 Overview
So you want to join the military and make something of your worthless life in the 22nd century? Well, step right up and visit the UNN recruitment facility where you can embark on a
four-year tour in either the Marines, Navy, or the mysterious OSA and serve your country proud. But
wait; on your way back from your
third year you get reassigned to the “VON BRAUN” starship where something has gone terribly wrong, and it is up to you to use your mind and body to set things right. Welcome, gentle reader, to the sequel to the smash hit
System Shock where you get to face off against the evil artificial intelligence “SHODAN” once again.
Looking Glass Studios has brought us a wicked
3D science fiction/horror role-playing game that is sure to entertain even the most fickle game players like myself.
Gameplay, Controls, Interface
When you first enter a new game in System Shock, it takes you about 15-20 minutes to generate a character and to get into the actual gameplay.
That is what makes it so easy to immerse yourself into the game. By the time you are
on board the ship where the game takes place, you have time invested in your character which makes you feel
as though you are actually on the ship instead of a character that the game designers make you play. Another thing that adds to the game is that feeling of being all alone while wandering the
ship. It feels so desolate except for when a bad guy tries to hand you your head. I would have to give Looking Glass Studios a big thumbs up
for the desperate and lonely feeling they created in the game; it sucked me in big time.
 Graphics
I found the graphics to be absolutely stunning while walking around the
ship; they seem to be very crisp and clear. One downside is the people or “bad guys” you encounter along the way. The designers used the
Thief: The Dark Project engine and one thing that bugged me about that game was that the
people's faces seemed very flat. It felt like they needed to be a bit more fleshed out, but other than that I think that
those who played the first System Shock will be in for a real treat. I would have liked to see a night vision capability for the character in the game because it can get really dark
wandering around that big old creepy ship, but I suppose that is what makes you wet your pants when something jumps out at you in the dark.
Audio
You know the audio is good when it fits the game like an expensive glove, and that is just what the audio does in
System Shock 2. Some games like to beat you over the head with really loud audio
and others make it non-existent, but in
System Shock 2 they made the audio flow seamlessly with the graphics and storyline. All character voices are clear and easy to understand, while game noises such as
air-locked doors and footsteps over metal walkways add to the creepy and desolate feel to the game. All in all, the audio adds to what is a great game.
System Requirements
Win 95/98, 200Mhz Pentium, Cyrix or AMD K6, Direct X 6.1, 32 MB RAM, 200 MB free hard disk space, 4X
CD-ROM drive, 4 MB Direct 3D video card, Direct X compatible sound card
 Documentation
I found the manual to be very basic, but one thing that I do appreciate is a beginning
walkthrough because it helped me get into the game without getting too frustrated early on. If you have played this type of game before, you will find that a quick glance is all you need to get going before you are off killing nasty-looking beasts and saving the galaxy from wrongdoing.
Bottom Line
Those of you who have read my previous reviews know that I’m not big into “role-playing third-person shooters” where you run and jump,
etc., etc. But boy, did
System Shock 2 suck me in and not let me go. It’s been two weeks since I
got this game and I look forward to playing it every day. Each day I say to myself,
"Okay, let's see if we can get a little farther today and maybe figure out what went wrong with the ship," so on the addictive rating it is way up there. I never had the opportunity to play the original
System Shock, but if it is anything like its sequel I can see why people love this
game. On that note, gentle reader, I give
System Shock 2 a score of 88/100.
Review Posted On 30 September 1999.
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