For those who have been waiting to see what the upcoming Enhanced Edition of the legendarySystem Shock 2looks like, a recent trailer shows off the work that’s been put into this improved version, which boasts overall better quality visuals. While it didn’t make a massive impact in terms of sales, the sequel to 1994’sSystem Shockhas gone down as a sci-fi game that was well ahead of its timewith its haunting and oppressive world combined with environmental storytelling.
Both games introduced the world to one of themost iconic AI characters in all of gamingin the guise of Shodan, long beforePortal’s GLaDOS orHalo’s Cortana came along. The originalSystem Shockand its sequel were not successful as far as the market was concerned, but they left an impact on the industry in a way that’s still being felt today. In fact, many consider the firstBioShockentry to be a spiritual follow-up to the cult science fiction series, with the former being spearheaded by Ken Levine’s Irrational Games outfit, which served as a co-developer onSystem Shock 2along with the now-defunct Looking Glass Studios.
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Given this legacy, it’s not surprising that many fans of the 1999 release will be looking forward to checking out the Enhanced Edition ofSystem Shock 2, and the first gameplay footage from this version has recently emerged. In a clip lasting just under two and a half minutes, the opening to the game is shown, with the cut scene from the original sequel displayed in a picture-in-picture for comparison. The results speak for themselves, with the new and improved version giving a bit of a boost to the aging game. Of course, this is not a remake, so it still retains the classic look of the cult hit, but it’s obvious to see there have been some tweaks, especially when it comes to character models.
Alongside this, a lot of fans are anticipating the officialremake of the originalSystem Shock, which recently confirmed its release date. Now set to launch on May 30, this reimagining of the first game in the series will aim to bring it back into the fore, perhaps allowing it another chance to make a significant impact on FPS gaming overall.
As such, it’s hardly surprising that the remake and the improved version ofSystem Shock 2are twosci-fi games that so many are looking forward to. No doubt plenty of older gamers will be keen to see what Nightdive Studios has done to the original to bring it into the modern era, so hopefully the wait will have been worth it.
System Shockwill be released May 30 for PC, PS5, and Xbox Series X/S.
