i worked on the original system shock 1 as an artist back then. the remake is amazing. i am blown away by the attention to detail and the creative interpretation involved. this remake sets the bar for remakes to come. when we worked on the original game it was a labor of love. this also feels the same way. the amount of work it takes to make any game is more than most people would believe it is. making worlds is not for the faint of heart. it can be very grueling but also very exciting. watching this video is like stepping into a time machine for me. thanks!
Can you describe a bit of the process of how game development was in the 90s, from your perspective? How did the Looking glass team coordinate artwork, programming, and game design? Were there democratic weekly team meetings or would the team-lead/ game designer make unilateral decisions that affected the final outcome?
As an artist on the og what is your take on the remake's issues when it comes to so much detail & lightining effects that important items & highlighted things etc don't stand out? I feel its an issue in a lot of modern games.
That's because they had too restart all over again development because they completely went a different direction on the first trial of the Unity version. The final product is actually true too the Original as its meant too be. The unity's version was becoming a completely different games which only causal gaming shills would have loved that one.
Tbh it's kinda rare. There are a lot of games with long development that ended up great or amazing, but still had issues. Cyberpunk 2077 and The Last Guardian come to mind. They're both incredible games, but cp77 needed a lot of patching and the Last Guardian had minor performance issues even on ps4 pro. It's rare to see a long delayed come out and not still seem rushed but from what I've heard system shock remake is solid other than them canceling the console versions lol
@@maegnificant Yes. It's old-school in that sense. Unless you set the "Mission" difficulty setting to 1, there are no waypoints or objective markers. You have to listen to audio logs and read crew notes to figure out where you should be going next and what to look for while you're there. But the remake definitely makes navigating the station much more friendly than in the original.
@Webhead123 I've never played this, i had the second game back in the day but for some reason it stopped working, i never played it since. Is ths game as good as the second game?
I recommend trying to get into System Shock 2 first as it plays more like a modern game. The first game is more archaic than it looks, especially because its level design feels very similar to Doom's maze-like levels
As Thief (and Thief 2) is one of the most impactful games in my gaming history and still one of my favorite games of all time, this would be an absolute dream come true. Granted, we've just seen dreams become reality with this remake, so maybe it's not too much to ask to see the revival of the Thief games!
@@MaxIronsThird Yep, now a part of Square Enix and they haven't done anything with the IP in 9 years. If Nightdive could ever convince them to license it out...🙂
@@Webhead123 Eidos is now owned by Embracer Group, Square sold them and Crystal Dynamics, last year. Plus their Thief game kind of sucked and bombed financially, take into account that Deus Ex, Prey and Dishonored 2 also didn't do well, i think the Thief franchise might stay dormant for at least a few more years.
I dunno. Stealth gameplay has evolved a lot since then (though not all for the better). System shock's core gameplay just works after all these years. Before Redfall I would've wanted a reboot of Thief by Arkane but now all the talent has left the house... Shame really. I think they woulda been a much better fit for the job than Eidos.
I’ve only played that game for like 15 minutes but I’d love that lmao. Just like this remake, I’m sure that would allow me to enjoy these games from a different time in gaming. I feel like for those of us born in the late 90s, old games have a soft barrier of entry when getting used to controls and such.
Took me 3 hours to get through Medical and that's just the first deck of many. Absolute blast so far. I never played original System Shock, but I did play System Shock 2. So I'm going in fairly blind, though I understand the gist of everything having played 2. Good to get some much-needed context on SHODAN. I absolutely love how there's no handholding. You're really just EXPLORING each deck fully. At no point does the game ever tell you where to go with an objective marker. If you forget a keypad code, you need to check back through your notes and audio logs. The game doesn't care if you don't find a particular weapon, or don't get a particular upgrade chip, or don't find a keycode to an armory door, it simply does not care and does not force all of its content linearly on you like modern games do. I didn't even get a firearm until I explored the first 1/4 of Medical because I missed a pickup and just sort of took a random path through the level that didn't have guns laying around. Which means I've had to pay close attention to every single room I go in. You really WANT to map out the whole deck, and there doesn't seem to be any wasted space in the levels so far even though they're quite expansive and labyrinthine. You also frequently unlock shortcuts that allow you to backtrack through the deck more quickly. Huge recommend. Nightdive has fully earned my trust and they're overflowing with talent for making this the way that it is. And it looks BEAUTIFUL, too. I know the next thing they're working on is the System Shock 2 Enhanced Edition which I'm super looking forward to (and will get free because luckily I preordered this), but my god, I hope they do a System Shock 2 remake with this much love and care someday. I'll buy it, no questions asked.
I'm in the same exact boat with you on where you're coming from. I had to laugh after getting mad that near the end of medical I got killed by a mantis dude that snuck up on me and combo'd my ass in a few seconds. got sent ALL the way back to when you first wake up because I didn't realize the checkpoints are ONLY at the beginning of every new level. Game is brutal, but incredibly rewarding and fun
LOL, dude I just got to Level 5 (Flight Deck) and I think I just hit 10 hours or so LOL Haven't been this invested in a new game in quite some time. Loving it; definitely no regrets backing this beast.
Echoing other comments here. Loving not having my hand held all the time. Just me, my gear and the gameworld. Explore at my own pace. Survive. It feels like a genuine achievement to figure out where to go next. Unlocking new areas, surviving combat, and making decisions all fall in the same category. Worthwhile, not trite and handed to you on a platter.. This is the good stuff right here. Wonderful remake. Haha I must be slow because I have spent 8 hours on the first floor. But then again, I recycled *everything*...
Excellent analysis, thanks John! I backed the project way back when, as a huge System Shock fan. Almost forgot the game existed due to all the delays, but now I’ve been enjoying it after release and it’s truly stunning. I’m having so much fun and I’m only 6 hours in. Can’t wait for the physical package!
@@JFinns The Demon’s Souls Remake doesn’t do justice to the OG. It ruined the tone with the bombastic music, the changes to the art direction, and kept the janky gameplay and PvP.
@@theatheistbear3117 They understood it plenty well. I've platinumed both are both are fantastic. There is a shader option for the remake that puts more of the color grading back if you must have it, and I miss some of the more brutalist style architecture. The only place I they should fix is Tower of Latria, it should be bring the fear back instead of it just feeling somber. Nevertheless the remake is still amazing and one of my favorite PS5 games.
I love how the game manages to look both modern yet so retro at the same time. I love this game, and it's great to see System Shock getting some attention from a modern audience.
Yeah here is a trick for your next retro look game - lower the textures to minimum and switch off filtering. Done. Not for me. This game looks like textures has not finished loading but hey…it’s a feature.
System shock was one of the first PC games that I purchased for myself. I bought it at launch after saving money for it. Despite the learning curve to master the interface, once I understood the controls, it quickly became the most deeply immersive game I had ever played. Before this I had played Dungeon Master, Drakken, and Eye of the Beholder on our Amiga 500, and Daggerfall on PC around the same time as System Shock. While Daggerfall was extraordinary in scope and immersion, System Shock was exactly what I wanted; an immersive Sim in space, and absolutely nailed it. While my friends were all geeking on Doom, I was living the dream, exploring every nook and cranny of Citadel Station, taking on Shodan in a fight for my life. Ever since that day, I have hoped for a remake of System Shock with refined controls, and the wait was easily worth it. I have never been as impressed by a remake as I have been returning to Citadel Station in Nightdive’s System Shock Remake. When Nightdive Studios announced they were remaking system shock, I was elated. When they went silent, I expected the worst, that this would be like so many others that try to recapture the greatness of the original and fall short. Boy was I amazed when this shadow dropped the other day, and I was treated to the Citadel station I knew and loved. And the return of the original voice actor for the most brilliant computer game villain of all time is everything I could have hoped for. Other developers should take note, this is how you pay tribute to a timeless classic while also inviting new players to experience what inspired those who came before. All while managing to be engaging and fun in the current era. My hat’s off to Nightdive for achieving the impossible, crafting a remake worthy of its predecessor, and in a number of ways, surpassing the limitations of the original work. This, ladies and gentlemen, is how it’s done.
Seeing this get mainstream coverage and praise warms my heart. I'm in love with the remake, it really is a callback to a better time in gaming, and I can only hope this team gets a shot at SS2 soon.
System Shock 2 is still a super-fun game to play today. Doesn't necessarily *look* fantastic, but with NewDark it totally shows its strengths. Ultima: Underworld on the other hand...
@@theamazingbatboy "Doesn't necessarily look fantastic" is quite the understatement ;) It looked average at best even at launch, and time has not been kind to it. In a way, I'd even say the first one looks better nowadays. Still a great game, of course, but looks pretty bad.
I craw through vents just for the fun of it with how good it all looks. I really hope nightdive do ss2 as well, either way I'll play the enhanced edition
@@alexsilva28 Just goes to show what an overpriced gimmick RTX is when traditional lighting techniques can provide the same visuals, without the massive performance/FPS loss incurred through actual raytracing.
As someone who missed the 90s PC gaming scene (my only awareness of it came through GamePro and friends) I'm really excited about this release. In fact, I have to admit that I became a huge fan of Nightdive's work after the incredible Doom 64 remaster. Thank you John for raising awareness of their impecable work! Really looking forward for their next projects. Nightdive, if you read this message, keep them coming!
Loved the brief history recap at the beginning. Really useful to those of us who didn't get to experience System Shock back in the day, but are still interested in these remakes and revivals. Thanks!
I have never played the original one, so playing this for the first time and I am loving it. Nightdive Studios did an awesome job with this remake I must say :)
It really is a miracle in modern gaming landscape. I've been sucked in for 3 days now and haven't play anything else since. Performance and visuals are so good! Running on RX578 60fps locked at 4K!
It's an amazing game, I love it. The graphics and art is also top notch as far as the whole "modern retro" style is concerned, it's very appealing looking despite not pushing any technical boundaries like other modern games. My RTX 4070 feels like it's way overkill though, it's probably rendering the game at like 200 fps at 4k ultra settings, with DLSS it's probably around 300 fps or more lol. I hope the devs implement full path tracing later, that would actually make my 4070 sweat a little and add a whole new layer of beauty. As of now DLSS seems utterly pointless since even a RTX 2060 should be able to run the game at native 4k 100 fps at the very minimum without DLSS, so I do hope path tracing ends up happening.
They have the Unreal Engine now and all of the assets and it won't be a development hell from now on like it was during development in Unity which is a very ugh engine to begin with so the sequel might be already in production.
Looking forward to playing this at some point and finally experiencing a System Shock for the first time. Now, I know this remake was a difficult one for Nightdive, but if they could take everything they learned along the way and remake Thief next, I would be over the moon! That's a classic series that deserves some remake love.
This is an absolutely amazing game, incapsulating everything I hoped from (well almost) from the remake. I'm running a mid range PC from several years ago and had not trouble at highest setting w/ only notable stutter coming from the elevator load sequences between levels. I can only hope Nightdive will follow this up w/ a SS2 remake of the same caliber.
Nightdive Studios have achieved something very special with System Shock, excellent work! I only wish the artwork would be more darker and horror like, but on the other hand I understand why they made it like this.
Nightdive has become my studio to watch, with their recent announcements and playing this for the first time, man, I can't wait to see what they are cooking up, if anything original or old because their attention to detail is wild!
Really excellent review. I've been playing it since a few days and I'm blown away from how good it is. I'm not a fan at all of simplified modern game design and handholding, and this System Shock remake makes me truly happy.
Agree on all points. THis game is just you, your gear and the game world. And everything beyond that? Figure it out. :) Good luck with your playthrough.
When I bought the original release my CD-Rom was so slow the intro video could never be played smoothly. But the actual game was addictive and magical! Can't wait to give the remake a go.
I instealled the demo of system shock and i wondered the same.... and after following your sugestion i found out i haven't that folder... i don't know where is suposed to be
I love the art style of System Shock Remake it's a tribute to old SCI-Fi movies and old games combined with new tech it's so unique and it looks amazing the more I think about it the more I think the developers racing to make the games super realistic rather than stylistic simply limits artistic potential and made most games to looks the same and just boring.
I dont know if the footage is representative of the ingame experience but i saw multiple times that the geometry density of the floor switched from low to high in a relativly jarring way. Did you noticed this artefact? In any case looks all in all like a faithful reinterpretation of the classic System Shock, i would love to see more in that kind of direction from Nightdive!
Ive been lost half the time playing this game but loved every minute. Its much more satisfying to have to actually figure out what your supposed to be doing and where your supposed to be going rather than just having way points. Also im running a evga 3070-i78600 and haven't noticed any stuttering. Its running maxed out in 1440p at 165fps 👍🏻
I would like to point out that resolution scaling is bugged doesn't work in the current build. Setting anything above 100% won't changed the internal resolution, so stating that it runs 7680 x 4320 at 120fps is not true. Game still runs at 3840 × 2160. Anything below 100% works fine.
Having owned and played the original many many times over the years and also being a very proud backer from way back when this remake was announced, I just want to add Nightdive Studios have done an absolutely marvellous job in recreating a game that many would be too afraid to even think about! In a nutshell this game is well worth playing and to a die hard classic shock fan that have done the original proud ....... Brave Nightdive 👌
A bit surprised by the lack of Groves levels in video and their performance. Understandable as they are fairly late in the game, but they (and maybe levels like Flight Deck) are truly where the performance issues seem to happen. To a point, where my RTX 3070 was dropping below not only 60 but even 50 fps in Beta Grove.
I always find it so difficult to explain the "immersive sim" genre to other people. It is a genre that can have so many bespoke aspects that are best described with examples. You did a great job!
I cannot over state the utter joy this game brings me. The original was one of my first pc games and I've been waiting for and hoping this remake would be good for years.
This is a decent review of a game, finally. Someone actually referencing the design language and giving technical insights, seeing the game as a work of art. Critical design informed thinking. Understanding the vision, etc. Most game reviews pale in comparison. Usually totally focused on the reviewer.
It misses the mark in other areas. Would strongly suggest to watch the Boulder Punch review for anyone considering this game for a more objective look.
The fact that this has a full body model makes me excited for a possible VR mod of this. Actually BEING in Citadel Station after all these decades… oh man.
Great video as always, and man THIS LOOKS SO GOOD. Nightdive Studios has NEVER disappointed imo 😁 Now I'm personally just waiting for the PS5/XsX release cause I don't have or want to play on PCs. Then I'll be heavily anticipating System Shock 2 Enhanced Edition which will also apparently be coming to PS/XB alongside PC... SS2 is a MASTERPIECE and I'm glad it'll be getting the more "Traditional/Faithful" Nightdive treatment, and on the platforms I prefer to play on 🙌
This DF retro review is one of the best review formats i have ever winessed for games. It reminds me of the old school magazine pc game reviews but w video.
I’d never played the original but got this because I adore immersive sims. My first play session was 6 hours! It’s been a long time since I was so drawn into a game world. Can’t wait to get to grips with the rest of it.
I was convinced more than enough to download this with John singing such high praises and me never playing it heck I didn't even know something like this was out there but the fact that in the age of atleast 50+ games this is not in 10gb. Now I'm fully convinced
Playing through it right now, and gotta say they knocked it out of the park. Absolutely love the aesthetic of combining lo fi textures with modern PBR materials. Plus as a bonus, the game runs insanely well. Easily getting over 200 fps on my 3060ti @ 1080p with DLSS set to Balanced.
I had to put off playing this because of a couple other games, and am now about halfway through, and this game is awesome. It's hard to imagine how a FPS of this complexity was released in 1994.
They need to do remakes like this of the original Thief games. Just imagine them with modern lighting techniques (even without Ray-Tracing or Parh-Tracing).
Game is running flawlessly at 1440p, max settings, with 200% resolution scale. No dlss. 12700k/4070ti. Only time i ever saw it drop below 165 was in the elevator.
-Game is perfectly priced -Runs like a champ -Looks great even on lowest settings -Super small fiel size To push this further than DF the game runs 55-85fps maxed out 1080p on a 1050ti. If limited to medium settings and 720p this game could very easily run on the switch at 60fps.
I'm only about 2 hours into SS23, but thus far, I would agree on all points made here. I didn't make it very far in the 1994 version due to possibly my own lack of understanding how everything worked, but I'm finding this game much more user-friendly. This game tickles all of my retro game desires, with feeling. Kudos to Nightdive!
NightDive got to include a OST swap option so it allows you to play OG music. I also turn off the music in the remake and it makes the game a lot more enjoyable.
I never played the original, but recently picked up the Redux. I was initially surprised by the visuals - and wondered if I had perhaps bought the wrong version. But after a few hours I started to love it! It is such an unusual look, combining that weird 90s blocky, Duke Nukem style design with cutting edge lighting, and the whole thing just works - somehow! I have a pretty mid-spec gaming laptop that only has a 1080p screen, but I'm gonna hook it up to my 4k TV this week and pray that the laptop doesn't start hovering from the fan output. 😅
I'm so glad Warren Spector's contribution to this classic is a reminder on how games get done while dodging some many roadblocks to complete the game. An American game design master that is now almost a rarity these days. Its a wonderful remake. But one thing that I always often never see in any System Shock mention is the MAC version regarding its visual performance and audio superiority over the DOS versions; particularly Bungie's Marathon. Hope someday Alex and the gang compare side by side differences over popular titles released retrospectively from both operating systems.
I was too young (only 8) when the original released, but I was a big fan of System Shock 2. This remake reminds me of simpler times. No tutorial, no radio guidance, no objective markers, no over the top drama, no jumpscares, no "tap "E" quickly" bullcrap, no achievements. Just creativity, atmosphere, immersion, gameplay design. Very nice review, I can't wait to try it
i hope the console versions arent too far away. i tried many times as a kid to get system shock 2 to run but never succeeded, and was always interested in the two of them. the Prey reboot takes a lot of inspiration from system shock/bioshock and that was by far my favorite game of the last 10 years.
From the moment I played the demo I knew I'm going to love this game, even though it's not what I'd typically play. Apart from the absolutely brilliant atmosphere and excellent visual design, I appreciate that, unlike modern games, System Shock doesn't treat players as kindergarten-age children with learning difficulties. This is a game where both memory and focus are important, especially on the higher difficulties. I'm actually making notes as I'm playing :) Since I am akin to a kindergarten-age child with learning difficulties lately and not many games can hold my attention, I was surprised how SS really hooked me. It even wins with Diablo 4, and I paid for the earlier access to that game :D
The graphics looks like the 90's game magazines wanted you to think the games looked like. Absolutely love it.
Blame Richard for the fake visuals. ;)
Like those crazy renders they would put on graphics card boxes
@@dogbog99 I miss Radeon Ruby :(
Yeah, or like my young mind wanted me to think they looked like. 😂
Well expressed.
i worked on the original system shock 1 as an artist back then. the remake is amazing. i am blown away by the attention to detail and the creative interpretation involved. this remake sets the bar for remakes to come. when we worked on the original game it was a labor of love. this also feels the same way. the amount of work it takes to make any game is more than most people would believe it is. making worlds is not for the faint of heart. it can be very grueling but also very exciting. watching this video is like stepping into a time machine for me. thanks!
Can you describe a bit of the process of how game development was in the 90s, from your perspective? How did the Looking glass team coordinate artwork, programming, and game design? Were there democratic weekly team meetings or would the team-lead/ game designer make unilateral decisions that affected the final outcome?
As an artist on the og what is your take on the remake's issues when it comes to so much detail & lightining effects that important items & highlighted things etc don't stand out? I feel its an issue in a lot of modern games.
How about an interview with DF!? 🤓
Mark? 70 comics a month, Mark?
Thank you for work on such a masterpiece!
It's really nice to see a game that appears to have had development difficulties for a period of time and make it to the other side as a success!
dead island 2, too
@@DDosAndDonts seems like the troubled games actually have a better shot of coming out polished than anything else this year 💀
@@DDosAndDonts Finally Miyamoto is being proven right - sometimes, a delayed game IS eventually good!
That's because they had too restart all over again development because they completely went a different direction on the first trial of the Unity version. The final product is actually true too the Original as its meant too be.
The unity's version was becoming a completely different games which only causal gaming shills would have loved that one.
Tbh it's kinda rare. There are a lot of games with long development that ended up great or amazing, but still had issues. Cyberpunk 2077 and The Last Guardian come to mind. They're both incredible games, but cp77 needed a lot of patching and the Last Guardian had minor performance issues even on ps4 pro.
It's rare to see a long delayed come out and not still seem rushed but from what I've heard system shock remake is solid other than them canceling the console versions lol
As someone who never played the original, I appreciate the time John takes to provide context. This looks straight up my alley.
"We hope you have a pleasant stay on Citadel Station." 🙂
It's really hardcore, you need to write things down and stuff.
@@maegnificant Yes. It's old-school in that sense. Unless you set the "Mission" difficulty setting to 1, there are no waypoints or objective markers. You have to listen to audio logs and read crew notes to figure out where you should be going next and what to look for while you're there. But the remake definitely makes navigating the station much more friendly than in the original.
@Webhead123
I've never played this, i had the second game back in the day but for some reason it stopped working, i never played it since.
Is ths game as good as the second game?
I recommend trying to get into System Shock 2 first as it plays more like a modern game. The first game is more archaic than it looks, especially because its level design feels very similar to Doom's maze-like levels
System Shock and System Shock 2 are two of the greatest games of all time. I’m exceedingly excited to play the remake, after watching DF’s overview.
It's a great remake! Now imagine Nightdive remaking Thief in the same way they did System Shock. That would be a dream come true.
As Thief (and Thief 2) is one of the most impactful games in my gaming history and still one of my favorite games of all time, this would be an absolute dream come true. Granted, we've just seen dreams become reality with this remake, so maybe it's not too much to ask to see the revival of the Thief games!
Eido owns Thief
@@MaxIronsThird Yep, now a part of Square Enix and they haven't done anything with the IP in 9 years. If Nightdive could ever convince them to license it out...🙂
@@Webhead123 Eidos is now owned by Embracer Group, Square sold them and Crystal Dynamics, last year.
Plus their Thief game kind of sucked and bombed financially, take into account that Deus Ex, Prey and Dishonored 2 also didn't do well, i think the Thief franchise might stay dormant for at least a few more years.
I dunno. Stealth gameplay has evolved a lot since then (though not all for the better). System shock's core gameplay just works after all these years.
Before Redfall I would've wanted a reboot of Thief by Arkane but now all the talent has left the house... Shame really. I think they woulda been a much better fit for the job than Eidos.
Blown away with how well they nailed this. Makes me wish Ultima Underworld 1/2 were remade in a similar fashion.
That would be AMAZING!
I'd buy that in a second
@@mcm3adows I know, right??! Even a port to Unity like Daggerfall Unity would be amazing.
I’ve only played that game for like 15 minutes but I’d love that lmao. Just like this remake, I’m sure that would allow me to enjoy these games from a different time in gaming. I feel like for those of us born in the late 90s, old games have a soft barrier of entry when getting used to controls and such.
Or any Ultima for that matter
I don't think there's any other way to describe this 26+ minutes long analysis than with the word 'epic'. Probably your best video ever John.
Took me 3 hours to get through Medical and that's just the first deck of many. Absolute blast so far. I never played original System Shock, but I did play System Shock 2. So I'm going in fairly blind, though I understand the gist of everything having played 2. Good to get some much-needed context on SHODAN.
I absolutely love how there's no handholding. You're really just EXPLORING each deck fully. At no point does the game ever tell you where to go with an objective marker. If you forget a keypad code, you need to check back through your notes and audio logs. The game doesn't care if you don't find a particular weapon, or don't get a particular upgrade chip, or don't find a keycode to an armory door, it simply does not care and does not force all of its content linearly on you like modern games do. I didn't even get a firearm until I explored the first 1/4 of Medical because I missed a pickup and just sort of took a random path through the level that didn't have guns laying around. Which means I've had to pay close attention to every single room I go in. You really WANT to map out the whole deck, and there doesn't seem to be any wasted space in the levels so far even though they're quite expansive and labyrinthine. You also frequently unlock shortcuts that allow you to backtrack through the deck more quickly.
Huge recommend. Nightdive has fully earned my trust and they're overflowing with talent for making this the way that it is. And it looks BEAUTIFUL, too.
I know the next thing they're working on is the System Shock 2 Enhanced Edition which I'm super looking forward to (and will get free because luckily I preordered this), but my god, I hope they do a System Shock 2 remake with this much love and care someday. I'll buy it, no questions asked.
I'm in the same exact boat with you on where you're coming from. I had to laugh after getting mad that near the end of medical I got killed by a mantis dude that snuck up on me and combo'd my ass in a few seconds. got sent ALL the way back to when you first wake up because I didn't realize the checkpoints are ONLY at the beginning of every new level. Game is brutal, but incredibly rewarding and fun
LOL, dude I just got to Level 5 (Flight Deck) and I think I just hit 10 hours or so LOL
Haven't been this invested in a new game in quite some time. Loving it; definitely no regrets backing this beast.
Echoing other comments here. Loving not having my hand held all the time. Just me, my gear and the gameworld. Explore at my own pace. Survive. It feels like a genuine achievement to figure out where to go next. Unlocking new areas, surviving combat, and making decisions all fall in the same category. Worthwhile, not trite and handed to you on a platter.. This is the good stuff right here. Wonderful remake. Haha I must be slow because I have spent 8 hours on the first floor. But then again, I recycled *everything*...
@@HorrorCrisisTime That's not fun.
@@HorrorCrisisTime yea didn't realize the game still had quicksaves at that point
Excellent analysis, thanks John! I backed the project way back when, as a huge System Shock fan. Almost forgot the game existed due to all the delays, but now I’ve been enjoying it after release and it’s truly stunning. I’m having so much fun and I’m only 6 hours in. Can’t wait for the physical package!
So refreshing to see a well done, tasteful remake of a game that actually had a good reason to be made
Very strongly agree. Incredibly refreshing (and heartening!).
Could not agree more. Finally a remake that gets what the original stands for.
For sure, this is up there with the greatest of remakes like FF7, Black Mesa, and Demon's Souls
@@JFinns The Demon’s Souls Remake doesn’t do justice to the OG. It ruined the tone with the bombastic music, the changes to the art direction, and kept the janky gameplay and PvP.
@@theatheistbear3117 They understood it plenty well. I've platinumed both are both are fantastic. There is a shader option for the remake that puts more of the color grading back if you must have it, and I miss some of the more brutalist style architecture. The only place I they should fix is Tower of Latria, it should be bring the fear back instead of it just feeling somber. Nevertheless the remake is still amazing and one of my favorite PS5 games.
I love how the game manages to look both modern yet so retro at the same time. I love this game, and it's great to see System Shock getting some attention from a modern audience.
Yeah here is a trick for your next retro look game - lower the textures to minimum and switch off filtering. Done. Not for me. This game looks like textures has not finished loading but hey…it’s a feature.
System shock was one of the first PC games that I purchased for myself. I bought it at launch after saving money for it. Despite the learning curve to master the interface, once I understood the controls, it quickly became the most deeply immersive game I had ever played. Before this I had played Dungeon Master, Drakken, and Eye of the Beholder on our Amiga 500, and Daggerfall on PC around the same time as System Shock. While Daggerfall was extraordinary in scope and immersion, System Shock was exactly what I wanted; an immersive Sim in space, and absolutely nailed it. While my friends were all geeking on Doom, I was living the dream, exploring every nook and cranny of Citadel Station, taking on Shodan in a fight for my life. Ever since that day, I have hoped for a remake of System Shock with refined controls, and the wait was easily worth it. I have never been as impressed by a remake as I have been returning to Citadel Station in Nightdive’s System Shock Remake. When Nightdive Studios announced they were remaking system shock, I was elated. When they went silent, I expected the worst, that this would be like so many others that try to recapture the greatness of the original and fall short. Boy was I amazed when this shadow dropped the other day, and I was treated to the Citadel station I knew and loved. And the return of the original voice actor for the most brilliant computer game villain of all time is everything I could have hoped for. Other developers should take note, this is how you pay tribute to a timeless classic while also inviting new players to experience what inspired those who came before. All while managing to be engaging and fun in the current era. My hat’s off to Nightdive for achieving the impossible, crafting a remake worthy of its predecessor, and in a number of ways, surpassing the limitations of the original work. This, ladies and gentlemen, is how it’s done.
Seeing this get mainstream coverage and praise warms my heart. I'm in love with the remake, it really is a callback to a better time in gaming, and I can only hope this team gets a shot at SS2 soon.
System Shock 2 is still a super-fun game to play today. Doesn't necessarily *look* fantastic, but with NewDark it totally shows its strengths. Ultima: Underworld on the other hand...
@@theamazingbatboy "Doesn't necessarily look fantastic" is quite the understatement ;) It looked average at best even at launch, and time has not been kind to it. In a way, I'd even say the first one looks better nowadays. Still a great game, of course, but looks pretty bad.
The lighting in the remake is truly top notch.
Of all aspects in 3D game rendering, lighting has always been the one I was most fascinated with, ever since Doom 3 came out.
Some of those reflections almost looked like RTX to me
@@alexsilva28
Yeh. Only without the hit to the frame rate you'd expect from RTS
I craw through vents just for the fun of it with how good it all looks. I really hope nightdive do ss2 as well, either way I'll play the enhanced edition
@@alexsilva28 Just goes to show what an overpriced gimmick RTX is when traditional lighting techniques can provide the same visuals, without the massive performance/FPS loss incurred through actual raytracing.
For those curious, I got this running on my Steam Deck, and (most of the time at least) I get a solid 60fps. This is a very well optimized game.
Good to know. I was disappointed there didn't appear to be any effor to test AMD or Intel parts. Not everybody has DLSS, guys.
And they released a demo! That should be praised by itself. Also, we need more immersive sims, alot more.
Eidos Montreal is back making Deus Ex I hear. Years away probably, though.
Wow, thanks for the preview, John! Hats off to the Night Dive team for sticking it out!
As someone who missed the 90s PC gaming scene (my only awareness of it came through GamePro and friends) I'm really excited about this release. In fact, I have to admit that I became a huge fan of Nightdive's work after the incredible Doom 64 remaster. Thank you John for raising awareness of their impecable work! Really looking forward for their next projects. Nightdive, if you read this message, keep them coming!
I knew Linneman would love this! An excellent remake.
Loved the brief history recap at the beginning. Really useful to those of us who didn't get to experience System Shock back in the day, but are still interested in these remakes and revivals. Thanks!
I have never played the original one, so playing this for the first time and I am loving it. Nightdive Studios did an awesome job with this remake I must say :)
It really is a miracle in modern gaming landscape. I've been sucked in for 3 days now and haven't play anything else since. Performance and visuals are so good! Running on RX578 60fps locked at 4K!
you really need to step outside of whatever bubble you force yourself into if this is a "miracle" of any kind
@@xBINARYGODx you really need to stop telling people what to do or enforce your taste and lifestyle onto them
@@xBINARYGODx if someone is happy with something then good for them, leave them be.
It's an amazing game, I love it. The graphics and art is also top notch as far as the whole "modern retro" style is concerned, it's very appealing looking despite not pushing any technical boundaries like other modern games. My RTX 4070 feels like it's way overkill though, it's probably rendering the game at like 200 fps at 4k ultra settings, with DLSS it's probably around 300 fps or more lol.
I hope the devs implement full path tracing later, that would actually make my 4070 sweat a little and add a whole new layer of beauty. As of now DLSS seems utterly pointless since even a RTX 2060 should be able to run the game at native 4k 100 fps at the very minimum without DLSS, so I do hope path tracing ends up happening.
I can’t wait to play their remake of System Shock 2 in 10-12 years.
You and me both. Good luck.
They have the Unreal Engine now and all of the assets and it won't be a development hell from now on like it was during development in Unity which is a very ugh engine to begin with so the sequel might be already in production.
@@rosumparat let's hope so. :)
It'll still be here before star citizen v1.00
Dont have this game yet, the faithful interpretation of it is so masterfully done & I cant wait to jump into it
Looking forward to playing this at some point and finally experiencing a System Shock for the first time. Now, I know this remake was a difficult one for Nightdive, but if they could take everything they learned along the way and remake Thief next, I would be over the moon! That's a classic series that deserves some remake love.
Remaking the thief series would be so amazing
This is an absolutely amazing game, incapsulating everything I hoped from (well almost) from the remake. I'm running a mid range PC from several years ago and had not trouble at highest setting w/ only notable stutter coming from the elevator load sequences between levels. I can only hope Nightdive will follow this up w/ a SS2 remake of the same caliber.
Nightdive Studios have achieved something very special with System Shock, excellent work! I only wish the artwork would be more darker and horror like, but on the other hand I understand why they made it like this.
Nightdive has become my studio to watch, with their recent announcements and playing this for the first time, man, I can't wait to see what they are cooking up, if anything original or old because their attention to detail is wild!
Really excellent review.
I've been playing it since a few days and I'm blown away from how good it is. I'm not a fan at all of simplified modern game design and handholding, and this System Shock remake makes me truly happy.
Agree on all points. THis game is just you, your gear and the game world. And everything beyond that? Figure it out. :) Good luck with your playthrough.
When I bought the original release my CD-Rom was so slow the intro video could never be played smoothly. But the actual game was addictive and magical! Can't wait to give the remake a go.
I'd love to be able to disable TAA and just rely on supersampling. The textures already lean into that crisp retro aesthetic, let us go all the way!
you actually can if you go into the ini file and turn it down or completely off. I have mine set to 1 👍
%USERPROFILE%\Saved Games\Nightdive Studios\SystemShock\Saved\Config\WindowsNoEditor\GameUserSettings.ini
sg.AntiAliasingQuality=
Set this to 1 or 0.
I instealled the demo of system shock and i wondered the same.... and after following your sugestion i found out i haven't that folder... i don't know where is suposed to be
I’d like to disable your comments
@@cody3335 do me a favor, go to the bar and order a bud light if u need attention that bad
Looks amazing. This would have been a perfect title to get a full pathtracing implementation.
absolutely. that would be awesome.
What a fantastic video. A walk down memory lane and I can't wait to dive into the remake this weekend.
Really liked the idea of including performance of a gaming laptop! Please add them in your future videos as well
Just finished the whole video and it was fantastic. Nailed it John!
I love the art style of System Shock Remake it's a tribute to old SCI-Fi movies and old games combined with new tech it's so unique and it looks amazing the more I think about it the more I think the developers racing to make the games super realistic rather than stylistic simply limits artistic potential and made most games to looks the same and just boring.
A work of art this video is. Most impressive! Thank you for your excellence in broadcasting John!
I dont know if the footage is representative of the ingame experience but i saw multiple times that the geometry density of the floor switched from low to high in a relativly jarring way. Did you noticed this artefact? In any case looks all in all like a faithful reinterpretation of the classic System Shock, i would love to see more in that kind of direction from Nightdive!
I've played the original a long time ago, and damn I'm way too impressed by this remake, went beyond my expectations.
What a beautiful game! Just finished it a few weeks ago and it was a pleasure. Praying for Nightdive to deliever a System Shock 2 Remake ASAP
DF Retro and remake comparisons are second to none.
Brilliant overview.
So glad y'all did some content on this. Convinced me to buy and give this classic a shot.
When you really like something your videos are the best on all youtube, your passion is contagious.
The visuals look fantastic, I'm definitely wish-listing it for later! Thanks for the incredible coverage John!
Ive been lost half the time playing this game but loved every minute. Its much more satisfying to have to actually figure out what your supposed to be doing and where your supposed to be going rather than just having way points.
Also im running a evga 3070-i78600 and haven't noticed any stuttering.
Its running maxed out in 1440p at 165fps 👍🏻
I would like to point out that resolution scaling is bugged doesn't work in the current build.
Setting anything above 100% won't changed the internal resolution, so stating that it runs 7680 x 4320 at 120fps is not true. Game still runs at 3840 × 2160.
Anything below 100% works fine.
Having owned and played the original many many times over the years and also being a very proud backer from way back when this remake was announced, I just want to add Nightdive Studios have done an absolutely marvellous job in recreating a game that many would be too afraid to even think about!
In a nutshell this game is well worth playing and to a die hard classic shock fan that have done the original proud ....... Brave Nightdive 👌
A bit surprised by the lack of Groves levels in video and their performance. Understandable as they are fairly late in the game, but they (and maybe levels like Flight Deck) are truly where the performance issues seem to happen. To a point, where my RTX 3070 was dropping below not only 60 but even 50 fps in Beta Grove.
What a lovely review! Its so nice to find a game exceeding expectations on almost every level 😊
I always find it so difficult to explain the "immersive sim" genre to other people. It is a genre that can have so many bespoke aspects that are best described with examples. You did a great job!
I cannot over state the utter joy this game brings me. The original was one of my first pc games and I've been waiting for and hoping this remake would be good for years.
This is a decent review of a game, finally. Someone actually referencing the design language and giving technical insights, seeing the game as a work of art. Critical design informed thinking. Understanding the vision, etc. Most game reviews pale in comparison. Usually totally focused on the reviewer.
It misses the mark in other areas. Would strongly suggest to watch the Boulder Punch review for anyone considering this game for a more objective look.
@@stoomkracht that's a pretty contrarian response but ok thanks for the info
The fact that this has a full body model makes me excited for a possible VR mod of this. Actually BEING in Citadel Station after all these decades… oh man.
Been following this since the kickstarter, glad it turned out so good. Enjoyed it immensely.
The Remake looks exactly as I remember the original in my head, that's a great first impression.
Great review! As a huge fan of immersive sim games I'm LOVING the new System Shock!! Such a wonderful game!
What an excellent and insightful review, thank you!
Great video as always, and man THIS LOOKS SO GOOD. Nightdive Studios has NEVER disappointed imo 😁 Now I'm personally just waiting for the PS5/XsX release cause I don't have or want to play on PCs. Then I'll be heavily anticipating System Shock 2 Enhanced Edition which will also apparently be coming to PS/XB alongside PC... SS2 is a MASTERPIECE and I'm glad it'll be getting the more "Traditional/Faithful" Nightdive treatment, and on the platforms I prefer to play on 🙌
Terra Nova: Strike Force Centauri was one of my favourites of the 90s! An incredible and relatively unknown game
This DF retro review is one of the best review formats i have ever winessed for games. It reminds me of the old school magazine pc game reviews but w video.
Ya sold me, John. And the fact that this thing runs well on the Steam Deck makes it even more compelling. Downloading it now!
I’d never played the original but got this because I adore immersive sims. My first play session was 6 hours! It’s been a long time since I was so drawn into a game world. Can’t wait to get to grips with the rest of it.
I was convinced more than enough to download this with John singing such high praises and me never playing it heck I didn't even know something like this was out there but the fact that in the age of atleast 50+ games this is not in 10gb. Now I'm fully convinced
Playing through it right now, and gotta say they knocked it out of the park. Absolutely love the aesthetic of combining lo fi textures with modern PBR materials. Plus as a bonus, the game runs insanely well. Easily getting over 200 fps on my 3060ti @ 1080p with DLSS set to Balanced.
I had to put off playing this because of a couple other games, and am now about halfway through, and this game is awesome. It's hard to imagine how a FPS of this complexity was released in 1994.
I was craving in expectation for this one, and as usual what a great report.
Looks amazing, I love the lighting, graphics and colours. I hope it comes out on console soon.
The cyberspace is so good. It feels like VR without VR!
These reviews keep getting better. Hats off!
This instantly takes me back to playing the original back than when it released, great to see it's such a quality remake.
Great review! My first time giving the thumbs up for a review.
They need to do remakes like this of the original Thief games. Just imagine them with modern lighting techniques (even without Ray-Tracing or Parh-Tracing).
Game is running flawlessly at 1440p, max settings, with 200% resolution scale. No dlss. 12700k/4070ti. Only time i ever saw it drop below 165 was in the elevator.
been playing it - such as amazing game!
I've been playing it since launch nonstop, it's amazing!
I picked it up and I am loving it. Strongly recommend it to those that loved the original.
Is always a good weekend with DF Retro. Good job as usual John. Glad to support your job. Play Master System and stay RETRO.
Excellent review as always 👏🏻
I hope we see System Shock 3 in our lifetime.
-Game is perfectly priced
-Runs like a champ
-Looks great even on lowest settings
-Super small fiel size
To push this further than DF the game runs 55-85fps maxed out 1080p on a 1050ti.
If limited to medium settings and 720p this game could very easily run on the switch at 60fps.
I'm only about 2 hours into SS23, but thus far, I would agree on all points made here. I didn't make it very far in the 1994 version due to possibly my own lack of understanding how everything worked, but I'm finding this game much more user-friendly. This game tickles all of my retro game desires, with feeling. Kudos to Nightdive!
Looks like an amazing job, aside from the shader stutter (smh). Thank you for such detailed coverage John. The editing was nicely done
easily one of the most anticipated DF Retro EX's of all time.
I’ve been patiently awaiting this video. It didn’t disappoint!
I backed this on Kickstarter. It got worrying for several years, and a little bit weird for a few as well, but so pleased with how it turned out.
Started playing yesterday and it is awesome. I loved the original and this is a well done tribute to it.
Nightdive delivers as usual.
I still own the big box of the original PC release, and also System Shock 2 in original big box.
I never played the original but knew the story was up my alley, but now I know I just HAVE to play this. looks incredible
NightDive got to include a OST swap option so it allows you to play OG music.
I also turn off the music in the remake and it makes the game a lot more enjoyable.
I never played the original, but recently picked up the Redux. I was initially surprised by the visuals - and wondered if I had perhaps bought the wrong version. But after a few hours I started to love it! It is such an unusual look, combining that weird 90s blocky, Duke Nukem style design with cutting edge lighting, and the whole thing just works - somehow! I have a pretty mid-spec gaming laptop that only has a 1080p screen, but I'm gonna hook it up to my 4k TV this week and pray that the laptop doesn't start hovering from the fan output. 😅
Great video!
I'm so glad Warren Spector's contribution to this classic is a reminder on how games get done while dodging some many roadblocks to complete the game. An American game design master that is now almost a rarity these days. Its a wonderful remake. But one thing that I always often never see in any System Shock mention is the MAC version regarding its visual performance and audio superiority over the DOS versions; particularly Bungie's Marathon. Hope someday Alex and the gang compare side by side differences over popular titles released retrospectively from both operating systems.
I was too young (only 8) when the original released, but I was a big fan of System Shock 2. This remake reminds me of simpler times. No tutorial, no radio guidance, no objective markers, no over the top drama, no jumpscares, no "tap "E" quickly" bullcrap, no achievements. Just creativity, atmosphere, immersion, gameplay design. Very nice review, I can't wait to try it
i hope the console versions arent too far away. i tried many times as a kid to get system shock 2 to run but never succeeded, and was always interested in the two of them. the Prey reboot takes a lot of inspiration from system shock/bioshock and that was by far my favorite game of the last 10 years.
I'll definitely play this but man the LOD pop-in on the floor is kind of distracting in this video, is it just me?
From the moment I played the demo I knew I'm going to love this game, even though it's not what I'd typically play. Apart from the absolutely brilliant atmosphere and excellent visual design, I appreciate that, unlike modern games, System Shock doesn't treat players as kindergarten-age children with learning difficulties. This is a game where both memory and focus are important, especially on the higher difficulties. I'm actually making notes as I'm playing :)
Since I am akin to a kindergarten-age child with learning difficulties lately and not many games can hold my attention, I was surprised how SS really hooked me. It even wins with Diablo 4, and I paid for the earlier access to that game :D
Easily one of my favorite remakes ever. It's very much a dream come true
High praise on all fronts. You sold me.
Really wanted a Marathon remake like this . . .
Was one of my first shooters with damage incorporated.
That was a fantastic video. You out did yourself!