System Shock 2: 25th Anniversary Remaster Review - The Definitive Version of an All-Timer

My friend group and I do our own version of Easy Allies' "The Hall of Greats" every quarter, and we have a grand ol' time. If you don't know what The Hall of Greats is, it boils down to being a celebration of games; essentially, we get together, present what we think deserves to be in The Hall of Greats, and everyone takes a vote using poker chips. We all get five poker chips, and each one is valued from one to five.

Formal apology to my good friend Matt: he brought System Shock 2 the very first time and was defeated quite soundly by many other games. I gave his pick a paltry one point, and I deeply regret it now. Not because I hurt Matt's feelings or anything, but because I now believe System Shock 2 absolutely deserves the coveted five-point poker chip.

Indeed, I had given System Shock 2 a try in the past and acknowledged its worth, but for a multitude of reasons, I lost interest. Still, it was quite a revolutionary game back during its release in 1999, so it has historical value. After playing Nightdive Studios' System Shock 2: 25th Anniversary Edition Remaster, I now realize that few games come close to the depth and immersion it provides, even to this day.

A Remaster That Makes an Incredible Game Even Better

Nightdive is an incredible studio, modernizing beloved -- and, well, some not-so-beloved -- classics to run on modern hardware. These aren't just your simple ports, no, Nightdive loves to give its titles the VIP treatment. 

Often, this VIP treatment comes in the form of new, refined sprites and models to revitalize and rejuvenate aging games. System Shock 2, which is now certainly an all-timer in my eyes, did start to look and feel a bit dated. In comes Nightdive to save the day.

I think I fell off of System Shock 2 several years back because of it looked quite dated, and it felt like it, too. The System Shock 2: 25th Anniversary Remaster is the silver bullet for my previous complaints, resulting in the definitive way to experience a masterpiece.

Visually, System Shock 2: 25th Anniversary Remaster is faithful to the original developer's vision, while adding some needed touch-ups to enemy models and weapons. Atmosphere is also so incredibly important for an immersive sim, and that is captured so well here.

Lighting, environment textures, and everything in between convinced me that I was actually there on the Von Braun space ship, the main setting of System Shock 2. The result from this attention to detail is an atmosphere akin to the movie Alien: a feeling of hopelessness and survival against terrifying odds. 

One other issue I had with System Shock 2's non-remastered port was the controls and the clunkiness of its gameplay. The UI makes System Shock 2 appear more intimidating than it really is, and while that almost claustrophobic UI is still here, everything feels much smoother to play.

Mouse and keyboard controls are seamless and once you actually get the hang of things an hour or so in, everything clicks. This remaster also has controller support. Nightdive does a pretty good job at making the controller able to navigate menus, making ample use of various controller shortcuts since you're lacking the precision of a mouse.

Get Immersed in the Foreboding Von Braun

System Shock 2: 25th Anniversary Remaster is an immersive sim, and if you don't know what that is, I forgive you. They really just don't make very many of them anymore... but if I had to put it succinctly: an immersive sim is a broad term for games that allow for a high degree of player choice in approaching its various situations. 

Player choice comes in many forms, especially in this title. Right from the start, you're forced to pick a role without really knowing how it'll benefit you in the long run. You pick a career path in the UNN Marines, Navy, or OSA; following this choice, you go on a choice-filled tour of duty to give you a few extra stat bonuses. 

Each will essentially give you a kickstart on the path to whatever build you want to make in System Shock 2. The initial few choices are quite intimidating. The Marines caters more toward your typical run-and-gun playstyle, the Navy is a bit more technical with hacking and maintenance, and OSA focuses on Psi powers.

For a game from 1999, the amount of freedom you have with your character is quite impressive, and even by today's standards, it holds up. I didn't even touch Psi powers, focusing more on a hybrid between melee and ranged weapons, as well as hacking. I ended up doing just fine, but it's a game that incentivizes multiple playthroughs, since gameplay can vary so much.

Gameplay takes place mostly within the confines of the Von Braun starship. Something horrible has happened on the ship, and you're there to figure out what happened. You've just awoken from cryo-sleep on the starship, and things are, inexplicably, looking worse for wear.

Sneak, shoot, or hack your way through the ship as you follow objectives given to you by various characters in System Shock 2: 25th Anniversary Remaster. Polito, a surviving crewmate, gives players a lot of directions at the start, but the Von Braun is a rather confusing maze of pathways. Players have to rely on limited context, a not-so-helpful map, and reading the environment for the path forward.

Von Braun is a complex ship, with various sectors like the Hydroponics Deck and Recreation Deck. These areas have their own identity and feel distinct from one another, so as you're scrounging around for supplies and fighting (or avoiding) enemies, there's this exciting feeling of discovery. 

It was quite gratifying to go from being completely unfamiliar with the ship's interior to memorizing it through hours of exploration. And yet, there are still so many secrets for those who have a keen eye. Exploration is rewarding, giving players new weapons, upgrades, and the like. 

Tools of the Trade

As you piece together the fate of the Von Braun ship and simply find a way to survive and escape, you'll have many different tools at your disposal. This is where the freedom of choice and your build come in. Plenty of weapons are strewn about, so you can go in guns blazing if you like. Or use that reliable wrench to whack away at enemies.

You can also try the stealthy path, which relies on patience and some hacking, too. Hacking is a simple mini-game, but it's crucial. Avoiding the ire of Xerxes is essential, as if you're seen by one of his cameras, he'll have hordes of robots and zombie-like reinforcements on you quickly.

Shooting played a large role in my playthrough, for when stealth failed, I'd pull out the big guns. Gunplay is not as tight as a boomer shooter or typical FPS, but you can improve the handling of guns and their damage by increasing stats at certain kiosks around the ship. 

These kiosks are very important, as you'll want to constantly improve your build. You're not necessarily pigeonholed into being a run-and-gun type versus a psionic soldier, so you're given some freedom to experiment. 

A Narrative That Makes You Think

Much of your time with this game comprises of utilizing the skillset of your choosing, while exploring the horrors and dangers of the Von Braun. Exploration is another key component here, and it's the means by which the story is delivered.

System Shock 2: 25th Anniversary Remaster relies on environmental storytelling, piecing together the grim fate of the starship by looking at the state of things. It also leans heavily on audio logs, which were a novelty back in 1999 when System Shock 2 was first released. Audio logs went on to inspire numerous games to follow this same delivery of narrative.

Audio logs seem tacky, but I mean, it makes sense -- most everyone on the Von Braun is dead. These audio logs range from mundane to intriguing, but the voice acting -- which is, again, from 1999 -- leaves a lot to be desired. Thankfully, the writing is still so well done. Piecing together the series of events that led up to the disaster on Von Braun will keep you on the edge of your seat.

This is a game that is perhaps more poignant than ever. We live in an age where AI is starting to develop rapidly, and it's scary and frightening. With AI being among the primary antagonists, we see the damage it can cause, even if that's far into the future.  

Other than fighting robots sicced on you by AI, you'll have to contend with The Many. It's a Hivemind organism that's terrifyingly efficient and spreads like some aggressive fungus. This entity has a sort of collectivist mentality, and on top of that, you're contending with an AI that has a god complex. Regular humans are stuck in between these two -- it's a thrilling dynamic that engrossed me.

System Shock 2: 25th Anniversary Remaster Review | Final Thoughts 

Like other Nightdive remasters, this version has a vault with an abundance of historical documents, concept art, and videos involving System Shock 2's development. I'm particularly fond of scans for a System Shock 2 review from PC Format magazine, but there are also plenty of other fragments from history to enjoy.

For many, System Shock 2 was considered among the best of the best. With the System Shock 2: 25th Anniversary Remaster, it's more accessible than ever and feels incredible to play -- it looks great, too. If there was ever a time to take the plunge and play it for the first time, it's now, and if you're looking to revisit, well, the Von Braun is ready for boarding!

System Shock 2: 25th Anniversary Remaster was reviewed on PC with a copy provided by the developer over the course of 12 hours of gameplay - all screenshots were taken during the process of review.