My Confession
Here’s my confession: I think I prefer System Shock 2 to Deus Ex. Not that I don’t love JC Denton like a son, mind you, it’s just that SS2’s creepy hallways and pitch-perfect antagonists have taken root in my heart forever.
The Exciting Announcement
So, I gotta be honest, of all the whizzbang announcements spilling out of the future games show, the one I’m most excited about is Nightdive’s KEX engine redo—the System Shock 2: 25th anniversary remaster, which just got shown off during the show. It’s set to launch on June 26 this year on Steam and GOG, a brisk six years after it was originally announced. That’s right, fans! The excitement is palpable!
What to Expect from the Remaster
If you’re not familiar, SS2 is on the Mt. Rushmore of immersive sims and is a direct antecedent of the BioShock games (but it’s better, in my humble opinion). As a hapless schmuck trapped on a spaceship filled with mutated horrors, you’ll need to get the hell off through skillful application of implants and skill points—and yes, hitting psychic monkeys with a wrench is highly encouraged.
The SS2 remaster has touched “every aspect of the game,” according to Nightdive, and will feature “unknowable horrors, in high definition,” which, let’s be real, is a stellar tagline. With support for 4K resolutions and 144 FPS, plus ultra-widescreen support, it’s like they want gamers to relive their memories with even more pizzazz.
Alongside achievements and gamepad support (blasphemy to some, but fantastic for those of us with couch setups), the remaster maintains full mod support. But wait, there’s more! They’ve even resurrected the original game’s co-op mode, allowing you to team up with a buddy—if you happen to have friends who enjoy psychic monkeys as much as you do.
As someone who craves a pretty, easy-to-run version of SS2, I’m on the edge of my seat. Nightdive did a fantastic job with the remake of System Shock 1, and I can’t wait to see if they’ve managed to nail the nostalgia I crave for this beloved classic!
