For the love of all that's holy, System Shock 2 is BACK!
Wow!
For only $10 you get the game,, soundtrack (both flac and MP3) wallpapers, artworks and more. If you have never played it and want to play a part of video game history, now is the time. If you do decide to get it, dig around for the mods that upgrade all the textures and such. While dated it can still look much better with the mods.For the past decade something has been lurking amid the vast electronic tangle of cyberspace: a name whispered with a strange mixture of fondness and fear by those who remember it; a creation that reigned supreme at the tail end of the last Millennium, and then almost completely disappeared. Just a few days ago, however, it suddenly came back, determined to regain its former glory. I’m here to tell you why you should be afraid and delighted in equal measure.
The alluring monster in question is, of course, System Shock 2, often referred to as the spiritual predecessor to Bioshock, the game that earned Ken Levine a place in the virtual hall of fame. For more thirteen years, legal problems have kept it locked in cyberspace, inaccessible to anyone who didn't buy it in 1999. But now, finally, that's all be resolved, and Good Old Games has released a version of it optimised for modern PCs. (link)
Comments
--Scythe--
Seriously though those stupid monkeys. Their hitboxes were so small and most of my wrench hits always missed. Then you heard their howls when they were close by when you were already low on bullets. It was pretty unsettling. Still haven't found a game that has a god tier inventory and hud system like SS2
Also, the Looking Glass Studios logo still brings up really good memories. Those wind chimes.
I'm still note sure exactly who got this IP or how (unless the Atari bankruptcy tipped some pretty major power), though I'm glad to see it back on sale, legally.
I'm still hoping for a Steam release, but apparently the IP-holders have set up an exclusive distro deal with GoG. Only explanation offered was that the indie group apparently hates DRM. Which is hilarious, as the original release came with some of the most draconian DRM available; even with the disc in the drive, authentication would fail about half to 3/4 of the time.
I mostly know this as I still have my original CD version, and remember fighting with it and having to full-on reboot (sometimes multiple times!) just to get the game to accept that yes, I actually owned a legal copy.
Compared to putting up with that, Steam's SSO method is kitten-whispers.
On second thought... if anything, I'd more expect that while the group (dubiously) obtained the IP/distribution rights, they didn't get the actual source code/assets from LGS, making a recompile with anything necessary to interface/work with Steam/disable the in-built DRM impossible. It'd actually be incredibly amusing if the version GoG is selling just includes a pre-packed no-CD executable from back in the day.
I still have the original CD release somewhere with the massive box/packaging games used to come in back in the day but I can't for the life of me remember where I put it.
--Scythe--
I actually did a 'cutscene mod' for SS2, since the original cutscenes were 320x240, and when they were upscaled in game they looked pretty bad. I was able to double the resolution and improve the picture quality. I reuploaded the mod, in case anyone is interested I can provide links.
There's also a little game called Deus Ex in that genre so I'm not exactly going to give it number 1 so easily.
System Shock 2: 1999
Deus Ex: 2000
Both are excellent.
Don't play it without SSTools
http://www.systemshock.org/index.php?topic=4141.0
and the High Texture Update (which I like to call SHUT UP, although it's spelled SHTUP)
http://www.systemshock.org/index.php/topic,22.0.html
Here is a guide to all the other good stuff, I'm too lazy to mention separately (I'd also recommend the rebirth model replacements):
http://www.systemshock.org/index.php?topic=4447.0
Aaand as a final Easter Alien egg:
ALL the audio logs!
I would like to say this though: do NOT feel the need to upgrade all the textures and whatnot. It's fun to play around with the graphical upgrades after you've already completed the game a couple times, but In my opinion, the modders haven't actually made the game look any better. The original game's graphics have not aged very well, but at least they've aged consistently. It does no good to upgrade the textures on enemy models without also upgrading environmental textures and character animations. You just end up with an environment that no longer looks consistent. It's also possible that the older models end up being scarier precisely because they force your imagination to do more of the work.
Or maybe I'm just weird like that. I also think that the vast majority of Skyrim mods end up making that game look far worse.
If you already know you enjoy graphical modding, go for it. Just don't let the existence of these mods deter you from playing one of the best games around. Because honestly, who wants to spend time installing mods? You'll be lucky enough to just get the base game running without some hassle.
Also, OK Computer was out 1997 and Kid A 2000. I don't know what they were putting to the drinking water on those days, but it certainly worked. I think I'm still somewhat stuck on those years.
Half-Life isnt and FPSRPG. Of course if someone were to mention that in it's own topic I would have to bring up Unreal, which I find to be the much better story driven FPS.
It would have been nice if Deus Ex and System Shock 2 HAD redefined gaming. Unfortunately there are VERY few other good examples of their genre and none that can compare to them as a standard.
http://www.systemshock.org/index.php?topic=22
They all stay true to the original while raising graphical fidelity enourmously.
I couldn't imagine to play SS2 all blurred.
Edit: No. Hot. Linking