ESPECIALLY when said graphics are the only weak link to an outstanding, terrific, scary and almost-perfect game like this one. If anyone out there believes they won't be scared just because the graphics suck (and yes, they sucked even back then), I dare them to play it alone in a dark room at 3AM with full sound.
This game is so great! Easily among the best games ever made, such a shame it never became a big hit and was mostly forgotten.. If you ever see this game, buy it!
@Adeebster This is the game that spawned the Bioshock series. However, as great as both of them were, neither lived up to how great System Shock 2 was, even for as old as the game is. "How can you challenge a perfect, immortal machine?" God how I wish EA'd sign on a good developer to continue this legacy. An awesome story driven developer like Bioware could make System Shock 3 EPIC.
SS2 is still my favorite game of ALL TIME! I have played it through 20+ times and I am still frightened by it! I remember one night, while playing, my Wife came up to me while I was just sitting there, staring at the screen. She asked "what's wrong"? I said, "I am afraid to go through this door!"
10/10. I played this game every night one summer in a big empty house... I was afraid to walk through dark rooms afterwards. Nothing else has ever come close to being as creepy as this game.
SS2 was and still is a masterpiece. Not only the atmosphere of the game, but the all things in it! I've played through both BioShocks, and allthough they are praised, they don't get even a glimpse of it. I demand a new System Shock!!
The cutscenes now play on my computer thanks to the k-lite codec pack. I just can't get them to run in-game. Whenever it's supposed to play a cutscene, it skips over them and I just jump into the gameplay. I don't want to watch them seperately or I'd just watch this RUclips video. Anyone know how I can see the cutscenes in-game?
I don't get why the game says the hacker created Shodan he didn't! He just removed her ethical constraints. Trioptimum is the one that makes Shodan and Edward Diego set the hacker up with his stupid Ultimatum. Also since Shodan had to have ethical constraints in the first place to barely keep her stable she isn't a very securely safe AI in the first place.
@perropeppe actually GLaDOS was activated in the 90's and development began in 1986 whereas SHODAN was developed on Earth in the 21st century I believe
This game can work on 'modern computers' but was not designed for Windows NT (Which all Windows OSs are on now). Search on Google for a patch. There's also a good walkthrough to get the game working in a Looking Glass forum, if I remember correctly. If the game doesn't start even then, Ctrl+Alt+Del, go to the processes tab, right click the SS2 process and go to set affinity. Make sure only one of the CPU check boxes is ticked, as SS2 really doesn't like Dual Core or Hyperthreading. :)
This game is one of the most challenging, deep developing stories to be ever engraved into my mind. I love it & hate it. The gun repairs, the looking for the chemicals on different levels challenging and so desolate. I've finished this game twice & somewhere deep down inside once & a while I miss playing it. Very long, weird but absolutely fantastic game play and story. This should be remade for newer consoles.
@D3THFAN Did you play SS2 through, when it came out 1999? Bioshock is technically better than SS2, so it doesn't have great surround sound. Still, when SS2 was released, it was revolutionary.
how can you play ss 2 on an amd quad core à 2.6 ghz, Geforce GTX 260 and windows 7 professional 64 bit without rewriting anything or tuning the cores? and if there's no other way, what is the safest mehtod? thx
@overfiend87 Don't know if you fixed it or not, but a good way to make sure the cutscenes play is to go to ur SS2 CD files and search for the IV5PLAY.exe, this will install all the codecs needed to play the cutscenes. Make sure you do this right after uve installed it tho.
Ken Levine, is the designer of this game. He also is a designer for Bioshock 2. So, I have high hopes for it. And he is in charge of the screenplay for bioshock the movie
The graphics actually make it scarier in a way. The Low Poly-count models, the unnatural movements, really does scare the hell out of you in the dark at midnight.
the first time you play through this game, DONT HAVE SURROUND SOUND ON. this is the scariest game that ever existed and probably will be until the end of my days atleast. shodan is also the ultimate freakin' villian. this will be on my top ten 4ever
One of the most important things for both this game and the first two Thief games is adding safe_texture_manager on a new line in the cam.cfg file in the game directory.
i looked at buying this game from amazon. it has not only held its value, ITS PRICE HAS INCREASED?! in these cases (where the money doesnt go to the company) i try to download the game, but i cant find a download for the full game anywere on the internet. any help?
@seangames111 i agree i was really surprised that there were not nearly as many games made as awsome as this. seriously imagine what they could do now with this type of idea
It still is scary now. Maybe not the "monsters jumping out of closets" scary but more of like immersing yourself in sentient filth every time you play the game. It's creepy.
blender7 - Try looking in a local computer game shop. They usually have discount sections for games such as this. Lots of games where the production company has since gone bust, are listed with other companies releasing them. (I got my SS2 for $20 Australian. Hope this helps :)
I got this straight from the original SS2 CD, so no, I didn't "chop the end off". If there is a cut scene that follows this it is not technically part of the 'intro', since it doesn't play when I press 'view intro' on the main menu. :)
I decided to check out clips from this game since it is supposed to be one of the milestones of gaming along with both Fallouts. That looked really cool, they warned me about Shodan, man... that voice was just shilling, I can imagine hearing it in the game.
Have you installed the visual mods? With them, even the graphics cease to be a problem. You can find all of the best ones in the first tropic on the GOG forum about the game. Or, better yet, you could go to PirateBay and search for "system shock 2 mods" and download the all-in-one pack you find there, it's even more complete and easier to install than the one in the forum. Other than that, happy nightmares! :)
i really wish they would make another game like this i mean come on after nearly 10 years this intro still sends shivers down my spine i mean seriously are you really saying no one can come up with a game like this anymore. with the posible expection of deadspace but even that felt so formualted and cliche.
@iHateKids555 Also, how do you judge what i think is sexy quality? Im sure an opinion plays a part in it, i could say a game has amazing graphic quality whereas you could say it has terrible graphics quality, it doesnt really come down to fact. I dont claim to know anything about quality but i do know that Turtlebeach does infact have good quality compared to alot of headsets for them to even set up a company with so many sales and to be so popular amongst gamers.
@The360gamerzz Personal opinion is a beautiful thing. I had Deus Ex for about 4 years, and never got past the first level. Then, I sat down, and played for a good fourteen hours in one sitting. I still haven't finished, but for some reason it just hooked me that time. similar to your opinion on the first Deus Ex, I seem to be in the extreme minority that doesn't have high hopes for the upcoming third game (although this is mostly due to a lack of faith in Square Enix).
yes the game play is similar but the story is definitley different, setting is complete opposites also. bioshock seems more action based too. That's just what I think.
@Metamusik Yes, I have to agree on the mood. It's one of the few games that makes me jump from time to time and just swearing when I'm running and about to die.
i played this game at 10 - 11 PM at night, all the lights off. headphones. i was INTO the game, tunnel-visioned into playing the game. was deep into the game, the real piss-your-pants scary parts. i was concentrating on getting past some Annelid-hybrid guys, complete concentration. my brother comes up beside me, and says something intelligible, and HE SCARED THE PISS OUT OF ME. i seriously thought for one nano second that an Annelid was RIGHT beside me. that's how good this game is.
@Evilmonkey66699 incorrect. EA has only copyright or publishing sights not both. Becouse of that they cant even make more copies of the game as is. Not to defend EA, but as far Wikipedia goes, Irrational Games and Looking Glass partner to make a new game, but it was EA that forcet them to make this new project a System Shock sequel.
@Evilmonkey66699 Well, they had plans for a "official" sequel/reboot of SS franchise, but it turned out to be Dead Space (I´m glad they didn´t try to do a reboot), which is totally something different than SS2. I just hope Irrational games will decide to do third and final installment in System Shock series, because they are the only ones who could do it properly.
Focus, Captain. Dock and piggy-back, that's what the man says. And it's 'Von Braun', after Wernher von Braun, a German rocket scientist (you know, V1/V2, Apollo Program).
They should really make System Shock into a movie. If done right it would be the perfect cyberpunk/horror film. The story of both games are full of themes on morality, religion and the impact of technology and genetic engineering on the human condition. Concepts of technological singularity and forced evolution, etc.
Had to download a ton of mods to make it playable; found out installer was incompatible with win7-64; bypassed the installer; figured out the game doesn't work with my win7-64 anyway no matter what i tried; downloaded a virtual pc and xp; finally got it running after a few hours of tinkering on virtual xp; lagged like a mofo, crashed like 50 times, graphical glitches everywhere... and still it was one of the awesomest games i played in a while (again) compared to all the other crap out today.
@Trialtrex21 It was not a official successor it was a spiritual one as in a follow up in spirit like Fallout was a spiritual follow up to Interplay's original post apocalypse rpg Wasteland. Just like Deus Ex was also a spiritual follow up to System Shock 2. EA has plans for a "official" sequel/reboot to System Shock
yeah because Wikipedia is such a accurate source. Warren Spector and Ken Levine(looking glass and Irattional games)had said that EA only forced them to add a multiplayer component. The game was always planned to have been System Shock 2 it just was not going to have Shodan. Also your inncorrect on EA holding publishing rights, EA lost them years ago. Some insurance agency owns the SS rights.
@lilwyvern4 If you didn't find creeping around the Engineering Bays with 3-4 pistol bullets left while screeching monkeys and large robots chased after you I really don't know what to tell you.
i dont even remember this intro, i think i always just skiped to the training. i love the music in the game, same with hl1 dead space reminded me of this game
Except the game is great for having more than just that. Like being hailed as one of the scariest games in existence. Like having a plot that is truly Kafkaesque in it's nature. Like having a completely fucking psychotic ally/antagonist combo throughout the entire game.
Yes but G4, Warren Spector who was at Looking Glass studios and was involved in the negotiations with EA and the insurance agency both have confirmed that the rights were split between EA and Looking Glass was what really happened.
This game is incredible and the intro is top notch.... but...... I may be nitpicking......... but I don't get the title in the intro. What's the game supposed to be called? SHOCK System Shock 2?
I'm the same way. However, Fallout 3's weapon breakage is no where near as bad as SS2's was. It's pretty bad. Was definitly a good idea to put points in repair.
L-L-L-Look at you, hacker-er... a p-p-pathettic creature of MEAT AND BONE (quite possibly the most epic and creepy line in gaming history). Reminds me of WOULD YOU KINDLY
the HAL9000 installed Discovery soesen't really go into the same category as GLaDOS and SHODAN imo, becouse he was broken not evil (the erratic behaviour was coused by 2 incompatible orders he had to abide to - after recovery from the conflict he was back to his honestly helpful self).
This game was SO good. I remember playing it and being scared shitless as a 9 year old.
I would love to have a true sequel to it.
Probably one of the most unnerving openings to a video game. And I love it.
ESPECIALLY when said graphics are the only weak link to an outstanding, terrific, scary and almost-perfect game like this one. If anyone out there believes they won't be scared just because the graphics suck (and yes, they sucked even back then), I dare them to play it alone in a dark room at 3AM with full sound.
This game is so great! Easily among the best games ever made, such a shame it never became a big hit and was mostly forgotten.. If you ever see this game, buy it!
"How can you challenge a *perfect, immortal* machine?"
Heheh.
Nah.
@Adeebster This is the game that spawned the Bioshock series. However, as great as both of them were, neither lived up to how great System Shock 2 was, even for as old as the game is. "How can you challenge a perfect, immortal machine?"
God how I wish EA'd sign on a good developer to continue this legacy. An awesome story driven developer like Bioware could make System Shock 3 EPIC.
SS2 is still my favorite game of ALL TIME! I have played it through 20+ times and I am still frightened by it! I remember one night, while playing, my Wife came up to me while I was just sitting there, staring at the screen. She asked "what's wrong"?
I said, "I am afraid to go through this door!"
One of my very favorite older games.
Still love it.
10/10. I played this game every night one summer in a big empty house... I was afraid to walk through dark rooms afterwards. Nothing else has ever come close to being as creepy as this game.
SS2 was and still is a masterpiece.
Not only the atmosphere of the game, but the all things in it!
I've played through both BioShocks, and allthough they are praised, they don't get even a glimpse of it.
I demand a new System Shock!!
The cutscenes now play on my computer thanks to the k-lite codec pack. I just can't get them to run in-game. Whenever it's supposed to play a cutscene, it skips over them and I just jump into the gameplay. I don't want to watch them seperately or I'd just watch this RUclips video. Anyone know how I can see the cutscenes in-game?
I don't get why the game says the hacker created Shodan he didn't! He just removed her ethical constraints. Trioptimum is the one that makes Shodan and Edward Diego set the hacker up with his stupid Ultimatum. Also since Shodan had to have ethical constraints in the first place to barely keep her stable she isn't a very securely safe AI in the first place.
Another masterpiece in gaming.
outstanding intro
quote SS2 handbook:
It's called Impossible [difficulty setting] for a reason!
One of the best Games ever. Great adult Story, great adult Action, great adult Graphics. They had understood what gamers want.
Oh man....just the thought of this game gives me chills.
For those who are curious - yes, you can buy and play this game on XP. I own it. It's better than nearly every modern FPS I've ever played.
They're making System Shock 3.
+Fell Man - hate to break it to ya, looking at who's doing it, it's gonna suck as badly as Jagged Alliance: Back in Action or the ROTT remake.
+Fell Man how? It's being made by Warren Spector, the man who made system shock, Deus ex, and thief.
That was until it was reported that nobody who is making the game is employed anymore.
@@nightpopcorn4563 I think the project is under new management though so it could still continue.
@@CacowninjaI haven't heard that. Where did you hear it.
An absolute genius game. This, Deus Ex, and Half Life are what FPS's today should be striving to be.
@perropeppe actually GLaDOS was activated in the 90's and development began in 1986 whereas SHODAN was developed on Earth in the 21st century I believe
This game can work on 'modern computers' but was not designed for Windows NT (Which all Windows OSs are on now).
Search on Google for a patch. There's also a good walkthrough to get the game working in a Looking Glass forum, if I remember correctly.
If the game doesn't start even then, Ctrl+Alt+Del, go to the processes tab, right click the SS2 process and go to set affinity.
Make sure only one of the CPU check boxes is ticked, as SS2 really doesn't like Dual Core or Hyperthreading. :)
This game is one of the most challenging, deep developing stories to be ever engraved into my mind. I love it & hate it. The gun repairs, the looking for the chemicals on different levels challenging and so desolate. I've finished this game twice & somewhere deep down inside once & a while I miss playing it. Very long, weird but absolutely fantastic game play and story. This should be remade for newer consoles.
This game is still a blast.
@D3THFAN Did you play SS2 through, when it came out 1999?
Bioshock is technically better than SS2, so it doesn't have great surround sound.
Still, when SS2 was released, it was revolutionary.
great game this one. and playing it in cooperative multiplayer was simply awesome.
how can you play ss 2 on an amd quad core à 2.6 ghz, Geforce GTX 260 and windows 7 professional 64 bit without rewriting anything or tuning the cores? and if there's no other way, what is the safest mehtod? thx
@overfiend87 Don't know if you fixed it or not, but a good way to make sure the cutscenes play is to go to ur SS2 CD files and search for the IV5PLAY.exe, this will install all the codecs needed to play the cutscenes. Make sure you do this right after uve installed it tho.
People, we must face the fact that old games will always be scarier than todays modern games
Ken Levine, is the designer of this game. He also is a designer for Bioshock 2. So, I have high hopes for it. And he is in charge of the screenplay for bioshock the movie
@Evilmonkey66699 well then why did 2K make the successor to System Shock 2 known as Boishock and not EA?
The graphics actually make it scarier in a way.
The Low Poly-count models, the unnatural movements, really does scare the hell out of you in the dark at midnight.
The intro is fucking amazing
@VirtualSamadhi Didja hear about how they killed that doom3 system shock 2 TC?
the first time you play through this game, DONT HAVE SURROUND SOUND ON. this is the scariest game that ever existed and probably will be until the end of my days atleast. shodan is also the ultimate freakin' villian. this will be on my top ten 4ever
One of the most important things for both this game and the first two Thief games is adding safe_texture_manager on a new line in the cam.cfg file in the game directory.
@thieveslikethem Did you look back at your wrench and just go "...damn, this won't end well" ?
i looked at buying this game from amazon. it has not only held its value, ITS PRICE HAS INCREASED?! in these cases (where the money doesnt go to the company) i try to download the game, but i cant find a download for the full game anywere on the internet. any help?
One of the best games i e'er played.
@seangames111 i agree i was really surprised that there were not nearly as many games made as awsome as this. seriously imagine what they could do now with this type of idea
Can you make a video of all the weapons in System Shock 2 & 1?
It still is scary now. Maybe not the "monsters jumping out of closets" scary but more of like immersing yourself in sentient filth every time you play the game. It's creepy.
blender7 - Try looking in a local computer game shop. They usually have discount sections for games such as this. Lots of games where the production company has since gone bust, are listed with other companies releasing them. (I got my SS2 for $20 Australian.
Hope this helps :)
I got this straight from the original SS2 CD, so no, I didn't "chop the end off".
If there is a cut scene that follows this it is not technically part of the 'intro', since it doesn't play when I press 'view intro' on the main menu.
:)
Does system shock 2 related or referenced in ANY WAY to the first one? cuz i want this, and i dont wana get it and not get anything.
I decided to check out clips from this game since it is supposed to be one of the milestones of gaming along with both Fallouts.
That looked really cool, they warned me about Shodan, man... that voice was just shilling, I can imagine hearing it in the game.
one of the best games ever
@jase276 WAIT A SECOND. More than one person uses your account? Mindfreak.
Have you installed the visual mods? With them, even the graphics cease to be a problem. You can find all of the best ones in the first tropic on the GOG forum about the game. Or, better yet, you could go to PirateBay and search for "system shock 2 mods" and download the all-in-one pack you find there, it's even more complete and easier to install than the one in the forum.
Other than that, happy nightmares! :)
Don't forget about "Another visitor, say a while, stay FOREVER!"
Greatest game, ever!!
man, seeing the gameplay of this, i can only call bioshock the next best thing.
i really wish they would make another game like this i mean come on after nearly 10 years this intro still sends shivers down my spine i mean seriously are you really saying no one can come up with a game like this anymore. with the posible expection of deadspace but even that felt so formualted and cliche.
@iHateKids555 Also, how do you judge what i think is sexy quality? Im sure an opinion plays a part in it, i could say a game has amazing graphic quality whereas you could say it has terrible graphics quality, it doesnt really come down to fact. I dont claim to know anything about quality but i do know that Turtlebeach does infact have good quality compared to alot of headsets for them to even set up a company with so many sales and to be so popular amongst gamers.
@ZeeDDD65 It is slightly. I believe it is the same villain. It is not, however, necessary to play the first to understand the second.
I like the way the TriOptimum guy says "sleek". It sounds slightly sarcastic.
@The360gamerzz Personal opinion is a beautiful thing. I had Deus Ex for about 4 years, and never got past the first level. Then, I sat down, and played for a good fourteen hours in one sitting. I still haven't finished, but for some reason it just hooked me that time. similar to your opinion on the first Deus Ex, I seem to be in the extreme minority that doesn't have high hopes for the upcoming third game (although this is mostly due to a lack of faith in Square Enix).
yes the game play is similar but the story is definitley different, setting is complete opposites also. bioshock seems more action based too. That's just what I think.
I am so happy that I have this game :)
You are doing gods work.
@QueenGigan yea, cept irrational games didn't make Bioshock 2 that was another 2k studio
Best survival horror game ever made.
It's the unwanted love child of System Shock and Fallout.
@Metamusik Yes, I have to agree on the mood. It's one of the few games that makes me jump from time to time and just swearing when I'm running and about to die.
i played this game at 10 - 11 PM at night, all the lights off. headphones. i was INTO the game, tunnel-visioned into playing the game. was deep into the game, the real piss-your-pants scary parts. i was concentrating on getting past some Annelid-hybrid guys, complete concentration. my brother comes up beside me, and says something intelligible, and HE SCARED THE PISS OUT OF ME. i seriously thought for one nano second that an Annelid was RIGHT beside me.
that's how good this game is.
@thieveslikethem don't forget the midwifes. Better keep that wrench within arms reach.
Anyone know why the cutscenes won't play on my computer although the rest of System Shock 2 plays flawlessly?
@shimmikins ........you sir are a genious.
@Evilmonkey66699 incorrect. EA has only copyright or publishing sights not both. Becouse of that they cant even make more copies of the game as is. Not to defend EA, but as far Wikipedia goes, Irrational Games and Looking Glass partner to make a new game, but it was EA that forcet them to make this new project a System Shock sequel.
@Evilmonkey66699 Well, they had plans for a "official" sequel/reboot of SS franchise, but it turned out to be Dead Space (I´m glad they didn´t try to do a reboot), which is totally something different than SS2. I just hope Irrational games will decide to do third and final installment in System Shock series, because they are the only ones who could do it properly.
So you would suggest playing/buying the game then?
...which is a prime example of what I was talking about.
There are files now that make it to where you don't have to disable any cpu's.
disable ur both CPU's and download latest patches.You can also add "-lgntforce" to ur shortcut (shock2 -lgntforce) and it should work.
Focus, Captain. Dock and piggy-back, that's what the man says. And it's 'Von Braun', after Wernher von Braun, a German rocket scientist (you know, V1/V2, Apollo Program).
They should really make System Shock into a movie. If done right it would be the perfect cyberpunk/horror film. The story of both games are full of themes on morality, religion and the impact of technology and genetic engineering on the human condition. Concepts of technological singularity and forced evolution, etc.
where can i find a copy of this game?
Had to download a ton of mods to make it playable; found out installer was incompatible with win7-64; bypassed the installer; figured out the game doesn't work with my win7-64 anyway no matter what i tried; downloaded a virtual pc and xp; finally got it running after a few hours of tinkering on virtual xp; lagged like a mofo, crashed like 50 times, graphical glitches everywhere... and still it was one of the awesomest games i played in a while (again) compared to all the other crap out today.
how do you play ss2 on windows 7?
@Trialtrex21 It was not a official successor it was a spiritual one as in a follow up in spirit like Fallout was a spiritual follow up to Interplay's original post apocalypse rpg Wasteland. Just like Deus Ex was also a spiritual follow up to System Shock 2.
EA has plans for a "official" sequel/reboot to System Shock
yeah because Wikipedia is such a accurate source. Warren Spector and Ken Levine(looking glass and Irattional games)had said that EA only forced them to add a multiplayer component. The game was always planned to have been System Shock 2 it just was not going to have Shodan. Also your inncorrect on EA holding publishing rights, EA lost them years ago. Some insurance agency owns the SS rights.
@lilwyvern4 If you didn't find creeping around the Engineering Bays with 3-4 pistol bullets left while screeching monkeys and large robots chased after you I really don't know what to tell you.
why would they? the whole setting is different maybe they mean spiritual sequal
Yes. It's an awesome game.
i wish they just re-sold this, i want to play it even with the graphics. kind see the hype of it.
i dont even remember this intro, i think i always just skiped to the training.
i love the music in the game, same with hl1
dead space reminded me of this game
Except the game is great for having more than just that.
Like being hailed as one of the scariest games in existence.
Like having a plot that is truly Kafkaesque in it's nature.
Like having a completely fucking psychotic ally/antagonist combo throughout the entire game.
This was an awesome game! SS2 is the best!
Well, it's definetly scarier than Bioshock, but Bioshock and System Shock 2 are both amazing in their own ways.
Yes but G4, Warren Spector who was at Looking Glass studios and was involved in the negotiations with EA and the insurance agency both have confirmed that the rights were split between EA and Looking Glass was what really happened.
@perropeppe its like portal, dead space, and bioshock. all in one old game
This game is incredible and the intro is top notch.... but...... I may be nitpicking......... but I don't get the title in the intro. What's the game supposed to be called? SHOCK System Shock 2?
Have you tried running the game in administrator mode?
I'm the same way. However, Fallout 3's weapon breakage is no where near as bad as SS2's was. It's pretty bad. Was definitly a good idea to put points in repair.
L-L-L-Look at you, hacker-er... a p-p-pathettic creature of MEAT AND BONE
(quite possibly the most epic and creepy line in gaming history). Reminds me of
WOULD YOU KINDLY
@ZeeDDD65 no, you dont need to play the first at all theres nothing you wont get.
I want System Shock 3!
the HAL9000 installed Discovery soesen't really go into the same category as GLaDOS and SHODAN imo, becouse he was broken not evil (the erratic behaviour was coused by 2 incompatible orders he had to abide to - after recovery from the conflict he was back to his honestly helpful self).
The first time I ever heard Shodan's voice I damn near pissed myself!
Video games used to be elite. I am saying this as someone who has never played this game, but is just watching the intro for the first time.