System Shock - PlayStation 5

Playing this game in isolation would make it very difficult to appreciate the sheer amount of lifting it is doing to elevate the content from its original form. For most people, the original would be considered borderline unplayable, so not only does this bring this experience to modern console owners, but it streamlines the experience to deliver an astoundingly competent product. If that wasn't enough, the update to the visuals is incredible (especially when you consider the original looked and, at times, played like an offshoot of the old-school DOOM). The art style in use is an absolute wicked combo - impressively detailed from afar, but also delivering a retro pixelated appearance when you take the time to look at the details up-close, merging its ancient origins with the modern age. The game also does its best to hold true to its origins. For some people, even with the updates the experience may still feel somewhat dated (after all, you will be doing a lot of running and gunning, ala its DOOM-adjacent origins), but to change it too drastically the game would hardly feel like System Shock anymore. The end result is a game that tries to merge these two outcomes into one that stays true to its original design while also smoothing over the edges that would be maddening in modern day. A game best scene from the lens of what it has come from, but also a solid Cyberpunk horror experience that can stand on its own for fans of the genre.

This game is rage inducing in all the best ways. If you’ve heard of this game, or know how it influenced the industry, then it’s also worth your time to try it out and play it. The graphics are incredible, and it’s well remastered from the original.

The System Shock Remake isn’t for the faint of heart. It’s less a modern remake and more a beautiful remaster of the 90s cult classic that kicked off the immersive-sim genre. It’s unforgiving and very difficult. The game barely explains anything (which can get very annoying at certain points), and drops you into a hostile environment with difficult puzzles and enemies who will repeatedly kill you, over and over.But it’s fun. In the same way that Dark Souls is fun. Every moment is tense because death can happen in seconds. Every locked door opened and puzzle solved feels like a minor triumph on the road to defeating SHODAN, the killer AI who has taken over the ship you find yourself on.My biggest cons? The frequent enemy respawns on some levels can be incredibly annoying and even unfair, especially on the very first level of the game when you’re just getting oriented. Also combat is pretty bad — there’s no weight to it, enemies don’t react to getting hit, and the lack of any sort of auto aim makes encounters feel clumsy. This clunkiness wouldn’t be that bad if your character wasn’t made of tissue paper and death wasn’t so frequent. Also, the lack of storage space can be frustrating later in the game and the dumb waiter feature is of little help.Finally, the console controls aren’t great. Using a vending machine is a cumbersome experience and even just retrieving a health pack from the tray can involve weird finger gymnastics. Forget about using map markers, too, because even 12 hours in I still have no idea how to do it and the game is of no help. There’s also no rumble feature at all, which is a huge missed opportunity on the PS5.That sounds like a lot of negatives but the game genuinely is a wonderful, addictive experience. Night Dive could’ve done more to bring the game up to modern standards but what is here is still brilliant and a lot of fun.

If you like cyberpunk Sci-Fi this is a fun little game. It's a remake of the original System Shock and is definitely meant to suit fans of the original game. That being said, the graphics are neat and the gameplay is solid. Give it a go if you want a taste of what gaming was like 30+ years ago, but don't want to put up with MS-DOS era graphics and gameplay.

This game is pretty awesome and I have had a lot of fun playing it. Really haven't had any issues with the game so far.

It’s an extremely faithful remake of the original. Gameplay is pretty much the same as the first. Combat feels a little dated (like Skyrim, not a deal breaker for this type of game). The game does not hold your hand and Shodan is a formidable enemy. Respects the players agency. Give it a try!

Excellent remake of the original sci-fi horror that defined games for generations. Whether you played the original or not, I recommend taking a trip back to the golden age of video games.

It's an average game. I'm ok with the stuff but it does not stand out.