System Shock 2 is a first person shooter combined with the things that make a great RPG, only unlike most other RPG’s this game is set in the future aboard the starship Von Braun. This is a sequel to System Shock, which took place on Citadel Station in the year 2072. System Shock 2 is set in the year 2114, 42 years after the incident on Citadel.
For those of you who have played System Shock and liked it, this game is a must have. It uses a version of the Dark Engine used in Thief, which for those who have played Thief know it is a good thing.
This game has been voted one of the best games of all time by GameSpot. I believe they are right in many ways. For one, the game plays smoothe all the way to the end. Secondly it has some of the best game play I have ever seen and it has an excellent story line. Third it is the scariest game I have ever seen, unlike most scary games this one delves deap into your mind to scare you, such as, "Whats around the corner" or "What was that noise?". The more you play this game the more you get into it and the more you get into it the more you really think that your the one stuck on the ship and something is breathing down your neck almost always.
Throughout the game you gain different skills by using items called “Cyber Modules” to modify weapons, hack computers, use psionic abilities, etc. Before you can even start the game you have to choose a branch of the military you want to join. You can join the Marines, Navy or the OSA. The Marines being the weapon users of the group have the ability to choose between standard, heavy, and energy weapon types as the game begins. The Navy mostly chooses between hacking, repairing and, research. The OSA is the psionic branch of the military, those trained to use their mind as a weapon.
Overall I would give this game a very high score. More than likely it would be a 9/10, it is an excellent game but because it is so scary it’s kind of hard to sit in one spot and play through to the end without having to get up and take a break every hour or two.
