ystem Shock 2 opens in the 22nd century. Recently awakened from
cybernetic implant surgery, gamers find themselves on the starship Von
Braun. The ship's electronic equipment has gone squirrely, but that's not all
that's amiss. Blood smears line the ship's bulkheads, and ear-piercing screams echo through
its corridors. An evil darkness has boarded the Von Braun.
Forty-three years after the original System Shock's fiasco aboard the space
station Citadel, and TriOptimum Corp. is again experiencing some
"technical" difficulties. In short, the menacing cyber-intelligence SHODAN has
returned to wreak havoc upon the future. Joining "her" is an assortment of
beings, from revengeful droids to a new hideous life form called The Many. It's
the job of gamers to salvage the Von Braun--and themselves--from
extinction.
Like the original System Shock, System Shock 2 blurs action, adventure, and
role-playing elements. Players control a single character who has distinct
traits that can be molded and improved. Traversing the starship's
passageways, the persona confronts--in a first-person perspective--numerous
ghosts and attacking zombie-like crewmates. Depending on the character they choose--which
may be a Marine, Navy man or OSA (read under-cover spook-type) agent--players
will either use weapons, technical training or psionic powers against SHODAN
and her evil cohorts.
This is more, however, than another first-person shooter. Gamers will have to
use their wits to solve System Shock 2's many puzzles and unravel the story presented here.
In keeping with the game's complex, story-driven nature, there is no multiplayer option.
Fast action, great role-playing and scary horror
A gem is a rare thing to find. Whether digging through a mound of dirt or a rack of
software, quality is a sparse commodity. Rare, but not unheard of. System
Shock 2 is such a discovery. As exciting as it is hard to classify,
Shock's unique blend of first-person action, role-playing adventure, and horror is
enthralling.
Each level adds a layer to a story that is perhaps the best yet written for a computer
game. The plot never rests, instead challenging gamers with twists at every
turn. Who is the mysterious voice that guides the character through its initial
quests? What has happened onboard this spaceship?
But this is more than just a story that pulls gamers into the action. System Shock 2's
unique--at least for a first-person action game--character generation and
modification system immerses players in the care and grooming of their
cyber-selves. Gamers will care what happens to their alter egos, cringing as the
pieces of the Von Braun fall about them and cheering when another nasty bites the
dust.
And make no mistake, there's a lot of dust-biting to be done. Despite its strong
story and role-playing flavor, there is a lot of quick-witted action and
heroics in this game. Marine types will blast baddies, Navy types will hack weapon turrets,
and the agents from OSA will invoke their psionic powers to overwhelm SHODAN's
minions. Better still, all this blasting, hacking and invoking is performed
with lush 3-D accelerated graphics. Explosions smear orange flame across the
floor, translucent ghosts pace the passageways, and vile monsters leap from
darkened corners.
