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2292516 No.2292516 [Reply] [Original]

What do you think of System Shock 2?

I've seen some people say it's one of the best and most important games of all time, and I've also seen people say it's very broken, rushed and doesn't really excel at anything.

I'm not saying it has to be exactly one of either of these things, but I'd like to your honest thoughts on the game based on this.

Do you like it?

>> No.2292534

I liked it a lot.
Sure it was flawed in a lot of ways, but i enjoyed the atmosphere enough to make it worth my time.
I like SS1 even more though

>> No.2292549

SS2?

One for the ages.

>> No.2292570
File: 25 KB, 480x480, FB_IMG_1426157450223.jpg [View same] [iqdb] [saucenao] [google]
2292570

If you want to experience the ultimate oldskool pc vibe. This is the game. For it's time, the story was also pretty epic imo. Today people yell Mass Effect, but it's not the same "type" of game. As mentioned, it's a very atmospheric game! And it's deff essential to me

>> No.2292573

>>2292570
>ultimate oldskool pc vibe

What? No.

>> No.2292584

It was horrible in comparison to the first one.

>> No.2292653

>>2292570
Is this satire?

>> No.2292780

I only got around to playing both SS1 and SS2 recently, and SS1 kept me much more captivated and immersed.

SHODAN was much more interesting in 1 as well.

Basically Warren Spector > Ken Levine

>> No.2292784

>Slow, Clunky movement and combat.
>So much "customization" even though most of its shit and can fuck up your whole game if you upgrade your stats the wrong way.
>Graphics have aged terribly

The internet dickrides this game hard but it ain't that great. I went and got a boxed copy a few years back and I hated it. People say Bioshock is shit compared to this game, but there's a reason why Bioshock is more popular. They got rid of the unnecessary bullshit and made it fun

Internet hipster fags are wrong about everything

>> No.2292813

Played Bioshock before SS2, loved Bioshock, but was disappointed in SS2 -- it felt like Bioshock without polish. I think the thing that made me dislike mostly it was the endlessly respawning monsters that would repopulate as soon as you crossed a certain part of the level or turned your back, and some bad design like the apartments. I think by the time I was at the hive it just felt like a chore.

>> No.2292816

I thought it was ok... I definitely thought bioshock was better because you can actually beat it, unlike ss2. I think I restarted the game 4 times before the skill tree just annoyed me to the point of giving up

>> No.2292823

>All this love for Bioshock
Really?
I hated the shooting and level design, although the plasmids were a lot better than PSI.

>> No.2292830

>>2292816
How shit can you possibly be that you actually have to restart the game, let alone four times, in a game that can mostly be completed with the wrench?

>> No.2292845

>>2292830
Because I would get to a certain point in ss2 where it would want me to have some skill I dont, because I leveled up whatever I wanted

>> No.2292851

i played it for the first time last year. it was a bit difficult to get into because it was very different to other games. once i did get into it i had a blast though. system shock 2 feels like the father of bioshock and dead space, and after playing ss2 i wish those games would have been more like it.

system shock 2 has many flaws and i didn't actually beat SHODAN because i was out of ammo and i didn't spec into hacking but it's still in my top 10 list of the greatest games i've played.

should i play system shock 1?

>> No.2292858

>>2292784
This is stupid, how can something be hipster if it's reception at release was well liked and awesome?

>unnecessary bullshit

Oh boy, the rosemary of someone who cries about anything engaging and then proceeds to act casual.

>> No.2292862

I enjoyed it but greatly prefer the original.

>> No.2292890

Liked it, but it can give me motion sickness very easily (unlike most other FPSs).

>> No.2292907

>>2292516
>one of the most important games of all time
Oh wow! Did it cure cancer or something?

>> No.2292921

I feel like your enjoyment of the game really really depends on what kind of pace you're comfortable with moving at. The game and its monster spawning make it pretty irritating for players who like to go slow and examine every cranny, and there's little enough items of interest to reward such study. So obviously that's the wrong way to go, but it's also a game with loads of RPG-like character progression and things to read up on, so the type of player they want you to be is pretty close to being conflicting. You wind up with a narrow slice of people who actually come away completely satisfied with it after completion.

>> No.2292923

>start playing
>uncompromising re spawning enemies in a game that requires exploration
>uninstall

>> No.2292930

>>2292784
>Internet hipster fags are wrong about everything
You got that right, buddy. Did Mumford and Sons ever have a second song worth listening to?

>> No.2292953

>>2292845
The only part of system shock 2 where it "requires" you to have a specific skill is when it requires you to have a level in research. Immediately after the game tells you that you need research for that level it gives you more than enough cybermodules to upgrade the stat.

>> No.2292969

>>2292813
>>2292921
>>2292923
I have always been surprised by people who find the re spawning enemies in this game to be a gamebreaker. The amount that enemies that actually respawn is pretty trivial to the point that damn near all of them can be easily killed with the wrench. The enemies that spawn in from you alerting cameras however can be a problem.

I always found a much bigger issue game design issue to be the player respawn chambers. I have no idea how they made the vita chambers in bioshock even more broken.

>> No.2292973

Didn't buy on release, gave it a whirl a couple years ago because I wondered if I had been missing out all these years, didn't like, have no regrets that I didn't buy it on release. As far as FPS/RPG hybrids go, Deus Ex was a lot more successful in its design. More recently, E.Y.E. finally attained the holy grail: an FPS/RPG that is actually fun. Since I played both those games before SS2 I can't say I enjoyed it as much as either of them. It's about as tedious as Arx Fatalis, albeit less broken. I can see why people are nostalgic for it because it's very atmospheric and in some ways very likable game, but I just didn't have fun with it.

>doesn't really excel at anything

This is how I feel. It was important historically for sure, I can't think of a real FPS/RPG that preceded it, but in context of what FPS games and cRPGs were doing at that time it doesn't really impress me. Unfortunately, taking the historical perspective, I can't say I think it was a particularly positive influence. Just look at where Bioshock has subsequently gone: the most I can say for SS2 is that the parts of it that were influential were the wrong ones. I wouldn't put it anywhere near my top ten.

>> No.2292989

>>2292973
> I can't think of a real FPS/RPG that preceded

Well there is System Shock, Strife: Quest for the Sigil or to a lesser extent Ultima Underworld or Daggerfall.

Deus Ex came out the next year and was of course an amazing bit of work.

System Shock 2 is, oddly, best played on Normal, where exploration isn't heavily punished and sub-optimal choices can still succeeded. At higher difficulty levels it's more tense, but less fun. "Live until you get the unbreakable assault rifle then become a unstoppable juggernaut' isn't very fun.

>> No.2293005

>>2292989

>Strife

this is only RPG in the loosest sense of the term, it's a marginal advancement from Hexen. might as well call Pathways into Darkness an FPS/RPG

>> No.2293037
File: 282 KB, 1399x2048, jap ss.jpg [View same] [iqdb] [saucenao] [google]
2293037

>>2292516
the rpg/upgrade stuff didnt work that well and ss1 was much better and didnt hold your hand for everything like ss2 and bioshock games do

>> No.2293054

Is System Shock really that important either?

There are older FPS/RPG games, like Ultima Underworld, Strife, Marathon.

System Shock 2 really feels to me like they wanted to take Thief, but add elements of those games, and it doesn't hold up well at all. It is way too broken and directionless.

The Thief games are infinitely superior in all aspects.

>> No.2293070

>>2293054
strife and marathon aren't rpgs though
the original system shock plays like a dungeon crawler but without all the typical rpg stuff
ss2 was like a mashup of a bunch of different games from the late 90's

>> No.2293085

>>2292851
SS1 is great and a very unique experience.

However, owing to that uniqueness, it is unlike any first-person game that you'd be familiar with (like SS2). It plays almost as a hybrid between point-and-click adventure with some FPS combat thrown in.

I think the game is excellent, but it was a feeling I earned after being very confused with controlling the game after an hour or two. After that bump though, it was a blast. Don't be afraid to consult a FAQ or something like that if you are stuck. Generally the game is pretty clear about what to do, but it expects you to take notes (on its handy in-game notebook!) and it isn't clear how to trigger some things (like, for example, what to do in cyberspace or that you have to disable all the security cameras on each floor).

>> No.2293118

>>2293054

Marathon isn't an RPG, at fucking all. The comparison to Pathways into Darkness was actually pretty apt if I recall, both have rudimentary skill systems/leveling but very little else. Pathways at least has a dialogue system. Marathon is a great series in its own way but it is straight up just a fast-paced FPS with a lot of plot, no RPG about it.

>> No.2293130

>>2293118

>The comparison to Pathways into Darkness

The comparison of Strife to PiD, I mean.

>> No.2293172

>>2292516
Playing it multiplayer somewhat kills the horror aspect,
but can be ridiculously fun.

>> No.2293379

>>2293172
I wanted to play it multiplayer. How should I go about it?

>> No.2293423

its ok, i think it falls apart well before the rushed ending though

overall i prefer ss1

>> No.2293443

>>2293054
>Directionless.

You always have an objective. The only time you might get lost is in the cargo bays, but eve then you can figure it out easily enough.

>> No.2293457

Tried hard to like it for many years and never got there. Who knows how sacred cows are inaugurated.

>> No.2293526

SS2 has great worldbuilding and writing. And even with the dated graphics,the atmosphere is excellent. Its most powerful tools are subtlety and attention to detail. Sure, combat can be a bit clunky but that is a small price to pay. I say it's a masterpiece.

>> No.2293531

>>2292845
But it gives you points right then and there to get it. You'd have to ignore explicit spoken instructions for how to use them for that to be a problem.

>> No.2293838

>>2293443
GAME is directionless. As in, if the creators didn't agree on single creative direction. Is this supposed to be FPS, a sci-fi survival horror, or cyberpunk rpg?

>> No.2293843

>>2293838
It's supposed to be a sequel to System Shock 1.

>> No.2293848

>>2293843
That... isn't much of a direction in itself.
Plus, it would be 'cyberpunk rpg' among options written in that post, and yet they moved setting to a spaceship orbitting a distant planet, added quasi-alien biological entity as an antagonist, and removed cyberspace hacking sections.

>> No.2293850

>>2293843

That's actually the area it fails the hardest in. It would've been better had they just made it a re-imagining of the original game, a la Starfox64 to the SNES' Starfox.

>> No.2293984

>>2292516
It was pretty fun. Its scary at start, but the scary atmosphere kinda falls apart when you get strong enough. The mutant hive was intense as fuck tho. Its a shame that both the last area and the ending were so half-assed thanks to the fact that the devs were running out of money (i heard that the original final area or maybe the final boss fight would be in outer space). SHODAN's pre-final-boss-fight monologue was pretty cool. Shame that the actual boss fight was so shitty (i wouldn't be able to beat her if i didn't have that emp rifle tho).

Still gotta play ss1 and bioshaq 1 and 2 yes, i played infinite, but i pirated it..

>> No.2294118

>>2293850
I'd say it falls hardest at the end, when the story sort of peters out. Right up until you kill The Many, everything more or less works. But the 'now battle Shodan by visiting areas you already went to and try to ignore how silly the plan for her to become a god by using the FTL drive is' fails hard.

The shaky alliance with Shodan, where the player an AI work to the same goals but different ends, is very interesting.

>> No.2294127

>>2293531
The only real way to get stuck is to use every available cyber module when you are in Hydroponics without getting the one point in Research that you need to continue. They really do tell you, right then, that THESE POINTS ARE TO BUY RESEARCH, ASSHOLE.

Given that 1 point in Research gives you a huge damage bonus on hybrids, monkes and most importantly cyborg midwives, there isn't much reason not to have gotten it a long time ago, but if you absolutely won't spend them you still aren't fucked because there's a LabAssist implant on hydroponics that you can use to do the needed research.

>> No.2294391

>>2292516
i played bioshock first, and i still thought ss2 was great

>> No.2294751

>>2292516
It was too much survival, and not enough action, IMO. I found it very exhausting to play overall, and kept giving up on my multiple attempts to give it a playthrough.

This might sound like a cardinal sin to some of you, but despite how easy Bioshock 1&2 was, I actually prefer them over SS2.

>> No.2294878

>>2292953
You also need to have Hack 3 to get that thing from a vending machine, right?

>> No.2295278

>>2294751
>It was too much survival, and not enough action, IMO. I found it very exhausting to play overall, and kept giving up on my multiple attempts to give it a playthrough.
damn if only you can play it coop multiplayer, it fixes this problem for you. it actually turns the game into something entirely different. and fun.

>> No.2295286

>>2292813
>it felt like Bioshock without polish
Yeah, no shit.
SS2 is from 1999, you know.

>> No.2295289

>>2292516
currently playing it right now, I'm so glad I joined the navy and got my strength and repair skills up a bit because I've relied on my trusty wrench far more than any pistol or shotgun I've been keeping in my inventory.

>> No.2295590

>>2292969
Dat wrench tho.

Anyway, for the respawn chambers, they were basically an easy out for the game designers. A good, if lazy, idea that allowed them to tell the story.

>> No.2295678

I recognize it as a good game but couldn't get into it too much anyway. it shares the problem with many very old and a few golden age (I mean golden age for the genre: fallout 1/2 etc.) cRPGs: it's hard and restrictive in the early levels. I just kinda got sick of save scumming while trying to restore the energy near the reactor which kills you with radiation if you don't have a suit and kills you with radiation but at a slower rate if you have one. I guess I could grind for more healing items but it's just so tedious

>> No.2295685

Daily reminder that max agility and melee only is objectively the most fun playstyle

Run around at Sanic speed and bash peoples heads in

>> No.2295721

>>2292907
>Oh wow! Did it cure cancer or something?
Obviously not. You're still here.

>> No.2295816

I think the game's art direction has aged remarkably well. Few science-fiction spaceship settings manage to, but the Vaun Braun has that very simple/functional and clinical feel in contrast with the gore and the chaos of the Many, that works really well and still looks enthralling despite how badly the graphics have aged (Thief holds up much better in that regard)

>> No.2295819

>>2295685
Can't outrun lasers anon.

>> No.2297024

When I get tired of "modern" stuff I tend to go back and play SS2.
I actually use cheats now - well, I turn off those fucking regenerating spiders and weapon deterioration. But that's it.
Because of that game C3PO makes me jittery and I would never let him get to close and I love/hate the recurring "KILL ME!!!" as those fuckers come at me. I would love to see a "modernized" version of 1 and 2 but I also think that the distorted old school graphics of the mutated crewmen (and those damn Midwives) works better as they are scarier.
This is wonderful and needs to be completely done . https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eEQReLZJXJQ

>> No.2297058

>>2295685
Max Agility can hit enough speed for you to damage yourself running into walls.

STR is the godstat. Wear better armor, carry more shit, bash heads harder. With Overhand Smash and STR you can kill everything.

>> No.2297234

>>2293838
Maybe it was a decision to put you in the mind of a rookie trapped on a creepy space ship. Someone who was trained in one of the three branches of skills you can choose in the intro, who would work others trained in the same/different skill-sets.

The leverage placed on choice is a hallmark that many modern games choose to ignore or disguise. In answer to your question, its supposed to be whatever you want.

>> No.2297238

>>2295685
You've given me an idea for next game. Thanks anon

>> No.2297271

>>2297024
>This is wonderful and needs to be completely done
Maybe without all the postprocessing cancer, though.

>> No.2297281

>>2297058

What about the Threepios?

>> No.2297656

>>2297281
Hate those fuckers.
I like to lunge in and pull back and (hopefully) miss the explosions.

>> No.2297659

>>2297271
There was a Mod for Doom 3 that was in the process of being created...Sapphire Scar, but was shut down - has anyone else attempted this - or even in classic doom?

>> No.2297728

A great game with somewhat unfitting music (Too upbeat, something like Quake's would've been far better) and combat that is just clunky enough to immerse you in the panic of the situation, and elder got tier atmosphere, as noted by other anons.
It does have it's flaws, but I still find it an enjoyable experience.

>> No.2297785

>>2297728
I hate it when games that are supposed to make you feel alone and isolated include music. I always mute the music for games like this.

>> No.2297819

>>2292969
the player respawners in SS1 are even more exploitable. Hint: there's no "nanite" cost in SS1, so if you dilligently activate the respawner on those decks that have them, there's literally no reason to use healing patches for the first majority of the game.

>> No.2297838

>>2292973
I tried the E.Y.E demo, but I didn't find it too fun. What am I missing?

>> No.2297861

>>2297819
The only disadvantage you get from it is not respawning with all your health and energy. Even then it seems to be a set value on some levels. The last levels also completely lack respawners, perhaps to test your skills.

>> No.2297909

I love it. The atmosphere is enough for me to overlook the shoddy combat system.

I have no qualms with the music -- I felt it fit -- and the enemies creeped me out -- specifically that you can hear them talking in the distance, which builds up the dread of knowing they are there.

>> No.2298553

>>2297659
SS2 recreated in to classic doom? Hell, no. But SS1 could be different matter.

>> No.2298574

>>2298553
That's what I would like to see. The hacking / cyberspace would have to be thrown out.

>> No.2299064

>>2293054
Yes, because it was a traiblazer in its kind. After System Shock 1 and 2 we got more FPS games with RPG elements. Back then FPSes were all about shooting and exploration but NOT about developing your character in any way. SS was one of the games that helped in popularing the idea of FPSes with RPG elements.

>> No.2299074

>>2293526
>And even with the dated graphics
True, they are. But at the same time monsters are scarier. I often flipped my shit when a hybrid stealthily entered into a room I was in or when I bumbed into one around a corner.

>> No.2299080
File: 56 KB, 840x478, hybrid.jpg [View same] [iqdb] [saucenao] [google]
2299080

>>2299074
Just look at this fucker.

>> No.2299512
File: 135 KB, 600x703, bear.jpg [View same] [iqdb] [saucenao] [google]
2299512

>tfw i just want my fucking antigrav rollerblades back

>> No.2299716

>>2298574
Not necessarily. You just need to modify the engine enough/use scripting to achieve the same functionalities as original SS1 have.

>> No.2299752

>>2299512
I want my antigrav rollerblades and my turbo tabs.

Fuckin bullet time would be tits.

>> No.2300225

>>2299074
>>2299080
The very first time I played this when I was like 14 I was scared shitless because of the creepy atmosphere at the beginning, and holy shit the first time I went through that door and one of those hybrids came running to me I flipped out and Alt+F4 Uninstalled the game, and didn't retry it until so much later.
I still find all enemies creepy as fuck.

>> No.2300357

Going to be honest and people might crucify me for it, but playing SS2 for the first time two years ago wasn't a perfect experience. It felt like I was playing a more linear, less polished Deus Ex set in space. It was still good, but it had a lot of flaws that drew me out of the game.

The one thing it did great was atmosphere. Because of the monster respawning I never felt safe, and that was terrifying.

>> No.2300359

>>2292784
>Slow, Clunky movement and combat.

no.

>> No.2300362
File: 67 KB, 500x354, annoyed-sam-the-eagle.jpg [View same] [iqdb] [saucenao] [google]
2300362

>comparing SS2 to Deus Ex

Please, tell me you peeps ain't doing that...

>> No.2300374

>>2300357
>playing SS2 for the first time two years ago wasn't a perfect experience
No shit Sherlock. Of course an older game will be worse than a newer one. That's the whole point of development. Newer things are generally better.

>> No.2300504

I just finished it. What the hell was up with that ending?
I know Looking Glass finished the money for the game, but that ending was just so cheesy and out of place.

>> No.2300508

>>2300504
Last minute change, no specifics but to my understanding there was someone or a faction who wanted to add a sequel bait and so they did.

Not everyone at Looking Glass approved of this decision.

>> No.2300803

>>2300374
>older game will be worse than a newer one
Uhh, sure m8n.

>> No.2301212

I started playing it recently and am really enjoying it. It's nice to play the grandfather of Bioshock and see all the influences. The protocol droids are annoying though.

>> No.2301443

>>2300225
Are you me?

>> No.2301452

>>2292573
its old school if you were born after the mid 1990s i guess

>> No.2301454

>>2300357
i agree that the gameplay in deus ex is better than ss2, but the atmopshere and aesthetics in ss2 are just so good

>> No.2301484

ITT: Groundbreaking innovative game somehow doesn't have it's innovative groundbreaking ideas polished.
Obviously means it's bad and doesn't deserve to be called groundbreaking.

>> No.2301485

>>2293005
>>2293070
Strife did add all sorts of bits of RPG-styling though. Could you really say it's nothing compared to the whole pile of action-rpgs? At least it was a full fledged fps at the core.

>> No.2301502

>>2301485
Okay, but Japanese devs have done way better action-RPGs. Like, Castlevania: SotN was released at about similar time and is leagues ahead regarding RPG elements, plot quality and storytelling.
Only new thing Strife did was adding RPG elements to a different kind of action game.

>> No.2301504

I honestly think similar style games VtM: Bloodlines and Deus Ex: HR are way more fun than either the original Deus Ex or SS. Earlier posters praising Bioshock are way off, though, that game is shallow garbage.

Problem with these games is that they are so unbelievably ugly and clunky (and I first played these in the early 2000s, I'm not going off first impressions from yesterday), that the intended world building is worked against. Don't take this as me trashing them, though, I still *like* the original Deus Ex. I just think it seemed dated right out of the gate, which harms the fact that its trying to portray a serious narrative.

>> No.2301520

>>2301504
TBH I actually try to like Deus Ex and SS2 graphical style, because it is pretty obvious concept artists had really something going and it could've had noir comic-book style look (sort of like the Aeon Flux cartoon) with slightly better graphics, but they are JUST bad enough for the stylization to fall flat. A little bit better graphics, or a bit more stylized aesthetic would've gone a long way, I think.
>which is also why I cringe at all the "HD mods" which turn the graphics into generic pseudorealistic bullshit

>> No.2301538

>>2301520
I don't know why Deus Ex really rubs me the wrong way whereas Unreal doesn't, in terms of graphical style. That really shouldn't be the case. Maybe it is the suspension of disbelief thing. Unreal doesn't have cutscenes, dialog, and a story.

And again, I don't dislike Deus Ex, I just don't really think it is all that much actual fun in terms of gameplay. I can't comment quite as much on SS2, because I've beaten Deus Ex, but couldn't find it in me to play much SS2.

>> No.2301548

>>2301502
if you're using plot/storytelling as a key benchmark, you'd probably be looking at another pioneering cinematic-FPS, Terminator Future Shock as the game from that era to compare to.

>> No.2301624

>>2301548
Look at cybermage dark light awakening. You might like it.

>> No.2301654

>>2301538
>Unreal doesn't have a story
Perhaps you're thinking of Unreal Tournament? Unreal definitely tells a story.
And it feels more okay because the game is has way more stylized, "cartoony"/"comic-book" like style, plus it was using more fantastic elements. Deus Ex and SS2 were trying to be too realistic with too limited graphics, hitting uncanny valley (especially on characters' faces).

>> No.2301675

>>2301654
I would say that aids ss2.

>> No.2301727

>>2301675
I guess it does, since only humans (human-like beings) we see are ghosts, cyborgs and mutants.
But it was really bad when trying to create a believable living world in Deus Ex.

>> No.2301740

>>2301727
Id say they did a good job on the aesthetic, I played it for the first time in 2010 and it didn't bother me. Might have something to do with playing hl1 at the same time though.

>> No.2301768

>>2292516
I played it for the first time a couple years ago and it was a 10/10 for me.

>> No.2301783

>>2301624
Neat! I doubt I can play it any time soon, but I'm totally looking into that direction.

>> No.2301807
File: 166 KB, 267x199, 1408152512403.gif [View same] [iqdb] [saucenao] [google]
2301807

>>2292516
Who else here hoarded everything under the sun on their first playthrough?

Guns I couldn't use like the 4 laser pistols and whatever the fuck those giant guns from the crew quarters area were, armor I didn't need anymore, guns that were broken but still had 4 left, psi hypos I had no need for, extra copies of alien research shit, all the potato chips and soda and hooch you'd ever want, every fucking research chemical and all the ship parts that aren't the ones you need all crammed into the medical deck chemical storeroom.

Also my friend told me about the recycler before I played so I had a giant pile of houseplants, cigarettes and magazines all piled in the area outside of the chemical storeroom--got like 72 bullets once I got my hands on that sumbitch.

>> No.2301840

>>2294878
you can use one of those auto-hack thingies, there's like 3 or 4 in the game

>> No.2302204

>>2301454
Deus Ex had a terrible art direction, everything looks so bad. I really wish somebody would remake all the textures or remake the game completely because it really looks terrible.

>> No.2302229

>>2302204
You could just play Deus Ex: HR.

>> No.2302240

>>2292516

It was groundbreaking but flawed. Large chunks of the skill tree were dead ends. Due to limited ammo and weapon degradation you end up hitting enemies with a wrench for most of the game.

>> No.2302246

>>2302240
>Due to limited ammo and weapon degradation you end up hitting enemies with a wrench for most of the game.

Maintenance tools and repair skills.

Use them and you'll have fully modified, fully loaded guns with spare ammo to boot by the end of the game. And actually using them against enemies instead of playing whack-a-mole like that kind in the corner with the dunce hat.

>> No.2302413
File: 18 KB, 330x330, hackers gonna hack.jpg [View same] [iqdb] [saucenao] [google]
2302413

>>2300225
>I still find all enemies creepy as fuck.

THIS. The high res mods really fuck up the original designs.

>> No.2302652

>>2292516
I greatly enjoyed SS2.


>required research
For that toxin thingy? One you put into walls to free elevator to higher levels? I remember using it without researching it first. Also there are research implants, but they might be further down the line.
>required hacking
To get thingy from replicator? Use ICE-pic.
To fight SHODAN? Use ICE-pic.
There are 3 or 4 total.
Also those shields SHODAN use in final battle. Not sure, but aren't they destructible if you mag-dump?

>respawn chambers
they make things easier, sometimes to easy

>overhand smash
What it does? Dmg modifier? All it did for me was make me miss/swing at low ceiling

>enemy respawn
Im ok with this. You just need to be carefull and know (by expirience) where they do and dont respawn.

>hoarding
Engineering lift area for the win

>story
SHODAN calling me pathetic insect while giving me Cybermodules makes my pee-pee tingle.

I absolutely liked misc. things, like every item has description fleshing out game world, GamePig, research notes, stuff like this.

>ending sequel bait
I want SS3. But only well made one. I hate when next title in the series messes with formula and ends said series with shit.

>weapons
Some are good, others are situational at best.
Same with Psi powers, but I didnt mess with them.

>> No.2302940
File: 302 KB, 447x350, oboy.png [View same] [iqdb] [saucenao] [google]
2302940

Really want to finally give this game a go.

What's the best version: Steam, GOG, or retail?

>> No.2302945

>>2302940
gog, but any version is fine

>> No.2303107

>>2302940
First get System Shock portable, It's fucking great.

Then get the GOG version of SS2

>> No.2303117

>>2302940
To my knowledge the differences between the GOG and Steam versions are minimal if any.

>> No.2303126

>>2302652
Final shields are nothing. shodan dies in two AP mags from assault rifle.

>> No.2303137

If you play it with patches and high resolution mods it becomes one of the most atmospheric and engaging games ever. This is a game you play late at night, turn off all the lights, smoke a bowl and get lost in the experience.

>> No.2303158

>>2303137
I think it's exactly the opposite. Patches and mods ruin the original 90's feel of the game.

>> No.2303161

>>2303126
I can't really think of any non-biological enemy that doesn't die to two mags of AP ammo with the assault rifle.

How about explosives?

>> No.2303169

>>2303158
I understand the what you mean with the hi res mods, but patches just make the game less of a pain in the ass to play and more like how I imagine the developers intended it.

>> No.2303314

>>2303161
I finished it like two days ago and I think it took about 12 green grenades at level 3 heavy with the grenade launcher. It's a pretty shitty boss fight really.

>> No.2303367

>>2302229
I could, but my rig's just not good enough right now.
And I just wanted to say that it could have been better. It is an excellent game in its mechanics, but the presentation is terrible.
The movement is dull, it feels like generic fps from the late 90s/early 00s #345645.
The UI is ugly, but I guess that's a problem with all games from that era.
The shooting part is dull. It feels awful, all the guns sound bad, the recoil is just boring.
The graphics themselves are sub-par, which was to be expected for a game of that scope, but there is no art direction. The colours are bland, all the buildings are square, the lightning is terrible. And I'm not talking about technical limitations, mind you, Thief came out a few years before and it looked ten thousand times better because it had some kind of art direction SS2 looked great and creepy as fuck because of the art direction. Hell, the character models in SS2 had a fraction of the polygons in DE's models and they look much better.
Simply said, Deus Ex is a clunky game. I feel like these presentation issues get in the way of me enjoying the game.

I'm not even saying that I don't like Deus Ex, I love it. I just wish the framework of the game had a better coating.

>> No.2303764

Just saw this http://www.moddb.com/mods/system-shock-infinite/news/final-version-of-system-shock-infinite-released

>> No.2303918

>>2303764
And now I'm interested.
Gonna give it a shoot.

>> No.2304380
File: 30 KB, 610x331, Hybrid-rebirth-_Monsters-06.jpg [View same] [iqdb] [saucenao] [google]
2304380

>>2302413
>The high res mods really fuck up the original designs.
Really? What was so wrong with this thing here? I know the nurse replacement was pretty damn bad, but how can you not focus on that above the concept as a whole? Where does the failure to get at the obvious issue first and foremost come from? The grafix weren't all that big a part of the art-wallop anyway, it relied very heavily on sound.

>> No.2304417

>>2304380
It looks human. What looks human is not scary. Distorted abnormal creations induce fear because they are alien to us. Humans are afraid of what we don't understand and what we don't know. Fear is in the mind.

>> No.2304436

>>2304380
>it relied very heavily on sound
And I'll agree on that. Crew logs were great to listen to. Especially the ones at the end of the game when you venture out to confront the Many.

>> No.2304542

>>2304417
But they, umm, you know, ARE human...

(Sort of)

>> No.2304561
File: 178 KB, 310x588, midwife-rebirth-02.png [View same] [iqdb] [saucenao] [google]
2304561

>>2304380
The revised midvife wasn't awful like the original replacement either.

>> No.2304570

I still haven't beaten it, I'm still in the Body of the Many but from what I have played I only have a few complaints:

>Music ruin the spooky atmosphere
>Hacking breaks the game
>PSI is useless unless you go full retard into it
>Most weapons are completely useless
>Combat itself is clunky and unintuitive
>The game looked like shit even for its time
>Weapon degradation
>Who the fuck designed these controls? Now I have to rebind EVERYTHING

After playing Deus Ex, it just feels unfinished.

As for Bioshock, I don't think you can really compare the two. Bioshock is more shooter than RPG, and has nowhere near the gameplay depth as SS2. Still both good games though.

>> No.2304585

Floaty and unpleasant to play, but I like the style.

>> No.2304601

>>2304570
I like the clunky combat.
Having doom-esque perfectely comfortable combat would remove much of the panic. Having to remember than the wrench will make a little more damage in this one angle adds to the situation I think.

>> No.2304613

>>2304601
Yeah but everything lacks a serious punch. In a game like Dead Space, the more effective attacks feel more satisfying.

>> No.2304634

>>2304613
How are you supposed to feel panic if you can make anything explode in a cloud of gore.
Explain to me.
You know than combat being too comfortable is the problem of new terror FPSs like F.E.A.R. and DS, right?

>> No.2304643

>>2304570
My biggest complain is the respawns.

>> No.2304651

>>2304570
>Music ruins the spooky atmosphere
Only when it plays.
>Hacking breaks the game
whaddyamean?
>PSI is useless unless you go full retard into it
Agreed.
>Combat itself is clunky and unintuitive
I never thought of it that way. Maybe because to me it wasn't important. I focused on the story and trying to find out what the hell happened on the Von Braun. It was like a minor obstacle towards something bigger,
>Weapon degradation
muh realism
>Who the fuck designed these controls? Now I have to rebind EVERYTHING
Agreed, but that's how it was back then. I guess we have to thank consoles for simplifying and casualizing controls :^)
You shoud check out Freespace 2 keyboard controls.

>> No.2304967

>>2304613

And this is why Dead Space has to resort to constant jump scares. It ruins the atmosphere if you're packing enough heat to make the horrible monsters explode into fountains of gore.

>> No.2305043

>>2304570
>>Music ruin the spooky atmosphere
If you turn the music off the whole game is pretty spooky, but I think the variety of music is pretty suiting. Running through engineering all tense with that driving beat in the background vs. nervously stalking through hydroponics

>> No.2305146

>>2305043
I actualy love the music played in that garden place, if all the music had been like that I wouldn't have disabled it the moment it started playing.
I am thankful for having a hunch and turning the music on when I entered that place.

>> No.2305150

>>2304967
The scariest shit in Dead Space isn't the jump scares, though. And those jump scares are quite well done.

>> No.2305169

>>2305150
Then if the enemies aren't dangerous, the atmosphere is generic as fuck and there are no jump scares, just WHAT is scary?

>> No.2305325

>>2304651
>Only when it plays.
>>2305043
I know you can turn it off, but if they were going for spooky, they should've told the composer that.

>>2304651
>whaddyamean?
It's basically the single most important skill in the game, and putting points into it early on makes the game a LOT easier.

>muh realism
Most pistols can fire more than 30 rounds without falling apart, unless these are Space Glocks
>Agreed, but that's how it was back then. I guess we have to thank consoles for simplifying and casualizing controls :^)
There's a difference between "casual" and "needlessly complex"

>> No.2305338

>>2305325
>I know you can turn it off, but if they were going for spooky, they should've told the composer that.
They did tell the composer that. There are just as many "spooky" tracks as there are intense ones in SS2.

>> No.2306041

>>2304380
I don't know, perhaps the creepyness of the original designs was accidental. That pixelated look gives them a very eerie, distorted quality.
That thing you posted looks too neat, too polished to appear "menacing"

>> No.2306050

>>2295685
>objectively

There's that word again.

>> No.2306065

>>2305169

Dead Space was 'babys first horror' for a lot of people, thanks to EA hype + a rapid price drop.

>> No.2306070

>>2306041
Pretty much this. The creepiness of the old monsters comes from the fact that they're really uncanny, even for videogame monsters.

>> No.2306092

>>2305169
Nothing. I'm still baffled at the fact that people love that game. It's like RE4 years later and worst because it takes itself seriously.

>> No.2306098

>>2306092
It's a good action game, and it has a nice setting.
I like how it doesn't have a HUD.

>> No.2306112

>>2292516
I don't think it has aged well at all. It has some good settings and atmosphere but too much is just loose. Maps are overly convoluted and samey, making it difficult to figure out where to go. Mechanics are sorta poorly explained so inevitably people starting ask about builds and such. Weapon balance is skewed heavily. Enemy variety is poor but each is well done except the monkeys. Too much of the game is about going all the way across the map to get a key or item then back through the same area with respawned enemies.

It's not bad by any means, it just feels like it needed more focus. The only game Levine did that didn't feel that way was Bioshock.

>> No.2306130

>>2306112
>Maps are overly convoluted and samey, making it difficult to figure out where to go.
You can always use the minimap. Except for the later levels that is.
I really don't like how the maps aren't properly marked and how you can't switch maps, so if you have a bad memory like me and can't remember where and on which deck command control is you're pretty much forced to jump around searching for it.

>> No.2307159

>>2306041
>>2306070
Gotcha. At the very least, they should have really odd bone structure, as close as possible to the original monster models shapes. That would presumably be necessary to convey the original creepiness to someone who would be too disconnected by polygonalness.

>> No.2307171
File: 12 KB, 241x221, 1411619695831.jpg [View same] [iqdb] [saucenao] [google]
2307171

>The Polito form is dead, Insect

>> No.2307303

>>2307171
That fucking boxart tho

>> No.2307869

I played this game pretty late, 2013 i think. I fell in love with it right away. The game as such a heavy atmosphere and fun to play. You have so many options in your character build. The game will make your heart rush when your low on health and ammo and you hear a former crewmate say "We seeeee you.''
The only downside to this game is it's too easy and the graphics are pretty dated by today's standards. Sometimes it's hard to figure out where to go next.

>> No.2308878

>>2307869
you find out on later playthroughs that there aren't really that many good build options, but in a way that's okay because it solves the problem of the game being too easy. try an energy/exotic only run on hard sometime, it's fun as heck.

>> No.2308885

>>2306092
>worst because it takes itself seriously.
Thank you for shopping at ValueRep

>> No.2310916

>>2302940
GoG

Steam has DRM, and retail is broken on modern systems.

>> No.2310920

>>2304570
>As for Bioshock, I don't think you can really compare the two. Bioshock is more shooter than RPG, and has nowhere near the gameplay depth as SS2. Still both good games though.

They're really very similar games though, closer together than SS1 and SS2. And Bioshock's RPG elements were less broken and one sided than SS2's.

>> No.2310927

>>2308885
T-*schk*-T-*schk*-T-*schk*-T-*schk*-T-*schk*-T-*schk*-T-*schk*-T-*schk*-T-*schk*-T-*schk*-T-*schk*-T-*schk*-T-*schk*-T-*schk*-Thank you for shopping at ValueRep

>> No.2310931

>>2304613
>>2304967
>>2305150
>>2306065
>Dead Space

Fun fact, Dead Space was originally System Shock 3.

>> No.2310934

Will the System Shock in SS2's engine mod ever get finished?

SS1 is the superior game, but it feels so dated nowadays.

>> No.2310968

>>2310920
But you don't have an inventory system or any meaningful character building in BioShock, which are fundamental paradigms in System Shock.

I bought BioShock based entirely on the misleading "spiritual succesor" crock of shit marketing campaign. Very disappointed with the gameplay. Obviously the tone and themes are worlds apart, so that makes the lie stand out even more sharply.

>> No.2310973

>>2310968
>I bought BioShock based entirely on the misleading "spiritual succesor" crock of shit marketing campaign.

That's me in an alternate timeline.

you can't imagine my sigh of relief when I found out how the game actually was gameplay-wise.

>> No.2310976

>>2310973
It's actually a shame, the story was great but the actual game makes the experience almost excruciating at times.

>> No.2310993

>>2310968
>>2310973
>>2310976

It had some very customization combat in it though, it just wasn't locked in like System Shock 2 was.

I played SS2 way before Bioshock and I still think they're really close. And the gameplay itself is really good. Though I'm one of the rare ones who think BS2 was better than BS1, (Though, in my defense, I hated BS:Infinite's gameplay almost immediately. You were going to get the powers you were going to get, and you couldn't buy any new ones. Basically CoD with powers... )

Keep in mind that SS2's player development was open in a way that really just meant "make the right choices early or you're fuuuuuucked" which, while is valid and can be fun, but just didn't seem like it was intentional and the iterations were too long. Losing eight hours of gameplay because you trusted the wrong weapon type to carry you through a game just seems like it's poorly implemented.

Punishing a player for stat-ing wrong works when a player make a mage with low INT, but is kinda shit when a mage is an option, but an option with almost no working playstyle.

>> No.2311012

>>2310993
I could not possibly disagree with you more. I cannot seriously understand how you think lopping the three basic SS2 style of builds into one catchall class in BS makes SS2 less customizable.

The only way to permafuck yourself in SS2 is not putting a point into research when the game flat out tells you, "Here's some points to learn research, you will need it to complete this objective."

>> No.2311040

>>2311012
Yeah and even then, by that point there's at least one or maybe two +1 Research implants so one can just equip it, recharge it at an energy station and research away without using those skill modules.

Even here the devs give the player a choice, that's them paying attention to game design.

>> No.2311909

prueba

>> No.2311925

>>2310934
I discovered this project the other day, it looks pretty promising. The guy's fast and seems to have his shit together, and plans to open source it when it's done.
http://www.moddb.com/games/citadel
The hardest part is done, apparently, and there should be some sort of release in summer. I'm pretty hyped.

>> No.2311964

>>2311925
How many aborted attempts to recreate the Underworld engine have been made by now?

>> No.2311979

>>2311964
Heh. This fortunately is in Darkplaces so the engine was not a big issue.

>> No.2312245
File: 117 KB, 150x150, CortexReaver.gif [View same] [iqdb] [saucenao] [google]
2312245

>>2311925
My body, is Reggie.

>> No.2312248

>>2312245
What the fuck?!

Scary shit like that should be spoilered, nightmare fuel 2 da max.

>> No.2312794

>>2305325
>Most pistols can fire more than 30 rounds without falling apart, unless these are Space Glocks

There is a reason they are falling apart. Levine or someone else stated in a later interview, that they were going to add an audiolog which states, that the parasites make metal corrosion. This log however, for some reason, never got in the game.

>> No.2312891

>>2312245
its a shame there are only 2 cortex reavers in the game (outside of cyberspace atleast) when this guy finishes citadel i expect there will be alot of awesome custom levels

>> No.2313359

>>2312794
That just sounds like a terrible excuse to justify shit mechanics. If all metal corrodes, how isn't the entire ship corroding too?

>> No.2313362

>>2313359
>how isn't the entire ship corroding too?

It is.

Almost half the hull IIRC, maybe more, is covered with the mass of The Many. This is shown in a monitor late-game.

>> No.2313381

>>2313362
It's simply being swallowed by The Many though. It's not rusty or anything. I like SS2 but I hate the fucking maintenance mechanic so much.

>> No.2313387

>>2292570
>the ultimate oldskool pc vibe
if anything it led to the newer generations of games

>> No.2313391

>>2301452
it is old school, but it's not "the ultimate old school vibe" as it helped usher in the later style of games.

>> No.2313392

>>2313381
An audio log explains what it's doing the ship.

And it ain't pretty.

>> No.2313394

>>2313392
Was that actually in the game? One of the posts above says no, but maybe he's talking about the weapons breaking down log specifically.

>> No.2313404

>>2313394
I said ship, not guns.

>> No.2313406

>>2313404
Is it saying it's corroding the ship in the game or not?

>> No.2313491

>>2313404
Which one?

>> No.2313508

ss2 isnt good until recreation sector

>> No.2313937 [DELETED] 

Its shit just like dues ex. Why would u play games with such crappy gameplay mechanics? Disgusting

>> No.2313980

Just started this game and have to choose between 3 parts of the military

What's the difference between them?

>> No.2314089

>>2313980
Marines is kind of like a warrior, Navy is kind of like a rogue and OSA is kind of like a mage.
OSA is the hardest, you shouldn't choose it on your first playthrough.
You should go with Navy, Marines isn't that good honestly.

>> No.2314124

>>2313980
The first time I beat the game was as a Navy technician, I think the technical boost helps a lot early on for a blind playthrough. You will have better tech skills like hacking, repair, maintenance among others, while you can still get through enemies with just a wrench (+ quick footwork) and a pistol when absolutely necessary.

Second time I went as Marines and had just as much fun though I really only recommend this choice when you're already familiarized with the game.

Regarding OSA, I never got out of the first MedSci sections and I really hate it. You either plan your OSA skill tree and exploit it to break the game, or you just choose Navy or Marine. Hate it, hate it, HATE IT.

>> No.2314429

>>2314089
>>2314124
I played OSA on my second run, never fucked with it on my first run, and thought it was easy mode. You save a huge amount of resources with cryo/pyrokinesis (as an alternative to shooting) healing, anti entropic field (prevents weapons from degrading) and duplication, plus others. You have more than enough cyber modules to get hacking up to three relatively early and if you take that plus the replicator OS upgrade psi hypos are practically dirt cheap and you're just fuckin cruising through the game by the time you get to hydroponics or ops.

You don't really have to plan any of that shit out in advance. It's crazy to me that so many people shit on psi in SS2 because it's so massively fucking helpful in cutting down resource expenditure which is one of the main challenging points in the game

>> No.2314442

>>2311925
Damn, I remember them plugging that in the SS1 anniversary dev stream last year but I kind of assumed it wouldn't come very far.

>> No.2314458

Personally, I felt that SS1 was a better experience overall and had tighter gameplay.

People always complain about the control scheme, but I think SS1's controls were brilliant. All the different leaning and crouch levels gave you a lot of control.

>> No.2314918

>>2314458
I think everybody's complaining about the controls themselves, not what you can do with them. It plays like a dungeon crawler, which doesn't really fit a game with guns, not today.

>> No.2315095

>Decide to try out System Shock 2 Infinite mod
>Hmm, this is rather high quality....
>Lol, nevermind, its still using all the stock areas
>Except it's made major changes to gameplay to fuck you over
>You can only use the recharger ONCE
>All zombies die to single headshot
>Radiation is lethal with just a touch

Dear Massive Add-on mod makers, please do me a favor, unless you are rebalancing everything in regards to your new design choices, DON'T FUCKING BOTHER. No, seriously, don't make enemies that require energy weapons if you aren't planning on telling the player "Invest in energy weapons or quit". Don't make radiation do 20pts of damage on touch when you don't get a rad suit until the 2nd floor. Just fucking don't.

Oh, and if your mod is supposed to be a continuation of the main game, DON'T start the player at the very beginning of the game and expect them to play through your shoddily modified version BEFORE they even get a glimpse of the new material. Seriously, this is the most half-assed shit I've seen in a while.

>> No.2315114

>>2315095
>Seriously, this is the most half-assed shit I've seen in a while.

Are you calling a mod with a 50-minute trailer half assed m8?

/sarcasm, this mod is gonna blow, doesn't matter if "writers" on gaming websites posted about this, ain't fooling me

>> No.2315176

>>2315114
Yeah, they spent way too much time on cutscene videos and voice acting. It was a waste of 1.2GBs of bandwidth, and I'm sorry I downloaded it.

I still can't figure out why they just don't start the game with the new material, instead insisting that you go through the original game with minor changes first.

>> No.2315252

When I played Navy on my first playthrough I was hurting for ammo for most of the game. I just finished the second play as marine and it was a lot easier. You know why? Energy Weapons +1. The laser pistol saved me soooooo much ammo. I must've had 180 standard bullets for my M22 by the time I got to tje rickenbacker, but I hardly even usrd them until the body of the many because I still had like 40 slugs at that point. Energy weapons kind of sucks outside of the laser pistol though. The laser rapier is useless because I had enough ammo to never use it amd the wrench was good enough in the first place. Also the EMP rifle kind of sucks since it only helps against the assassins, midwives, droids, and turrets. And with Hack 5 turrets aren't even a problem. Marine is master race.

>> No.2315290

>>2315252
>The laser pistol saved me soooooo much ammo.

Oh yea, I remember using my laser pistol on overload when I was either short or didn't want to use actual ammo.

Either a recharge station was always in the vicinity or I had enough batteries to spare one or two for my laser pistol.

And when it broke I just dropped it and switched to normal guns until I found a new one.

>> No.2315504

>>2314918
But you get used to them so fast, like 10 minutes fast. I honestly don't understand people who complain about it.

>> No.2315758

>>2315504
They're clunky, and like I said it plays like a dungeon crawler, which just doesn't feel right to me. I really hope you'll be able to change control mode in Citadel.

>> No.2315769

>>2304380
Midwife still scared the shit out of me. These guys weren't as scary, but still pretty creepy. Their real creep factor came from the audio they spewed.

>> No.2315772

>>2305150
>Jump scares
>well done

There are far too many of them to consider them "well done". I mean with the sheer volume of jump-scares the game has, some of them are bound to catch you off guard, but that's about the time they become old as hell.