System Shock 2 Review

The System Shock 2 review checks out the sequel to the first SHODAN adventure built years later between two studios and a new engine. Brace for bees and psychic monkeys.
00:00 - Intro
01:35 - Issues & Fixes
04:23 - Game Premise
06:02 - Character Creation & Difficulty
10:54 - Visuals
12:38 - Music & Sound Design
18:19 - Gameplay Mechanics
25:15 - Story
27:20 - Story (SPOILERS)
36:22 - Conclusions
37:03 - Credits
38:07 - Monkey Trouble

#systemshock #systemshock2 #games #gaming

[MandaloreGaming]

The first time trying muscle wizard was hellish, invest in pyrokinetics.

[corp]

It always amused me that if you stacked enough agility, you would move so fast that you would take damage from bumping into walls and objects and could even die from it. Also, the first time I got to deck 5 and heard the garden music, I immediately closed the door and said "Nope, not going in there".

[FinalStarman]

I think the ending really works as well. Shodan's back is against the wall and this was her last ditch effort to trick the player character into doing her bidding. Shodan would never ally herself with a human being, and the player knows this. So he defies this self-proclaimed goddess one last time and calls her bluff with a single word: "Nah."

Brilliant.

[Geolas]

35:46 I love that this is the actual ending. I thought the whole "nah" thing was a Mandalore edit, but you actually just tell her "nah" and blast her away

[portablecalm]

This game has one of the best patch notes for a mod I have ever read:
"I have now set the spiders to be destroyed as soon as they are created. As a safeguard I've also set them to be invisible, completly silent, slower then your avarge dead slug, have one (1) hitpoint, have weapons that make no damage AND they are on the Good team so any other AI's around will slay them! That enough for ya?" -SS2 NoSpiders.

Honestly, only way to be sure. **shudders**

[CharlatanWonder]

For all its wonkyness, the character building system let you make some spectacular cheese builds. You don't ever have to worry about how you're going to deal with enemies when you can run so fast that their projectiles can't hit you. Be careful around walls though.

[Earthstar_Review]

I was fascinated by the siren you always hear in the background when SHODAN talks. Like an artifact of the programmers that built her, and something left untouched by the hacker. A long forgotten alarm that was set off when she went rogue.

[corykeaton]

"System Shock 2' repair makes Deus Ex swimming look like Fallout speech."

Actual best quote so far.

[JollyWangcore]

As someone who only played this game for the first time in 2020 I have to say it still holds up EXTREMELY well. This game is up there with Half-Life 1 as one of my favourite games of all time.

[BradyMayCry]

“Fidelity gets out of date but design is forever.” Wise words

[CaptJABRONIE]

Oh my god I thought "nah" was just a shitpost. I never realized it was real. I thought the internet had performed a charade to trick anyone who had never played it.

[TheSaltFactory]

I've never beaten this game, but my god, there are few games which have done an environment so well for me personally. I don't think there was a moment where I went "I feel pretty safe in here", which is an awesome experience. I'm hoping Monomyth can continue carrying on that tense atmosphere, the demo was really well done.

[Skippy]

I never thought of SS2 Shodan as a glorified quest giver, more a Sword of Damocles. It's made very clear that she doesn't think much of you and that your working together is nothing more than an alliance of convenience. You know the second the Many has been defeated she's going to turn on you.

The longer the game goes on, the stronger Shodan gets. Every quest you complete brings her closer to full control. It's like being forced to sharpen your own executioner's axe.

[Indigo_Gaming]

Working on something System Shock-related myself at the moment. I forgot just how compelling the audio logs were in this game. You often hear machinery and the ship's engine hum in the background, and the insight into this world is only gained through your own horrific experiences, and the perspectives of others' voice diaries, who are all likely dead. Incredible for the time!

[tontinodonk]

The local bookstore saga is rapidly becoming my favorite recurring bit on the channel

[RpTheHotrod]

I love the basketball easter egg. At the beginning of the game when youre walking through the "city streets", you can find a hidden basketball. If you carry it the way to the recreational area of the ship, you can toss it into a basketball hoop to get a funny audio log as an easter egg.

[DMrLeeds]

Alright, the ‘Silence the Discord’ line followed by the discord ping got me. Props to you, Mandalore.

[philo-]

As a Marine Corps vet, I love games that give you the option of what branch to choose so I can help my character not be as dumb as I am.

[WhisperingDeath]

You hit the nail in the head that it's the juxtaposition that makes SS2 a classic. One room looks like a sterile scene from star trek, the next a horror movie, and both are equally dangerous. The enemies are wailing and saying "I'm sorry!" as they kill you. The horror is so smartly designed.

[andrewstewart]

Dude, the alternate box art concept is AMAZING! It's like The Thing meets Event Horizon! Gives great horror vibes without tipping the hat to the main story spoiler.