The name SHODAN most likely sets some hairs to tingling for anyone who remembers PC gaming in the 1990s. The murderous AI villian from System Shock is among the greatest video game bad guys and girls of all time. System Shock remains one of the best games ever made. It pushed the boundaries of RPGs of the time and added unique story elements, strong character developments and a setting that was sure to keep anyone up at night.
While the game maintains a cult following, fans of RPGs in general will be excited to know that System Shock is coming back in 2022 as a fully blown remake. This isn’t just a graphical touch up or some added extras; the whole game’s been reworked to deliver an entirely new experience.
The original System Shock was released in 1994 and the critically acclaimed sequel following in 1999. While the game didn’t sell well, it’s widely regarded as one of the greatest games of all time and heavily influenced other blockbuster hits like BioShock, Deus Ex and Dead Space.
For newcomers to the series, the game involves exploring a damaged space station called Citadel Station, guided by SHODAN, a fully sentient AI who considers herself superior in every way to mere mortals and is seeking to destroy the Earth.
If the setting alone didn’t tip you off, the game is designed to give you plenty of scares and even some nightmares as you wander through the corridors and because it’s an RPG, there’s monsters to fight, skills and weapons to level up, and if System Shock 2 is any indication, a great story to discover.
While the game does promise to be a full blown remake, there are definitely some nods to the original classic. Some of the weapons and the landscape certainly harken back to their inspiration and there will no doubt be some strong character development; the famous lift music is there too. To really bring home the System Shock feel, they even brought back the original voiceover artist for SHODAN to reprise her iconic role.
You can pre-purchase the game now discounted on Steam or the Epic Games Store and even download a demo to get started. Published by Prime Matter, System Shock will launch later this year for $39.99.
