After a second play through, this game still absolutely rules. Serves to modernize and update System Shock for a modern audience while still retaining most of what made it so special all the way back in 1994. There are still certain aspects from the original version that I prefer, such as the old SHODAN design or the music, but everything else is a wonderful recreation and has some fantastic moments.
One of the things that I'd really love to talk about is just how great this game looks. Textures, weapons, enemies, even the particle effects all look absolutely fantastic. The combination of modern rendering techniques with those really pixely textures creates a fantastic look that makes it unmistakably System Shock. It also helps that the weapon and enemy design is still fantastic, and certain enemies which were goofy in the original (such as the hoppers) have gotten a really smart redesign that makes them more menacing and interesting, while still keeping their original design ethos.
There's also the level design, which is uncompromising in it's adherence to the original design. The mazes are confusing but manageable, and you'll likely know your way around the station pretty damn well by the time the credits roll. When achievement hunting during this playthrough I was very surprised at how well I was able to navigate citadel just based on memory alone. It also helps that the jump boots make boosting around citadel during exploration and combat an absolute blast. I originally said that combat was a bit worse in the remake, but I'd like to take that back. After learning how to adapt to enemies attacks and to use the level design to my advantage, the combat loop became way more satisfying. Pulling out the grenade launcher to lob an emp before boosting into the stunned enemy with a lasier rapier never got old, and it made me really feel like I was outwitting SHODAN.
New additions that were confusing to me during my first playthrough also really enhanced this second playthrough. Initially, I was confused by the inclusion of the currency and scrapping system, but this time it made way more sense as a way to prevent the player from getting stuck in any specific area due to lack of one specific resources. Being able to purchase medipatches and ammo really prevents a lot of the softlocking that could have potentially happened in the original. There's also the new "boss" encounters (really just fights with Diego or a Cortex Reaver) that provided a solid bookmark to certain chapters of System Shock. Not all is positive though, I must say I missed seeing SHODAN's face appear on random screens around Citadel as a reminder that she was watching like they did in the OG, and I certainly would've liked to see a new trap or three tossed in to make the game a bit less predictable.
There's also the matter of this game's story which seems to have suffered a bit in its translation to a modern game. There's still just as many audio logs (and even a few bonus lines from SHODAN) that appear throughout the game, but being as this is a modern title it takes me approximately double the amount of time to see the credits roll, about 17 hours vs the 8-9 of the original. This can make the story feel sparse and lacking whereas it didn't in the original, and I would've liked to see some more audio logs in the later levels to counteract this. It's a minor issue, but one that I definitely felt in the later half of the game. I also take issue with how this game handles the soundtrack. It's not bad, in fact it's very good but why the hell does it NEVER PLAY nightdive? There's mostly ambient music for much of the game, and the occasional combat track (which doesn't even match the pace of this game's combat mind you), and outside of that it feels like I never hear the soundtrack. The original's soundtrack was so essential to Citadel's atmosphere and it's a shame that this game didn't take more advantage of how it's used to make some areas more memorable. I highly recommend the "Remember Citadel - Music Restoration" mod with the "Louder and more consistent music" version. It improved the music in the game tenfold and it felt like I finally got the remake's soundtrack that I was missing in the vanilla version.
Outside of those minor gripes, System Shock is a banger. Certified Hood Classic and fully capable of being just as effective today as it was back when it first came out. Citadel and SHODAN are just as memorable as they should be, and the weapons and enemies provide some really fantastic combat interplay compared to the original's more straightforward approach. absolutely worth the $40 price tag for the quality of the product you are getting, and I really hope we get to see more Nightdive remakes like this.
One of the things that I'd really love to talk about is just how great this game looks. Textures, weapons, enemies, even the particle effects all look absolutely fantastic. The combination of modern rendering techniques with those really pixely textures creates a fantastic look that makes it unmistakably System Shock. It also helps that the weapon and enemy design is still fantastic, and certain enemies which were goofy in the original (such as the hoppers) have gotten a really smart redesign that makes them more menacing and interesting, while still keeping their original design ethos.
There's also the level design, which is uncompromising in it's adherence to the original design. The mazes are confusing but manageable, and you'll likely know your way around the station pretty damn well by the time the credits roll. When achievement hunting during this playthrough I was very surprised at how well I was able to navigate citadel just based on memory alone. It also helps that the jump boots make boosting around citadel during exploration and combat an absolute blast. I originally said that combat was a bit worse in the remake, but I'd like to take that back. After learning how to adapt to enemies attacks and to use the level design to my advantage, the combat loop became way more satisfying. Pulling out the grenade launcher to lob an emp before boosting into the stunned enemy with a lasier rapier never got old, and it made me really feel like I was outwitting SHODAN.
New additions that were confusing to me during my first playthrough also really enhanced this second playthrough. Initially, I was confused by the inclusion of the currency and scrapping system, but this time it made way more sense as a way to prevent the player from getting stuck in any specific area due to lack of one specific resources. Being able to purchase medipatches and ammo really prevents a lot of the softlocking that could have potentially happened in the original. There's also the new "boss" encounters (really just fights with Diego or a Cortex Reaver) that provided a solid bookmark to certain chapters of System Shock. Not all is positive though, I must say I missed seeing SHODAN's face appear on random screens around Citadel as a reminder that she was watching like they did in the OG, and I certainly would've liked to see a new trap or three tossed in to make the game a bit less predictable.
There's also the matter of this game's story which seems to have suffered a bit in its translation to a modern game. There's still just as many audio logs (and even a few bonus lines from SHODAN) that appear throughout the game, but being as this is a modern title it takes me approximately double the amount of time to see the credits roll, about 17 hours vs the 8-9 of the original. This can make the story feel sparse and lacking whereas it didn't in the original, and I would've liked to see some more audio logs in the later levels to counteract this. It's a minor issue, but one that I definitely felt in the later half of the game. I also take issue with how this game handles the soundtrack. It's not bad, in fact it's very good but why the hell does it NEVER PLAY nightdive? There's mostly ambient music for much of the game, and the occasional combat track (which doesn't even match the pace of this game's combat mind you), and outside of that it feels like I never hear the soundtrack. The original's soundtrack was so essential to Citadel's atmosphere and it's a shame that this game didn't take more advantage of how it's used to make some areas more memorable. I highly recommend the "Remember Citadel - Music Restoration" mod with the "Louder and more consistent music" version. It improved the music in the game tenfold and it felt like I finally got the remake's soundtrack that I was missing in the vanilla version.
Outside of those minor gripes, System Shock is a banger. Certified Hood Classic and fully capable of being just as effective today as it was back when it first came out. Citadel and SHODAN are just as memorable as they should be, and the weapons and enemies provide some really fantastic combat interplay compared to the original's more straightforward approach. absolutely worth the $40 price tag for the quality of the product you are getting, and I really hope we get to see more Nightdive remakes like this.