After delays and the belief that it would never happen, System Shock finally debuts, the remake of the early ’90s PC classic that paved the way for others to run. Well, what is the verdict? It is a tremendous success; The source material was respected while adding a ton of quality of life improvements to an experience that desperately needed them.
First of all, forgive the story class, but it’s important to mention it to understand the kind of game System Shock was. This game, developed by Looking Glass Technologies and published by Origin Systems Ltd in 1994, was a small revolution in the video game industry. For many, System Shock is a misunderstood masterpiece that faltered in its early days, but served as an influence on larger and more important works like Deus Ex, System Shock 2, and Half-Life. Above all, it is remembered for having started an era that changed the philosophy with which game creation was approached.
What makes System Shock so special is that it innovated on video game storytelling, offering never-before-seen levels of immersion through exploration. It’s a game that explains very little, but as you progress, you start to find audio logs and journals that explain the context you find yourself in. In many ways, the atmosphere of the game is built by the characters who left such messages behind.
“You can notice subtle changes that, in another circumstance, would have meant a total and radical change to the source material.”
System Shock’s level design was revolutionary for its time. It was built at a time when abstract themed mazes were often offered, for example a factory themed maze. System Shock is different because it moved away from the abstract. The Citadel Station, the place where the events take place, is a labyrinthine space, yes, but it is made in such a way that functional order can be perceived. For example, there are bathrooms, corridors and receptions, that is, locations that exist in our environment.
The third pillar is SHODAN, the narcissistic artificial intelligence with a god complex who became one of the most iconic and iconic villains in history. She controls the station and you are an interloper, which creates a perpetual latent tension. You are never safe and the feeling that she is watching you is there at all times.
A pleasant stay at Citadel Station
That being said, System Shock debuted very early and it shows. It is a game whose original version is unplayable by modern standards, and this is because at the time there was not even a common command ordering model. When playing, the impression was that you had a robot controlled by a dozen levers. In addition, its user interface was so primitive that if it was functional it was because it became an acquired taste. All this gave System Shock a unique personality and symbolic status, with all the good and bad that this entails.
For the remake, many of these issues have been fixed, bringing the game closer to a modern, digestible, and cohesive experience. However, this meant that it lost a bit of its charm. Notable improvements include fixing many cryptic elements, such as the intro, which is now a full sequence providing much-needed context. Also, from the start of the game in the Citadel Station medbay, you can notice subtle changes that would otherwise have meant a complete and radical change to the source material. The changes made are respectful of the original and add up to make the remake much more palatable.
This means that System Shock is not an exact copy of the original game. It’s a version that takes creative liberties without forgetting its roots or losing its way. For example, the sequences to progress are different, a little more direct and less complicated than in the original. And let’s be clear from the beginning, the remake continues to offer a bleak feeling that forces you to explore every corner of Citadel Station. As we mentioned before, System Shock offers immersion through exploration, so it’s important to pay attention. Otherwise, the targets tend to go unnoticed in the audio and text messages at the station. Fortunately for those who intend to tour Citadel Station, however, System Shock offers modular options, like the original, regulating the difficulty by making puzzles and combat trivial, even adding on-screen markers to guide the player.
“It’s a version that takes creative liberties without forgetting its roots or losing its way”
As for the combat, we find that it has been improved. While the mechanics remain more or less the same, the weapons are no longer redundant. If you remember, in the original installment there were almost two dozen weapons that shared functions. For the remake, the number of weapons was reduced, and instead a new inventory system (similar to Resident Evil 4) is offered to avoid having them all and choose the one that suits you best.
Also, one of the interesting facets of the original game are the cyberspace sections, a kind of 6 degrees of freedom shooter that returns, but visually improved. Before, it was a confusing section because the lines of the tunnels and digital rooms that make up this abstract space were mixed. In the remake, there is a desire to replicate the same wonder and uncertainty in appearance, but now the visual presentation is better curated as it reveals the limits of the corridors and tunnels you navigate.
You will learn more about pain than you ever wanted to know.
Unfortunately, not everything is entirely positive. For example, the puzzles could have had a better learning curve since their language is initially confusing. The first time you face one, you have a general notion of what you should do if you have some understanding of how these types of puzzles work, that is, you understand the language of video games. Otherwise, it can be very difficult to understand them and, perhaps, even frustrating from so much trial and error without apparent success. However, once this barrier is overcome, the riddles function as mental challenges that are a well-deserved break from the dynamics of exploration and desolation.
In the same way, the game shows its years. It is very evident that he belongs to a very old and forgotten breed, so feeling confused is a constant, even if you are paying close attention to the environmental narrative. Let’s just say, if you’re not specifically tuned in to enjoying these types of games, you’re going to have a very hard time amidst all the commitment and going back and forth from one aisle to another without making a bit of progress. Still, I encourage you to give it a try.
Also, being a game where exploration is essential, we would have liked a more robust mapping system that better explains what each of its buttons means and the possibility of choosing between different types of signs to place markers. This might reduce the frustrating feeling of exploring a bit, as there’s currently only one type of marker on the map, so it’s easy to lose track and forget the reason for putting it in a place in the first place.
As for the visual, we liked the result of Night Dive Studios. System Shock uses a kind of pixelated art supported by many image post-processing effects that give the scenes a disconcerting element of depth. Furthermore, it is surprising to see that the floors of Citadel Station maintain their distinctive touch, even when visually updated. The appearance between the original and the remake is contrasting, but even so, it is possible to discern each floor individually.
On the other hand, although we liked the visuals of System Shock, we believe that they exaggerated in some aspects. For example, the bloom effect can be a pain in the ass, especially when interacting with some puzzles, as the brightness obscures the screen and puzzle readability. At the same time, we also like it, because it reflects the bionic nature of the character, who underwent implant surgery. In other words, the game even simulates what light looks like through a lens or camera. Incredible!
“The game shows its years. It is very evident that it belongs to a very old and forgotten lineage”
Likewise, the music is suitable for the experience. You can feel the gloomy and mysterious notes that accompany some levels, but it is not as iconic as in the original. In hindsight, some original tracks clashed with the direction and theme of mystery and loneliness; others transformed the citadel into a dark disco, so you didn’t know whether to bite your nails with fear or start dancing. Like we said, it was a memorable soundtrack. In this remake, the music isn’t bad; it is adequate for the experience and fits with what is lived and shown on the screen; her problem is that I don’t remember her. But honor to whom honor is due, in System Shock the legendary performance of Terri Brosius as SHODAN returns in a performance to match with its characteristic audio equalization, with all its sound glitches. It’s been almost 30 years, and it’s still nerve-wracking work. It is simply sensational.
On the other hand, another aspect of the original game that was lost was the presentation. The original was a product of its time and is an aspect that characterizes it, even in modern times. The remake lost this focus a bit. That is, the user interface. That is, it does not have any detail that makes it different. Works. They are rectangles that house the inventory and other buttons. Here they could have done a design that went hand in hand with the hacker theme.
Triumphant return to Citadel Station
In short, System Shock by Night Dive Studio is a title that I really appreciated. It reinvigorated my interest in a game that often remains behind the spotlight despite being highly influential. In addition, he showed extreme care when recreating an old experience, revitalizing it and adapting it to modern times without losing its way or corrupting its essence. Despite this, System Shock is still showing its true age, so it may be a cautious recommendation, but those looking to explore its richly detailed mechanics and universe will have a satisfying and nostalgic experience for connoisseurs.
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