System Shock Remake: The First Preview

ign.com:

System Shock is a highly influential game. So much so that, thanks to a successful Kickstarter, the original is receiving a modern remake from the ground up. While I never played the 1994 original myself, the time I did have with the upcoming remake gave me a sense of what it was like thanks to its haunting sci-fi atmosphere and breathtaking environments. Even if the moment to moment gameplay isn’t as engaging as I would like it to be.

For those like me who are new to System Shock, the first-person sci-fi action-adventure sees you exploring a space base known as Citadel Station. You play as a hacker in the near future who makes a deal with a company called Tri0ptimum to receive a neural implant after releasing the ethical restraints of the station’s artificial intelligence S.H.O.D.A.N. After waking up from a coma due to the operation, you learn that the station is a husk of what it once was as Shodan has taken total control.

My demo started from the beginning, on the medical floor of the station. While System Shock is categorized as a first-person action-adventure game, it plays much more like a survival game by modern standards – comparable to Resident Evil. Whether it be ammunition for my pistol or med patches to keep me comfortable, items that have an actual purpose are far and few between. I rummaged through several objects that I could technically pick up, but didn’t serve any real purpose. This tended to be frustrating as I could not learn if it had any utility until after I obtained it and browsed through my inventory. In turn, this made searching for items feel more like a chore and a time-waster than rewarding me for my curiosity.

Many of the rooms I went through felt purposely tight and claustrophobic, with the