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This science fiction role-playing game returns players to the
battle be in the original, System Shock. The sequel sets you
in the 22nd century, where you can use a multitude of mechanical
weapons and Psionic powers to attack and confuse your monster
enemies in the universe. As you play, you will discover advances
that will allow you to upgrade your weapons systems, uncover
alien technology secrets, and hack into critical computers. This
game is based around the Dark Engine and offers surreal 3-D
graphics, effects, and action.
From the Manufacturer
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From deep space comes a terrifying first-person role-playing
game from the award-winning creators of System Shock. Developed
to appeal to both first-person shooter and role-playing
enthusiasts, System Shock 2 capitalizes on the groundbreaking
System Shock game design combined with the stunning technology of
the new 3-D Shock engine. Create your own persona through a
unique 3-D character generation system, and specialize in a
variety of the skills, whether that's using hi-tech weapons,
computer hacking, or even using paranormal psionic powers. Then
once again match wits with the rogue artificial intelligence
Shodan as you race to uncover the mysteries of the derelict
starship Von Braun. With tremendous gameplay depth and the most
atmospheric environment ever seen in a sci-fi role-playing game,
System Shock 2 raises the stakes for such games.
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Review
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Contrary to popular gaming lore, the original System Shock was
not a commercial failure and sold over 170,000 copies over time.
But when it first released in 1994, gamers overlooked Looking
Glass's groundbreaking game despite favorable reviews. Some
erroneously discounted it as a Doom clone, even though it was
actually the offspring of a line of games that preceded any of id
Software's first-person shooters. In fact, System Shock was a
game that defied pigeonhole classification because it borrowed
elements and themes from a variety of genres.
Prompted by the near destruction of Earth by the self-aware and
malevolent artificial intelligence SHODAN, Earth's previously
ineffectual political governments formed the Unified National
Nominate and imposed constraints on the power of
megaconglomerates. But after inventing faster-than-light
technology, the corporate creator of SHODAN, TriOptimum
Corporation, convinced the UNN to engage in a cooperative
expedition into unexplored space. Your character awakens in the
midst of a crisis, as the ship that undertook the monumental
journey has apparently become infested by some form of alien
life. Suffering from that infamous RPG plot device, amnesia, your
character finds that he has received illegal cybernetic ims
that grant superhuman abilities - just the kind of endowments
necessary to survive System Shock 2's chaotic circumstances.
Even though it's a sequel, System Shock 2 feels entirely
original because too few RPGs have science fiction settings. This
one offers a rich combination of psionic powers, contemporary and
futuristic weaponry, and William Gibson-esque cybernetic ims
and technical skills. The plot unravels as you listen to e-mail
and message logs. While the convenient placement of dozens of
logs throughout the otherwise realistic environments is a bit
contrived, the messages are consistently engaging and gradually
expand upon the es of most of the game's key figures.
Unfortunately, since the settings have generally been abandoned
by friendlies, the logs all but replace direct interaction with
nonplayer characters.
Like its predecessor, System Shock 2 is a first-person game that
cannot be easily characterized otherwise. The role-playing
elements are deeper than they were in the first game, as you're
able to personalize your character's initial attributes and
abilities and later update them in a variety of significant ways.
The game looks and generally feels like a first-person shooter,
but the RPG elements and detailed environments give the gameplay
more depth.
System Shock 2's engine is well equipped for such stealthy
maneuvering, as it's essentially an enhanced version of the Dark
Engine created by Looking Glass for Thief, combined with some of
the better interface features and controls of the original System
Shock. The engine's 3D-accelerated graphics are capable of
producing a variety of plausible futuristic environments, and its
ambient fog and lighting effects look particularly good. However,
the engine seems less capable of depicting characters, as
humanoid figures look like a fusion of rudimentary polygonal
shapes ed by a decent texture . But since there are some
plot justifications for the irregularly shaped beings, and most
of the game's settings are extremely dark, the relatively
simplistic character models work fine, even if they're not as
detailed as those action gamers now expect.
The game's dynamic music is appropriately fast-paced or
atmospheric depending on the circumstances, but its crisp sound
effects deserve particular praise. Environmental audio is a
supported feature that's used to great effect. Straining in the
darkness to gain fore into the challenges ahead becomes an
essential tactic, whether it be to detect the distant whirring
noise of a security camera, the haunting ramblings of a mutant
hybrid, or the banter of a haywire protocol droid. It's all great
stuff, and it contributes significantly to the tense mood rapibly
established in the game.
One of the best aspects of Thief's engine was that it accounted
for how noisy and how visible your character was and ensured
enemies responded accordingly. Fortunately, all this is intact in
System Shock 2. Don't expect to be able to casually open the door
to one room, deal with its inhabitants, and then open the next
door and repeat the process. If any creatures are within ear
of combat, they'll rush to join the fun, making it important to
choose your battles carefully. Enemy AI is very good generally,
as even basic grunts charge after you instead of hessly
lumbering in pursuit, while certain deadlier nents will stick
to shadows from where they'll launch their rapid-fire attacks.
Fortunately, System Shock 2's interface is well designed and
even fits well with the game's plot. You can maintain a view of
the gaming world while searching through your inventory and use
hotkeys to quickly access weapons, use items, or listen to log
messages. To help you navigate you can superimpose
semitransparent compass directions over your viewing window, pull
up an auto, or maintain a miniature version of the
onscreen. Since your character is supposed to be grafted with a
variety of cybernetic ims, there's actually a reasonable
justification for your ability to access information such as
this. The interface is not only effective, but it actually
contributes to the game's ambiance instead of detracting from it.
Your character is initially trained in one of three
branches - marines, navy, or OSI - each emphasizing a different
proficiency: weapons, technical skills, or psionic powers. But
the professions don't add as much depth as you might expect,
since during the course of the game you can choose to develop any
skills or attributes regardless of your initial choice of
profession. The professions are badly unbalanced as well,
especially at the beginning of the game when the modules used to
upgrade your character are extremely rare. It's very difficult to
survive without picking up at least a smattering of basic weapon
and technical skills, and since navy characters start the game
with those abilities, they have a huge advantage. Meanwhile,
marines are essentially navy characters stripped of those vital
technical skills, while OSI characters lack both weapons and
technical skills and are extremely fragile initially for lack of
items that restore their psionic energy. During the course of the
game you can develop truly different characters that are capable
of successfully completing the game in their own right, but the
initial selection of profession isn't relevant or even enjoyable
in the manner in which it was intended.
Finally, despite System Shock 2's novel setting and its RPG
elements, its gameplay doesn't really evolve significantly beyond
that offered by recent first-person shooters. You'll spend much
of your time strafing at enemies around corners, opening crates,
and even hunting for keys. But the realistic environments,
intriguing plot, and consistently uneasy atmosphere make System
Shock 2 constantly effective. It is a hybrid game that
effectively blends elements from a variety of genres into a
thoroughly enjoyable and accessible package. --Desslock
--Copyright ©1998 GameSpot Inc. All rights reserved. Reproduction
in whole or in part in any form or medium without express written
permission of GameSpot is prohibited. -- GameSpot Review
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