The System Shock remake is confusing by design.
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- Опубліковано 8 чер 2024
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(Nth Review #20) Nightdive has finally released their System Shock remake and Nick has your launch day verdict! We hope you've seen his previous video on the System Shock series to get the full context of where this horror game is coming from. I mean, you don't have to, but... I mean. You probably should?
My Review (#15) for the System Shock series that you should watch in advance: • The Horrifying Genius ...
Thank you to Mx for their Patreon contribution and support!
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0:00 X.X Preamble
4:56 1. This Old Space Station
17:03 2. A New Vision
41:40 3. Conclusion
#systemshock #review #remake - Ігри
One of the reasons it took so long to make was they spent the first couple of years making a new game. They showed off what they had done, and the backers and original fans said in one loud voice: "This is absolutely not what we want, not what we paid for. What have you done?", and the devs went back to the drawing board and started over.
I played it almost 1 year ago and it was a boring rogue like 10 min game. I can't understand how they changed this.
Yeah, they started adding stuff to the game, changing systems, changed the graphical look to a generic UE kind of game... not good. I think they even wanted to add multiplayer at one point. Fans were ticked, and rightfully so.
20:08 they could sooooo sell those pool tables!
@@mr.bright5712 they didn’t. The backlash that caused the development restart was like 5 years ago. They were almost done with the game a year ago so what you experienced back then is basically the same as what you would experience now just longer.
@@mr.bright5712 I kind of dig the idea of a system shock rogue like. The level design is similar to that type anyways so the only thing it would do is increase replayability.
You really have to approach this game like an RPG. You can go anywhere. And if you do, you'll die a LOT. Right from the start you can easily wander into a hopper in minutes, and it'll wreck your shit. But it's cool that you can do that instead of that area being completely off limits until the game lets you unlock a door or something.
I always loved that map design concept in euro jank RPGs like Gothic back in the day. I also loved the way they handled power curve in those games where you start out so feeble that townsfolk NPCs are a legitimate threat and progress to Unstoppable God-King of Murder. So much more interesting than the never-too-hard enemy scaling in games like Skyrim.
Well said Chris. As someone who played the original when it launched...we approached it back then LIKE an RPG. THey kept that same design focus which I love.
I got a ps1 game a year ago. Forgot the name but your on a space station. I literately cant get passed the beginning cause u can go anywhere , talk to anyone. The dialogue system is super intricate
I'd go further and argue that it really IS a role playing game. Like the Thief games. Like Stalker. None of these games have character levels and stats, but they do have player agenda, choice and consquence, exploration, world building. These things should define what is an RPG, not numbers and the hunt for stronger items. Today, almost every single game has these mechanics, but few have what makes an actual RPG.
That one of the things I really liked...and really hated. But in a good way. A felt like in system shock when I fucked up, it was due to me. My flaws and I was allowed to suffer them. The game gives you all the tools you need to figure stuff out but because the anxiety and confusing of the citedal halls, shodan watching over you, her back up plans for bakc up plans and your need to scavenge while doing it can easily cause you to mess up if you don't slow down...stop...and think.
I died SO many times in the beta grove because I never thought to look dfor the proto-type in maintenance even though I literally had a recording...one I listened to specifically tell me there is a proto-type in maintenance. Same with the plastice trap shodan sets. I had a logic prob...but I solved all thep uzzle before that by myself. Never using them. As a result the one time I needed to use it to escape...I didn't know how and took it out of my inventory and dragged it to the puzzle thinking it would solve it. Watch it slap against the wall and shout "what!" before a loud explosion rang out and killed me.
All those "cons" actually got me even more excited
More power to ya!
No kidding.
Oh, I for one am GLAD that they stick to the original up to a fault. Jeebus, they could have messed this up SO bad. "We made Citadel anew, so it makes sense now" would've been a horror not seen yet in SShock series.
Yep, fuck zoomers. I'm almost mad they reworked the teleport gun.
well I wich they actually followed the original more when it came to the final boss fight... because it went from awful in the original to awful and less interesting since the gimmick of Shodan's face covering your screen isnt even here, leaving you to feel like she isnt even fightting back even though you are in HER territory. While at the same time you as the player cant lose, but at the same time are at your absolute WEAKEST point in the game, with a complete pea shooter for a gun, no cyberspace flight, none of the upgrades you collected, and health low enought hat getting oneshotted is common and quite unavoidable.
I thought destroying the security cameras also removes the respawners for that level, making backtracking that much easier since you won't essentially be wasting anything but time.
Edit: I noticed that a number of people say that the game doesn't tell you anything, but that's not true. Rebecca's voicemails/communications are mandatory, and she tells you each of your goals. The literal first goal is turning off the laser and go find d'Arcy's office. The holotapes tell you everything else, which I personally enjoy. Most of them are voiced so players simply have to listen, you don't even have to read! You get a nugget of information for each goal you do from both SHODAN and Rebecca. Shodan inadvertently guides you when you're close to some story point--i.e. when you're nearing the cpu nodes you have to destroy. I feel like if players aren't fond of exploring or used to just running and gunning, then they are going to have a hard time with this game. I like reading, exploring and lore, which is why i got into the SS series to begin with.
The game tells you everything you need to know - most of the time. Sometimes a guy will mention you must get thing...but not exactly state where thing is or what level while mentioning multiple levels. Like the isotope if I recall - but the nature of logs in modern games is always so....sort of flavor based. That the idea that you NEED to revisit these logs, listen and memorize them instead of having a joruanl doing it for you. Is jaring for the modern gamer, I know it was for me. It's easy to forget them, especially since between getting them and doing something - and other logs - it can be forgotten. Example being the hazard suit. By the time you can get to it, you might of forgotten that it was even mentioned on research.
I kind of like it. There is no mental hand holding and because of that it is immersive. It's down to me to reconsider where II am going, why am I doing it and ultimately, just relax and listen to the logs again. The ONLY improvement I would like in this system...is the option to add picked recording to a "custom" category. Not just so I cna keep all the important ones lined up to revisit. But to revisit ones I like easier and quicker too.
@Lunar Rabbot -- fully agree with your last sentence there. I really like to get involved... and I'm typically NOT a run-n-gun type.. I'm a creeper, a stealther, a sniper, and methodical explorer . . .
In Ultima Underworld, *_I made notes on my map_* as I went! :p
;D
@@Grayson_Phoenix they definitley needed this feature in the remake
for me the most obscure point was in executive to get the code to the maintenance area leading to Diego's office.. not only no holotape gives the code, but on top no holotape tells you where to get the code either, and its in a place where you are REALLY unlikely to look for said code at all. (which, spoilers, is on glitchy screen displays... not only at no other point in the game do displays like these give off any useful information, but on top they will be behind you every time since the only thing in the direction facing them is the elevator you likely came from... and if you are unlucky you just passed by when the screens looked normal on top. And they are miles away from where the code is needed so out f the usual search area for the code. Without a guide I would have NEVER found out about these)
@@thorveim1174 and theres an audio log that says something about shodan flashing security codes on the lobby screens thats your clue
also there is no way you blasted by them without seeing them do this. it was the first thing i saw coming into the level
Nitpicky correction about the inventory: You can upgrade it! There are two upgrades as far as I'm aware which each add one-half of a row of extra space, but they are quite troublesome to get to (one even being locked behind a significant challenge based on a completely different game).
I am loving the remake so far. It really captures that post-catastrophy feeling, if a bit cartoonish by modern standards. The updates are fresh, and I feel like they really succeeded in bringing a classic to modern audiences.
Yep a couple people have pointed it out :)
@@NthReview thanks for the reply! great video, keep up the good work!
I never played the original nor it's sequel and I absolutely fell in love with the remake. It's probably not only going to be in my top 5 games of 2023 but also amongst my favorite games of all time. I'm 23, so by the time I started playing video games the whole "you need a pen and paper to write notes" wasn't a thing anymore. Having to actually take notes was surprisingly fun and I felt very accomplished whenever I would cross something no longer needed out. Fingers crossed Night Dive stays around for a long time and is able to make remasters and enhanced editions of many more amazing games. Personally I would love to see the Thief trilogy get enhanced editions or remasters. Especially so for Thief 3. A version of Thief 3 with less segmented maps would be amazing.
pretty much the same for me. i’m 21 and system shock is solidly before my time, but i LOVE this remake. i am definitely a fan now and hope nightdive remakes the sequel!
there is a very good Thief 3 mod that connects the maps into larger levels. I can’t recall the name but there ya go. You should go play SS2 as well!
22 and same situation. I actually have had system shock 2 in my steam library for a minute now but never got around to playing it. Saw this, picked it up, loved every second of it. For me, the concept of having to jot down notes, backtrack to areas to gain a better understanding of what to do, and no quest markers was a real novel experience for me. Especially since I made sure to stay away from using google or walkthroughs. The only other game I have played like that was Morrowind when they ported it to Xbox One.
One of the things I should note is, that the place is designed like a maze on purpose. There's a note that you can find where a psychiatrist basically asks the company to make each level as confusing as possible so the effects it has on employees can be monitored. So while the design is still old school. They added a world building reason as to why that is.
Well, it provides cover for Nightdive not remaking the levels in some small part :D
In german we have a saying, its "Gut ding will weile haben" and roughly translates to "a good thing needs its time." As for your rant at the end: theres an audience, and hey lucky for you , as you already founbd out, it has a huge overlap with this type of game and genre in general - that actually prefer you taking your time , because they will too. Those who are excited will play it anyway, those who are on the edge will gladly wait.
Cheers!
Are you excited for this remake?
Edit: and yea, I understand you can expand the inventory, thank you, noted lol.
I am very excited
VERY
Yes, but failed to force myself to play through both originals so far... 🙄
I'm excited for all y'all... I have a PS4...
Easily my most anticipated game this year. Thanks for the in depth review!
Really could only bear to watch the first 4 minutes of this, don't want to see too much of the new stuff. So so so so SO EXCITED, I'll come back to this in a few days after I've played it myself.
Yes, come back!
@@NthReview stop being such a beta..give up video games. Everything you described in the conclusion. Watch that back and reassess yourself you potato 🥔
@@NthReview I came back!! I just finished the game myself. While I don't agree with you 100%, what a stellar review at that. Personally I thought Cyberspace was a blast, as well as Engineering (luck of the draw finding the med station almost right off the bat, UNLIKE my run in Enhanced Edition, total reversal in our playthroughs, regardless) Now I'm going to FINALLY play System Shock 2 for the very first time!
"Who is this game for?"
Well, me. Literally - I'm one of the people who backed this game at a fairly high tier, and who nearly rioted when Nightdive began going off the rails into a complete reimagining, before they stopped production and went back to square one. We wanted System Shock with modern controls and a fresh coat of paint. That's largely what we got - some additions weren't the best (you actually commented on them), and some things that could have been updated weren't, but for what it is, it really does represent System Shock built to be accessible to newcomers without actually changing the core game (I would absolutely never recommend the younger generation play the original game except as an academic exercise - '90s dungeon crawlers could charitably be described as 'quirky').
I really appreciate this review for multiple reasons. It seems that ND wasn't able to squash some of the bugs from the backer beta prior to release, so it's good to know what's coming. Also, I really appreciate how fair and even-handed you've been. System Shock is a game that can't properly be remade to suit the sensibilities of today, because tough-as-nails dungeon crawlers that never hold your hand or give you more than basic hints as to where to go and what to do just don't fly these days - if you suggest a player drag out a pen and paper, you get crucified. However, this remake at least sands off the rough edges of the original UX, incorporating many of the improvements to controls and interface that have been made over the past thirty years (oh god, it's really been that long...). Pointing out what people should expect, why they might not like it, but also what is great about it, is the best way to review something like this. People who might be interested in playing this game need to be aware that this is not a modern game by any standards, so they're going to experience something very old and 'mature' in the sense that the game expects you to do the work - it's not going to hold your hand and feed you objectives, you have to be the adult in the room. Going in with eyes wide open, I think there are plenty of people who will find something they never thought they wanted, while others will be fairly warned away from what can be a frustrating experience if you aren't willing to stick your nose into every crevice, write down notes, and really pay attention to the world around you.
This game fills a niche that's been ignored for a very, very long time. System Shock isn't an Immersive Sim - it's a Dungeon Crawler. It just happens to be the Dungeon Crawler that birthed the Immersive Sim genre via its sequel and grandchildren (Deus Ex, BioShock, Prey 2017, etc.). It's an important piece of history that is now much more approachable.
I also enjoyed the hell out of the remake backer beta, even though it was in an incomplete, buggy state. I'm eager to see how it looks when working 'as intended'. Might still need some patching though.
Great review!
EDIT: Oh, forgot to mention - for anybody who wants a bit more of that old-school feel in the remake, cutting out a lot of that neon bloom and stuff, set your graphics options to low. It's still high-res and has a ton of detail in the world, but it cuts back the bloom to nearly nothing and makes the textures chonkier. Give off that classic vibe without being absolutely flat.
Thank you for the comment! Great insight.
Me and my 1660 (hopefully) thank you lol
Shout out to snacktron. he was my only friend in the dark dismal depths of space.
My girlfriend and I came up with one pretty valid complaint
Diego says nothing when you enter the room or when you kill him.
And Shodan says nothing after you've beaten her. I guess that was kind of disappointing considering her dramatic defeat in the second game.
Everyone calls snacktron their friend until he start stocking grenades.
Diego does actually have voice lines, it's just that his sound emitter's distance is so absurdly small that you can't hear them. You can hear them, though, if you rush him as fast as possible and kill him with the laser rapier.
Overall I'm pretty happy with the final product. I think it was worth it in the end and I hope it does well for Nightdive and reinvigorates them, hopefully for System Shock 2.
39:56 There is a way to track the progress in that 4 way split subsections of cyberspace mentioned in the vid. Each section loops back around and reconnects w/ the hub room on the same wall w/ 4 doors blocked off by firewalls/shields (or w/e you want to call them). These doors are directly aligned w/ which subsection they are linked to. So the left subsection connects to the left shielded return door, the top subsection to the top door, etc. So in order to figure out which way you have gone and which way you haven't just look at the wall w/ the return doors. If the shield blocking the return door is still there, you haven't gone that way yet. And if its not there, you have.
The game doesn't hold your hand, but it almost always provides you with the info you need to progress if you take a moment to look for it.
that last sentence is perfect, and it's what's made me really start to love this game. Other games have done this "we provide no/very little hand holding" but what makes system shock stand out against them is that it has *stellar* show don't tell. If you just take your time and pay attention the game *will* guide you, and i love that so much
47:47 hard relate to this on so many levels Nth. Absurd is the word, and I have this problem often too. This is why you're a strong inspiration for me, cramming reviews and pushing games to completion is horrible. I have made my best videos and reviews that take longer, that I've taken time to play and enjoy. 2 weeks, just isn't enough for life, and most of us don't do this fulltime, we have lives, work work, and sleep.
I loved your work here, while I didn't agree with all your points, I think that's healthy too. Love your channel, and please don't stop.
It was better than expected, but still needs the original music, at least as an option.
For a two week turnaround, this is an EXCELLENT video. Honestly, there are only two video essayists who I want to hear thoughts on the remake, you and Trav Guy. Thank you for making this one, bud. I hope the results speak for themselves. ♥️
The fun thing about games that require notes is that we've got useful tools we didn't have, back when System Shock was first released. Ever since I've had a tablet with a pen and stylus, I've loved using it as a scratch pad for, well, everything - including game-related scrawls. I remember destroying the notebook that was included with Myst's initial release and ran through reams of paper for Riven and all other games afterward. The last game that really forced me to jot things down was SMT: Nocturne.
Really looking forward to this. Counting down the hours...
We can also screenshot things now! And soon Steam will have a Notepad in its own UI
One of the things I love about the original System Shock was the sense of scale that the levels gave you, each one was designed on grid paper to maximize the usage of the space available (and also exploit the limits of the engine), exactly how a station would be designed. Wasted space is wasted mass. But you're right in that the greebling on every wall is intensely distracting. You'd think a flagship corporate station would try to keep non-engineers away from all the mechanical guts.
System Shock 2 went halfway for the Star Trek TNG aesthetic instead with its blandly paneled walls, and it's only through variety, intent, and set design that each deck managed to have an identity.
Still, all in all it's been a long time coming, and I think they've pulled it off well enough to call it honest.
I’m so glad to hear someone mention Cyberspace, I thought i was crazy but honestly, they would be fine but they’re sometime 10x longer then they ever were in the original, somehow felt harder to navigate because it was too labyrinthian.
Yes they played worse in the original but they were quick and painless, these ones just draaaaaag and now they actually feel like a chore.
Yeah! Exactly!
@@NthReview For some reason.... I kinda _enjoy_ the chore at some level, and feel that it makes sense. That's my masochism talking, but despite my ugh - it feels right for it to be ugh.
Reminds me of the complaints people had about Xen in the Black Mesa remake of Half Life 1. Yeah Xen looked waaay nicer and more finished in Black Mesa than it did in the original, but it dragged on way longer than the original aswell, to the point where it overstayed its welcome by a large degree
I'm liking the Cyberspace levels. This is as close as we'll get to a Descent or Fury 3/Terminal Velocity clone.
@@XenoSpyro except boring :( and tedious :(
Thank you for this review!! I didn’t know that the remake was already out, I’ve been waiting for it, I’m part of that casual base that it’s interesting in experiencing this classic and now I know I’ll probably get lost and confused but I gotta admit that it’s been a while since I played a game that actually got me thinking, nowadays every game has a nav point or an unnecessary exposition dump for the story, I think it’s gonna interesting to go back to those early days of gaming with a notepad and a game magazine (in this case more like an internet guide) in order to move forward in the game. As always such an amazing review and thank you for keeping it spoiler free
Thank you!
As for the game: it's actually out tomorrow, I got a pre-release code, hence my rant at the end.
Thank you for opening yourself like that at the end. Just shows also how much work goes into being youtuber. Keep up the good work!
Awesome! I recently subscribed to your channel because of your comprehensive Thief reviews and I just gotta say that you are a fantastic creator! Thank you
Thank you! Much appreciated!
The Thing about Villains is so true. My favourite in That regard will always be Char Aznable from the Mobile Suit Gundam Series
i havent played either of the original games, but i am excited to try this one despite some of the outdated mechanics. the rough part about old games to me are usually the audio, visuals, controls, and UI which all look to be good in the remake. i will miss some more modern fps movement mechanics like ledge vaulting and sliding but it still feels slick enough to me. Thanks for the review, i hope the industry gets better about getting review copies out
System Shock 1 was a pioneer in the way you could move. Compared to, say, Doom, in SS1 you could walk, run, lean, move sideways, lean left or right to look over corners, crouch and crawl. And omg did we move carefully and lean to look over corners, heart thumping, expecting a sudden death at every corner.
Absolutely fantastic review! I can't wait to play the game xD.
I discovered your channel through your video on system shock, as I was getting hyped for the remake, and I am so glad I did. You have a great presentation style, and I've been greatly enjoying watching your videos, they are very informative and entertaining looks into such great games.
Thank you for such great content!
Thank you! Glad I could entertain/educate!
there's nothing quite like gunning down a corridor of Cyborgs with a scorpion in the original while a screeching high energy Midi OST blasts your ears out. System shock is not a survival horror game. its an action romp. by the end you're a rollerblading jetpowered armory on cyberlegs roaring through the station to utterly Wreck Shodan, who has to use backup plan after backup plan to stop you.
That is the most Snow Crash thing I've read since I tried and failed to read Snow Crash for a third time!
I played both the enhanced edition and SS2 back to back my first month of college and of the two i enjoyed SS1 more as its maze like layouts and non linear progression gave it a very metroidvania feel that i was disponted SS2 didnt have and was more of a straight shot. My ideal ss game would be a mix of the metroidvania open layout of ss1 with the class progression and shodan presence of SS2 but this remake already is something im hyped for
I kind of preferred SHODAN's presence in 1 more, but seeing a System Shock game with a better balanced class system and RPG mechanics would be good.
@@VrilWaffen She had better lines in one I agree but she had more of a presence that it was clear she was always watching you in 2 I'd want a good mix of those in a hypothetical third System Shock
honestly i was quite surprised to see your review on launch day, looks like it was an interesting challenge from which you learned that it's just not for you. i appreciate your approach and wish you all the subscribers!
I was curious how this was, thank you! Love all your work, nice surprise on a holiday morning. Cheers!
Glad I could help!
There's a log in game that hand-waves the labyrinthine design of Citadel station as being purposefully designed to induce stress among the non-executive staff so they can study its effects on a long term basis, like accelerated aging of products in harsh conditions to test their durability.
This only works because the entire executive floor is very straightforward with wide corridors and big rooms that just feels so much easier to navigate to the point where I started storing my weapons and extra ammo in one of the meeting rooms. It's my little oasis in the rats nest of Citadel Station.
I also stockpile any alcohol I find there.
Great stuff. I love your indepth reviews for it!
Thank you!
I’d argue that the original enemy designs are still very good
The level layout I think is mostly fine, aside from parts of engineering
I tried to play the OG and had a hard time with the bullshit interface. I did play System Shock 2 though and absolutely loved it. So, I was happy about the remaster being a lot more playable.
And honestly? I actually much prefer the more action horror atmosphere. But that's probably also because I already play games towards that tone such as STALKER/STALKER-likes, Metro series, Atomic Heart, Half-Life/Black Mesa... so I'm more used to that kind of vibe to begin with
0:01 Preamble
4:59 Intro to Citadel Station
6:30 Difficulty and Plot Set-Up
7:11 Retro Level Design
8:41 Enemies, Weapons, Inventory and Puzzles
10:58 VERY Faithful Remake
(For Better and Worse)
16:13 SHODAN
17:09 New Visuals
20:47 Performance
21:40 Darkness and Horror
24:08 Intro to Combat
(and Ragdoll Physics)
25:57 User Interface
(and Intro Cutscene)
28:13 Sound, Music and Voice
(and Pacing)
30:54 Combat, Melee Impact Feel and Drugs
(and Poor Controller Set-Up)
33:01 Boss Battles and AI
34:24 Junk
37:36 Cyberspace Sequences
(and their length..)
41:40 Conclusion
(and Should You Still Play the Original?)
45:43 Making Game Reviews
(and thanks to Patreon supporters!)
Oh, neat!
@@NthReview Thanks, never got checked for ADHD but I routinely have a hard time following along anything over 20 mins, so I figured it could help someone else.
Great review btw, sub from me!
@@NthReview - any chance it could be "pinned" top-side for others, perhaps..? :)
Im following the development of this game since its Kickstarter. Im happy to see that we finally get the remake that we hoped for. For a time, about halfway throughout development , Nightdive lost its way and slowly drifted away from its original promise of a faithful remake towards a totally reimagined game. They started to talk about "expanding" the original game, making changes to the story, introducing new characters etc. showcased screenshots of completely new enemies and entire new levels which were never part of the original game. This created quite some trouble with the Kickstarter community, and worried me aswell, for that matter. Luckily they listened to the criticism and after a short halt of development, returned to their original plans as layed out in their kickstarter.
As you'll see in the video, there are pros and cons to both approaches.
Made the grave mistake of putting this on our big TV in our living room, and my cousin walked past and sat down to watch it with me. He showed genuine interest in the original game after I described it as the predecessor to Bioshock and a major influence on the Dead Space series and soulslikes to an extent. I broke down the story and gameplay for him and he seemed to really dig it, and I was happy he did. Then you started lambasting it. He went 'oh so it's shit and outdated like the other games you like to play, nevermind' and promptly left.
So thanks for that, I guess.
It’s definitely not a game for everyone, but I loved the original game a lot and I would’ve probably thought a bit differently about this game if I hadn’t.
***EXPLORATION/KINDA SORTA NOT REALLY STORY SPOILERS***
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You actually can upgrade your inventory space, but there's only two upgrades and they're insanely well hidden. You have to win a chess game on Delta and the other is in Engineering.
didnt play the originals but i absolutely love this game. its the most fun ive had w a game besides squad in years. and absolutely scratches that immersive sim itch even if its not necessarily or even technically an rpg. such a blast, and there is NO modern analog to clicking on a random wall and just having it open to reveal a secret room. so fucjimg good
I absolutely LOVE Cyberspace parts - really enjoying them as they remind me one of my favourite games - Descent
They reminded me a lot of Descent, except Descent was fun ;)
Same lol. Its not for everyone though, its very disorientating in any game, but one where the roof is the same texture as the ground... people gonna hate it.
This is the first review I watched because I've already seen your other system shock content and trust that you know your stuff.
I'm pretty confident you can watch others and feel even more confident in your choice!
Thanks for the review. The best one I've seen on this game by far. I have tried and failed to get into both System Shock and System Shock 2. But I was able to get into the demo for this remake. So I've got it preordered, and am very excited for this release, finally! I love immersive sims and am so eager to experience Terri Brosius as Shodan in all her glory. And this lets me put off Ultima Underworld and the mainline Ultima series just a little bit longer. I have a deep, deep respect for games like System Shock that are older than I am, but man that does not make them any less intimidating.
If you haven’t, be sure to see my full series review because I know how that’s a lot of people got into the series. I think you’ll enjoy it if you enjoyed the demo. Also, have you seen the Ultima Underworld videos by High Functioning Medium? He just finished a big video for the second one!
@@NthReview I have seen your big series review!! And I looove High Functioning Medium's stuff! (So yes I have seen his Ultima Underworld vids ha.) I might go watch your series review and his UU videos again later though because man, they all just hit the spot.
Worth the wait. Thanks for another great video, Nth! Now to play it!
Thank you!
It may be because I've only played Medical level one, but I don't think the levels/design of the level is repeatative at all. I do appreciate what you're saying here, and I've not finished the game yet, so hoping this isn't an issue later.
chuckled at the "We only play games for six hours and then review them" comment because there actually is a channel that specifically only plays games for the first five hours and then reviews them. (it's pretty good actually)
If you're up front about it, no harm no foul!
gonna start a channel where I only play the first 7 hours
@@breadguy325 You should do little "24" style inserts where you're constantly taking calls from outside sources and it's really intense because you can only make your mind up about the game in the first 7 hours.
Heh. I got both System Shock 1 (CD) & System Shock 2 when they were launched.
Both are still in mint condition. Not a scratch on them.
System Shock was before my time so I wasn't used to the objective system. Honestly though, after finishing it, the remake was the most unique game I've ever played. It was quite satisfying to complete an objective without a waypoint marker or a Spark Notes style automatic log to tell you where to go next.
I'm a huge System Shock fan but hadn't played the original in many years so I was very excited to get the remake and im very happy with it.
Nightdive is going to remaster but not remake Ss2 and I can't wait to see what's possible in that old engine
also, you can 100% expand your inventory! there are two expansions, one is found in storage on the catwalk along the ceiling of one of the storage rooms, the other is in delta grove as a reward for solving the chess puzzle (winning a game) both together allow you to expand your inventory space by one full row (horizontally)
You're the fifth or sixth person and I put it in the pinned comment a couple weeks ago :)
@@NthReview just figured id mention it, because i thought you couldn't and stumbled across the first upgrade totally organically. things like that make this game really satisfying. I just finished a second playthrough. also I reccomend turning the in game brightness setting up to 7 or so to your taste. contrary to what you might think it doesnt blow out the highlights, just lightens the darker areas.
I really appreciated your rant at the end about the state of gaming journalism. I think all of your points are good, and honestly the "grind" aspect that you bring up is a big part of why I stopped reading game reviews years ago. And I continue to think your very channel title is really clever in this regard. First to print and press embargo style reviewing schedules lead to little more than cursory overviews, and can't tell you much about the soul of a game, but an analysis that comes out years after launch is really the only kind of gaming journalism I trust these days, and is basically the primary avenue for me finding "new" games these days for any developer other than Fromsoft. (That and fully Newtonian space flight controls. I bought Outer Wilds and both Void Destroyer games on no other information than that, and I have no regrets.)
That said, I appreciate you still managing to pack an hour into this video and getting deep enough into the game to give it a strong comparison to previous versions. I picked up the demo and was kind of immediately turned off. It didn't run very well on my middling gaming laptop, and the graphics didn't really wow me enough to make up for it, (plus, "neon everything," isn't an aesthetic I find particularly compelling to begin with,) and the thing that looked most exciting from trailers was cyberspace. Having heard that the primary thing I was interested in is actually a tedious slog now, (somehow worse than the original,) I think I'm fine with just continuing to play the Enhanced Addition.
Honestly, given that I'd never really played SS1 *until* the Enhanced Edition, I was surprised at how approachable that version alone was. My primary exposure to the original game was Hacker's Guide to Sin, and as hilarious of an anti-walkthrough as it is, it was obvious that the little 400x300 screenshots weren't doing the game justice, and I was amazed by how comprehensible the game was when I saw live gameplay footage at HD resolutions. To me it remains the definitive version of the game, though I'll probably eventually pick up the remaster and fumble my way through minimal graphics settings.
appreciate the video!! great discussion at the end
Thank you!
Im not gonna lie i jumped on board the preorder train with this game like 3 or so years ago despite my hate stiffy for the act of preordering, but I was really impressed by the then current build of the demo and ended up playing it over and over several times over the course of a year. This is probably the only time I prepurchased a game and got exactly what I was expecting years down the line, I am rather pleased with the launch of this game
Just finished the remake yesterday. I haven’t felt this challenged, this invested in my actions, this intense of an experience, in a video game, in years. I’m incredibly impressed with it, frothing at the mouth for a remake of the second, and terrified to try and go back and finish the achievements for this one again. Everyone needs to experience this to know how high the bar is for a good game
What’s interesting is that both System Shock games are fundamentally different and the challenges of the second game are more in line with modern video games than what the original game pulled off. It’s honestly why I like the first game better.
Oh...this sounds amazing. Another great video!!
“We only play games for six hours and then review them.”
Oof, how accurate that feels sometimes.
I mean, I'd understand a 6-hour review of Tetris... for the Game Boy, but maybe not The Tetris Effect.
Eyy I appreciated the review and rant at the end about video game reviews. It's best to take time on crafts so you can be happy with them too!
Yeah, this is my first "new" game in years and so I'm happy chasing what I enjoy and you guys like watching and avoiding the stress and crunch of launch day deadlines.
I can't believe my SSD that has the OS on it died at the worst possible time and I can't install a new one on the M2 slot of the motherboard because it's for some reason missing the screw that's supposed to hold it in place, I'm losing my mind right now, can't wait to solve that and go ham on the game. Have fun playing!
25:46 On the topic of the sparq sidearm power mode differences, the lights by the selector switch are not the only indicators of power level, the weapon itself also shows it. At regular power, it looks normal. At high power, the coils emanate a large blue glow. At overcharge, there are blue arcs of energy throughout the blue glow.
Small details like these really bring the immersion in for me.
Ugh, I would've just preferred it said something specific like the original game did. Ditto the Ion rifle with its three modes and baffling "ammo counter".
@@NthReview fair, I didn't put much time into the plasma rifle, ion rifle, or railgun, but I remember the first two being unintuitive right off the rip
I've never played any System Shock game before this one, I had heard about how important they were tho. So when the demo popped up I gave it a try, it looked phenomenal so I decided to play it when released. It might be my second favorite game of the year so far behind TotK, and it may be one of my favorite games ever, period. Every level felt like slowly untying a knot and then bam, you understand it. I love how it looks, how it sounds, I LOVE SHODAN as an antagonist.
So I saw that this came out a month a go and got it during the steam summer sale. This is my first time playing anything from the system shock games. I just working my way though the bridge right now. I've used a walk through for where I should go next but took each floor with very little direction. (But I found out from a different review to write down the core numbers, that saved me) I really enjoyed the lack of hand holding the game has, but the mid to late game cyberscape stuff oof it got me mad like twice.
I love this game, my favorite moment is when I found the lazer control room. I walk I'm vibing listening to the audio log in the room, then I go "OOO a button" *press*. I noticed the text next to the button changes then the sceen showing earth. Then Shodan was thanking me for doing her work. I lost like 10 mins from my last save but I had a smile on my face going back to that point because the game let me do that.
10:21 you can expand your inventory, one expand is in a storage, another is a gift for a chess riddle in one of the groves.
Yep, I mention it in the stickied comment :)
@@NthReview Didn't see it for some youtube trickery. Tho, you are kinda not right on a 40:00, there is a indication, under finished hole healthpack will be unlocked :P
first thing: thank you for doing a real, in-depth, and truly loving review. as you mention at the end, it takes a huge amount of time and dedication. i've got over 30 hours in the game and i'm not even halfway done yet- the work you've put in is evident. i don't have the means to be a patron at this point, but at least i can feed the algorithm by commenting, right? i think you're spot on with the commentary about review culture and i hope that you're able to take a break once in a while. i very much enjoy your longform videos, but i know a huge amount of work goes into those that is never seen on the viewer's end. please take care of yourself.
second thing: i think you're right about quite a lot here re: the game. as someone who hasn't played the original (yes, my Modern Eyes look at the interface and just glaze over, it's a character flaw) i LOVE that the remake doesn't hold my hand. it's a risk that nightdive took to keep that (among other things), and i love them for it. there are few other games (Pillars of Eternity comes to mind as another modern example) that reward those who explore and simply wait for you to figure shit out (PoE also lets you just make decisions without full knowledge- not a viable way forward for a game like System Shock, but still an interesting decision). that said- yes, i would *very much* like to know how many doors (that i've already discovered) are locked by fucking cyberspace locks, and whether i've actually completed all those goals.
third thing: i very much enjoyed the video. keep rocking, man.
I'm saddened that Shamus Young will never get to play this. He's the reason I originally learned about the series through his alternate telling, Free Radical.
Weird thing about the audio of the remake, it seems like it has been made lower than what ever standard there is for sound. I have volume set to 25% on my PC, and every single game I have at 100% volume is fine.
Luckily PulseAudio settings allow me to specifically increase volume of any program, so I could turn it past 100% (one negative here is that I have no idea how to do it on Windows, as it came with Linux)
It is way better when turned up, the music is amazing! (Also still as dynamic as the original, at least I cannot find the same track online that I heard in game)
Thanks for this comprehensive review! I wish making it had been easier for you.
Ditto, but I'm glad you enjoyed it!
Never played the original System Shock game. However, I fell in love with this remake. Already beat it twice and once on the hardest difficulty.
You did it, Nightdive!
Seems cool...
BUT WHERE IS THE OPTION FOR ORIGINAL MUSIC!? >: (
Ok, lets see system shock 2 remade in the same way - it would be mindblowing.
40:00 The game does indicate which ones you've gone through. By looking at the four square holes you come out of after finishing a section, you'll know which ones you've already been through.
You need more subscribers, your content is excellent.
I didn't think about it when I played the remake, but after watching this I realize that I completely agree about cyber space.
I'm not cool enough for pre-release keys but I would only ever work with release versions. Stuck for a day until that comes out. Not happy to see some of my concerns come to light. The cyberspace levels in particular really should be 3-5 minutes tops.
The hub cyber level you can tell paths which you been to by going down the entrances with a blocked exit tunnel. (Already visited areas have an unblocked exit)
Yep, people have pointed that out over the past few months :)
20:32 It sort of makes sense to have chairs facing windows on a space station. The crew would want to be able to relax and look out a window during a break or as they were heading to a different part of the station. It's more of a "world building" choice to have scenery like that. Overall, as a remake, I think it's a pretty successful and accurate interpretation of the original. Which I wouldn't be too hard on the developers, it's going to be different since it is different, and is trying to bring an older game from a different time into the modern gaming world. The main thing about the game that is highly important, is no hand holding. The game should be punishing and ruthless, with no floating way-points that you can see through walls.
I just started the remake the other day and it took me a bit to get into it but it eventually clicked and next thing you know im a few hours in without even realizing it. I cant say a game has gotten me immersed like that in quite a while. I never played the originals and were only vaguely aware the series existed. I knew nothing else about it. So i took a chance and bought it, now I'm ready to play the whole series.
Yeah, just be aware that SS2 and SS1 are very different games. SS2 doesn't have the more open-ended gameplay that SS1 does.
@@NthReview Noted!
Thank you for another great video!
Thanks!
@@NthReview You are welcome, I have subscribed to your channel!
I actually really loved the maze element of this game. I kinda wish they had made another thief game instead of system shock but it’s still really great
Considering the time limit on the harder difficulties, the only way to correctly review such a mode would be within that time limit.
"Nah."
I'm just starting this, and loving it! I agree that it's a bit too much like the original in the layout, but I can forgive it because a real space station would likely be a huge maze simply because every single square inch needs to be used for something. If anything bothers me about the game its that I would have liked to have the option to use the original music, but I'm sure someone will make a mod that allows us to do just that. It's amazing how much the game reminds me of the far more recent Prey, which is a testament to just how ahead of its time System Shock was in 1994!
Awesome work Nick!
Thank you!
The laser rapier is OP even without berserk patches lol I used it on every boss
Hello just a tip , you can skip the death cutscene by pressing the down arrow key + enter
Yes, it was very silly of the Citadel station denizens not to make sure and shut off the lights before they died.
Absolutely! The jerks.
I wish they would have added more storage to that elevator, I lost my AR halfway through because it fell through the floor :( Also wish they would have connected the elevators
Heard in the Original System Shock the music used your sound card to generate tracks based on the situation, since sound cards aren't around anymore it doesn't generate the tracks properly. No one noticed so it didn't come back to the sequel. Guessing nightdive didn't bother trying to implement it in the remake.
It wasn't that the sound card did the processing, that was done through software, so it carries through the remasters. Games have had dynamic scores forever, you just have to plan around them. I think Nightdive's change was far more creative than technical.
I got swarmed by up to 7 enemies twice, even before the first half was through (I haven't gotten farther than that). Both times it was while I was backtracking, but hadn't lowered security to 0.
Edit: not including the scripted moments, such as when you first take the elevator.
Wonders! I think I only got security down to 0 on one level, but I was only swarmed once early on in Medical
This review is so comprehensive and helpful. I realized halfway through that the other reviewers I watched probably played a handful of hours and googled the ending. I’m very interested in this game but some of the time inconsiderate design choices make me wary. If I still had 20 or 30 hours a week to play games, I’d be a lot more willing to jump in at full price.
Glad it was helpful!
I always thought the sparq between the three modes like... glowed brighter than the other? Am I high?
Nuh-uh! The best ladder system in any game ever-EVER is in Deus Ex Mankind Divided. Not only can you grab the ladder at any height, if you're interacting from the wrong side - Adam will just swing around.
*gasp*
27 hours for 2/2/2 run. Loved it, only vaguely aware of the original.
Im freaking souped. Im an OG bro i played in the late 90s this looks AWESOME
Well, since my name translates to "Collector", I had an absolute blast scavanging the entire station. Not a single junk item survived the onslaught so far. Good thing I dumped all the guns and only use Wrench or Rapier...
You can expand your inventory twice, not by much, but you can.
I know, I mention it in the pinned post :D
Somewhat related to the video (which was fantastic by the way, I really cannot get enough of this long form content and it's a joy to see these view counts rise), I've been wondering what your opinion on the names of certain genres is. Ever since I played the first System Shock (though not to completion unfortunately) and then immediately followed up with SS2 and BioShock, I've been wondering if calling something an Immersive Sim is a bit of a misnomer or a nebulous term. I feel the same way about a lot of survival horror games, Metroidvanias, and Soulslikes. I'm also not quite sure what a better name for them would be; I've heard action adventure and ARPG thrown around a lot but they don't quite sit right with me.
I think it's fine that we don't rely too much on labels because nearly all games have to be invented from scratch and borrow what they can. They all have to be their own weird creatures. I think the games that we love and are the most passionate about along the lines you talk about are the ones that borrow the most so it's not the fairest thing to box them into one particular umbrella term. I mean, even describing this as an "immersive sim" is a bit problematic, as others have pointed out.
@@NthReview All have to be their own weird creatures... makes sense to me.
Like, especially for VR games I have... While I do have Into the Radius and can safely call that a STALKER-like, I still have no idea how I should categorize Walking Dead Saints and Sinners beyond survival horror... and I have absolutely no idea what game genre Super Hot is.
Side note but I am still waiting for a proper VR Immersive Sim and System Shock 2 Enhanced Edition is giving me copium
25:55 Worth noting that it might be an issue with your lower graphical settings, but the High mode of the energy gun does make the barrel glow and fizzle a little, just not as intensely as Overcharge. Running it at 1440p with high settings it was relatively easy to tell them apart. Though in your footage, it's definitely less defined than I remember it being
33:25 Huh, I managed to do Flight Deck without ever bumping into that guy. Might be because I didn't do the CPU cores on that level until I'd already got the jumpy boots, so must've inadvertently skipped a segment
Weapon modes should definitely not be differentiated by graphical settings, especially when the original game just listed them out with actual text lol
@@NthReview Oh hey I'm not saying I disagree. There should've been better telegraphing. It was probably just an oversight of the devs to have the main noticeable alteration be part of the particle system that could get toned down with graphical settings
🎉 love this. Thank ❤
NOOOOOOO I'm so sad it didn't reach its VR milestone :(
This game would be AMAZING in VR 😢
I don’t understand why I love this so much when I shouldn’t. Citadel station doesn’t feel lived-in, or practical like Sevastopol station in alien isolation. And yet the digital tendrils of the antagonist AI coil and drag me back.
The game harks back to maze-style 90s games that existed before NPCs existed to flesh out worlds. And yet, the game is atmospheric, and addictive. Perhaps it is simply nostalgia. Or that it places demands on your intellect in an era of vapid mindlessness.
This says much about the appeal of early immersive sims/board games/more abstract games/nerdy games of the 80s and earlier. So many of those Looking Glass games were about replicating that board game/RPG experience into a digital environment. Those games relied on the player's imagination filling in the gaps while other games kinda spelled everything out for you and/or didn't have a lot of extra mechanics to invest in. I'm glad they preserved that by remastering the game rather than making something more palatable.