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What truly set System Shock apart at the time was its emergent gameplay. It’s just you and the station’s horrors while SHODAN mocks your feeble attempts. Other noteworthy characters include TriOptimum executive Edward Diego, who first hired the hacker to hack SHODAN, and Rebecca Lansing, a consultant for TriOptimum who guides the player throughout.Īside from them, there are no NPCs. Hailed as one of gaming’s greatest villains, she’s voiced by Terri Brosius, who returns to reprise the role in the remake. The biggest star of System Shock is SHODAN, Citadel Station’s all-encompassing AI. It’s worth noting that the level design has seen some changes, with certain areas opened up and “unnecessary” mazes removed. When SHODAN takes control, everything collapses, and the once-peaceful station becomes a battleground. It features numerous sectors like the hospital, Flight Deck, the Executive level with various Groves serving as the living and entertainment quarters, and much more. The entirety of the story takes place in Citadel Station, which is massive in scale. One must stop SHODAN, ideally before she can destroy the Earth. Unfortunately, upon awakening, they learn that SHODAN has gone rogue with much of the crew either dead, mutated or converted into cyborgs. Once all this is done, the protagonist has the implant installed and goes into a six-month-long coma. In exchange for all charges dropped and receiving a military-grade implant, you agree to hack SHODAN, the station’s AI. Set in 2072, the story is about a hacker (the protagonist) who travels to Citadel Station after being caught accessing files on the same. It’s a massive leap over the original but feels like an early 90s interpretation of a cyberpunk future.
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While the art direction adheres to the original’s spirit, there’s a wider color palette, realistic lighting, massively improved character models, detailed textures and effects, and so on. The first thing you’ll notice about the System Shock remake is its massively overhauled visuals courtesy of Unreal Engine 4. What makes it so notable, and what should new fans know about the gameplay? Let’s go over 15 things about the remake here. It’s out this month for PC, Xbox Series X/S, Xbox One, PS4, PS5, and PC. The sound design, non-linear gameplay, combat, horror elements, and more were considered ahead of their time and would inspire gaming for years.Īfter Enhanced Editions for System Shock 1 and 2, Nightdive Studios’ remake of the first game is finally on the cusp of release. It’s one of the earliest immersive sims and went on to influence games like Deus Ex.
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Among the many classics in video game history, System Shock doesn’t get enough credit for how revolutionary it was.
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