deal with mutated cyborgs. — Photos: Prime Matter/dpa
BERLIN: Thanks to its then advanced 3D graphics, "System Shock" became a video game milestone in 1994. The game went on to inspire well-known game series such as "Deus Ex" and "Bioshock". Almost 30 years later, Nightdive Studios has developed a remake of the first-person shooter.
The story: Its 2072 – again – and you are a hacker on Citadel space station, which, like in the original, is controlled by artificial intelligence (AI) named Shodan. The power-hungry corporation that runs the station orders you to remove all moral principles from the AI.
AI Shodan is out to wipe out humanity.
As a reward, you get a cyber implant inserted. This is not an easy procedure and you are out for a few months. When you open your eyes again, Shodan is out of control and wants to wipe out humanity.
Single-handedly, you set off into the dark catacombs of the station to collect weapons like shotguns and laser blasters.
Enemies like mutated cyborgs are relatively easy to dispatch. It gets difficult, however, when you have to hack your way through tricky puzzles in cyberspace.
Although the graphics have been cranked up a notch, the 'System Shock' remake has retained the original game's retro character.
The System Shock remake has retained the original game's retro character although the graphics are much sharper and the once pixelated enemies look more modern.
Nevertheless, in many ways the remake still feels like the original. The changes are marginal and include an adjustable difficulty level.
"System Shock" in 2023 may not be revolutionary anymore and it can feel outdated due to its barely changed game mechanics. However, as a true-to-the-original time travel trip into the world of an almost 30-year-old classic, it certainly has its appeal.
In the new 'System Shock' remake, you set off into the dark catacombs of Citadel space station to collect weapons like shotguns and laser blasters.
The game is available for PCs and costs €40/$40. A version for PlayStation and Xbox consoles is to be released at a later date. – dpa
