System Shock 2
I missed the System Shock games back in the day, and the first one is too painfully dated to even make the effort. I've tried play 2 before, and was turned off by both the old graphics and how incredibly cheap it felt, never making it past the first deck.
Well, I gave it another chance, installed some mods to make the visuals more bearable, and had at it. I can see why it's a "classic." It reminds me a lot of the original Deus Ex in general appearance, feel, and flow (particularly how there are times it seems like the game could be nearing an end only to stretch out further). It's a shame that SS2 doesn't have the same multiple-approach freedom to getting around and solving problems. Instead, it's pretty linear in approach with a lot of backtracking between areas. Still, if you can get past the dated look, it's pretty good. And it's clear that is has influenced a lot of games since.
One particular point of praise I'd offer is the sound. Even with fairly basic stereo speakers, I could often tell when something was close and where. Most enemies have distinctive sounds. While the music sometimes gets in the way of that, the sound in the game is very well done and provides a lot of information.
On the other hand, it commits a major "sin" (personal opinion) in game design: obvious enemy spawns. Enemies arriving from adjoining areas when an alert is sounded is one thing, but there are a number of times enemies clearly appear where they should not - spawned just out of view where there was nothing before. That bugs me a lot, and turned me off before, because it projects an air of unfairness and breaks immersion. Even in a game where teleporting enemies is valid, which this isn't for the most part, that feels cheap.
Pretty good to have that game under my belt, though. Inexpensive entertainment at this point.
Well, I gave it another chance, installed some mods to make the visuals more bearable, and had at it. I can see why it's a "classic." It reminds me a lot of the original Deus Ex in general appearance, feel, and flow (particularly how there are times it seems like the game could be nearing an end only to stretch out further). It's a shame that SS2 doesn't have the same multiple-approach freedom to getting around and solving problems. Instead, it's pretty linear in approach with a lot of backtracking between areas. Still, if you can get past the dated look, it's pretty good. And it's clear that is has influenced a lot of games since.
One particular point of praise I'd offer is the sound. Even with fairly basic stereo speakers, I could often tell when something was close and where. Most enemies have distinctive sounds. While the music sometimes gets in the way of that, the sound in the game is very well done and provides a lot of information.
On the other hand, it commits a major "sin" (personal opinion) in game design: obvious enemy spawns. Enemies arriving from adjoining areas when an alert is sounded is one thing, but there are a number of times enemies clearly appear where they should not - spawned just out of view where there was nothing before. That bugs me a lot, and turned me off before, because it projects an air of unfairness and breaks immersion. Even in a game where teleporting enemies is valid, which this isn't for the most part, that feels cheap.
Pretty good to have that game under my belt, though. Inexpensive entertainment at this point.
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