DF Retro EX - System Shock Remake - Digital Foundry Tech Review

Nightdive Studios produces some of its most ambitious work yet as it finally delivers its long-awaited remake of the classic immersive sim, System Shock. In this DF Retro EX episode, John goes into depth on what made the original game such a classic, how the remake modernises the game and how well it performs.

00:00 - Introduction
01:40 - A Brief History of Shock
04:54 - The Visuals of System Shock
13:31 - Performance Testing
18:39 - The Audio of System Shock
22:25 - Interface and Gameplay Discussion

[Duckly]

The graphics looks like the 90's game magazines wanted you to think the games looked like. Absolutely love it.

[marsmotion]

i worked on the original system shock 1 as an artist back then. the remake is amazing. i am blown away by the attention to detail and the creative interpretation involved. this remake sets the bar for remakes to come. when we worked on the original game it was a labor of love. this also feels the same way. the amount of work it takes to make any game is more than most people would believe it is. making worlds is not for the faint of heart. it can be very grueling but also very exciting. watching this video is like stepping into a time machine for me. thanks!

[msampsond]

It's really nice to see a game that appears to have had development difficulties for a period of time and make it to the other side as a success!

[starmanhov]

As someone who never played the original, I appreciate the time John takes to provide context. This looks straight up my alley.

[smakfu]

System Shock and System Shock 2 are two of the greatest games of all time. I’m exceedingly excited to play the remake, after watching DF’s overview.

[RyuRanXII]

It's a great remake! Now imagine Nightdive remaking Thief in the same way they did System Shock. That would be a dream come true.

[WalrusFPGA]

Blown away with how well they nailed this. Makes me wish Ultima Underworld 1/2 were remade in a similar fashion.

[wilfridsephiroth]

I don't think there's any other way to describe this 26+ minutes long analysis than with the word 'epic'. Probably your best video ever John.

[SkeleTonHammer]

Took me 3 hours to get through Medical and that's just the first deck of many. Absolute blast so far. I never played original System Shock, but I did play System Shock 2. So I'm going in fairly blind, though I understand the gist of everything having played 2. Good to get some much-needed context on SHODAN.

I absolutely love how there's no handholding. You're really just EXPLORING each deck fully. At no point does the game ever tell you where to go with an objective marker. If you forget a keypad code, you need to check back through your notes and audio logs. The game doesn't care if you don't find a particular weapon, or don't get a particular upgrade chip, or don't find a keycode to an armory door, it simply does not care and does not force all of its content linearly on you like modern games do. I didn't even get a firearm until I explored the first 1/4 of Medical because I missed a pickup and just sort of took a random path through the level that didn't have guns laying around. Which means I've had to pay close attention to every single room I go in. You really WANT to map out the whole deck, and there doesn't seem to be any wasted space in the levels so far even though they're quite expansive and labyrinthine. You also frequently unlock shortcuts that allow you to backtrack through the deck more quickly.

Huge recommend. Nightdive has fully earned my trust and they're overflowing with talent for making this the way that it is. And it looks BEAUTIFUL, too.

I know the next thing they're working on is the System Shock 2 Enhanced Edition which I'm super looking forward to (and will get free because luckily I preordered this), but my god, I hope they do a System Shock 2 remake with this much love and care someday. I'll buy it, no questions asked.

[Renk]

Excellent analysis, thanks John! I backed the project way back when, as a huge System Shock fan. Almost forgot the game existed due to all the delays, but now I’ve been enjoying it after release and it’s truly stunning. I’m having so much fun and I’m only 6 hours in. Can’t wait for the physical package!

[DaBoaringDragon]

For those curious, I got this running on my Steam Deck, and (most of the time at least) I get a solid 60fps. This is a very well optimized game.

[Tangent_Studios]

So refreshing to see a well done, tasteful remake of a game that actually had a good reason to be made

[goldengibson]

System shock was one of the first PC games that I purchased for myself. I bought it at launch after saving money for it. Despite the learning curve to master the interface, once I understood the controls, it quickly became the most deeply immersive game I had ever played. Before this I had played Dungeon Master, Drakken, and Eye of the Beholder on our Amiga 500, and Daggerfall on PC around the same time as System Shock. While Daggerfall was extraordinary in scope and immersion, System Shock was exactly what I wanted; an immersive Sim in space, and absolutely nailed it. While my friends were all geeking on Doom, I was living the dream, exploring every nook and cranny of Citadel Station, taking on Shodan in a fight for my life. Ever since that day, I have hoped for a remake of System Shock with refined controls, and the wait was easily worth it. I have never been as impressed by a remake as I have been returning to Citadel Station in Nightdive’s System Shock Remake. When Nightdive Studios announced they were remaking system shock, I was elated. When they went silent, I expected the worst, that this would be like so many others that try to recapture the greatness of the original and fall short. Boy was I amazed when this shadow dropped the other day, and I was treated to the Citadel station I knew and loved. And the return of the original voice actor for the most brilliant computer game villain of all time is everything I could have hoped for. Other developers should take note, this is how you pay tribute to a timeless classic while also inviting new players to experience what inspired those who came before. All while managing to be engaging and fun in the current era. My hat’s off to Nightdive for achieving the impossible, crafting a remake worthy of its predecessor, and in a number of ways, surpassing the limitations of the original work. This, ladies and gentlemen, is how it’s done.

[davidbondy]

I love how the game manages to look both modern yet so retro at the same time. I love this game, and it's great to see System Shock getting some attention from a modern audience.

[AJ-xvoh]

And they released a demo! That should be praised by itself. Also, we need more immersive sims, alot more.

[opts]

The lighting in the remake is truly top notch.

[RenegadePandaZ]

Seeing this get mainstream coverage and praise warms my heart. I'm in love with the remake, it really is a callback to a better time in gaming, and I can only hope this team gets a shot at SS2 soon.

[tyo]

I knew Linneman would love this! An excellent remake.

[Vsevolod]

It really is a miracle in modern gaming landscape. I've been sucked in for 3 days now and haven't play anything else since. Performance and visuals are so good! Running on RX578 60fps locked at 4K!

[selohcin]

Wow, thanks for the preview, John! Hats off to the Night Dive team for sticking it out!