If you ever thought that video games can't be anymore engrossing and terrifying at the same time, look no further than Looking Glass's blockbuster FPS/RPG hybrid PC game System Shock. For its' time, it was the most critically acclaimed game of all time; creating legions of veteran players and the fandom endured for many years to come. Though dated by today's standards due to admittedly clunky controls and standard graphics, but at it's core, the gameplay holds up, even to this day and having just played it for the first time, I immensely enjoyed it. Make no mistake, SS is a hard game and being the seasoned gamer that I am, at times I got stuck and had to consult a strategy guide to get me through some troublesome sections; more than once I admit. But no matter how tough things got, it grew on me and stuck with it till the very end in to my final encounter with the malevolent cyber entity known as SHODAN, one of the best video game villains ever created in the gaming world. With her chilling, distorted voice and cold demeanor, SHODAN will send shivers down your spine when you play the game for the very first time.
So if you want a classic game and not bothered by it's archaic design and clunky controls, give it a shot. However, if you can't get past it's dated gameplay elements, play System Shock 2 instead; a VAST improvement over the first game in every way. And that's not all, Night Dive Studios, which released an "enhanced" edition of SS, is pleased to announce that a remake of the first game with much better graphics, while staying true to it's core gameplay and atmosphere, is in development to be released sometime next year. So if you haven't jumped on the bandwagon yet, right now's the time to do so. Best retro PC game I've played in years, along with Earthworm Jim and Myst.
