System Shock
Main game
3.73 average rating based on 191 ratings
- Developers
- Looking Glass Studios
- Publishers
- Dong Seo Interactive, Electronic Arts, Origin Systems
- Series
- System Shock
- Platforms
- DOS, Mac, PC (Microsoft Windows), PC-9800 Series
- Genres
- Role-playing (RPG), Shooter
- Themes
- Action, Science fiction
- Steam
- View on Steam
Release Dates
User Stats
How Long Is System Shock?
Related Content
curt924's review of System Shock
This review is for the PC (Microsoft Windows) version
I've been doing first time playthroughs of a lot of shooter classics these past few months. I've had an incredible time discovering and falling in love with gaming must-plays such as DOOM, Rainbow Six 3, and Halo 2, but none of those games have amazed and captured my attention quite like SYSTEM SHOCK.
I've not yet beaten the game but I just can't wait to talk about it. The atmosphere is unlike anything I've ever seen. Bright and colorful, but also moody and scarier than 90% of today's "horror" games. SHODAN is a complete powerhouse of a villain. Malevolent and conniving down to her last circuit, elevated by some absolutely breathtaking voice work and sound design even by today's standards. Speaking of sound design HOLY SHIT. Each and every sound effect is perfect. Weapons are full of punch and even the occasional stock sound effect weirdly fits into this game's aesthetic. The Midi Music is catchy and groovy, but also appropriately tone setting where needed. Even the moments of buggy-overlapping serve to further the illusion of Citadel Station's environment collapsing around you, polluting the soundscape as if even the soundtrack wants you dead.
Second-to-second gameplay is hindered by a confusing …
I've been doing first time playthroughs of a lot of shooter classics these past few months. I've had an incredible time discovering and falling in love with gaming must-plays such as DOOM, Rainbow Six 3, and Halo 2, but none of those games have amazed and captured my attention quite like SYSTEM SHOCK.
I've not yet beaten the game but I just can't wait to talk about it. The atmosphere is unlike anything I've ever seen. Bright and colorful, but also moody and scarier than 90% of today's "horror" games. SHODAN is a complete powerhouse of a villain. Malevolent and conniving down to her last circuit, elevated by some absolutely breathtaking voice work and sound design even by today's standards. Speaking of sound design HOLY SHIT. Each and every sound effect is perfect. Weapons are full of punch and even the occasional stock sound effect weirdly fits into this game's aesthetic. The Midi Music is catchy and groovy, but also appropriately tone setting where needed. Even the moments of buggy-overlapping serve to further the illusion of Citadel Station's environment collapsing around you, polluting the soundscape as if even the soundtrack wants you dead.
Second-to-second gameplay is hindered by a confusing control scheme that is going to take some getting used to, even with the updated bindings. Mastering these controls and UI is such a satisfying learning curve that it's almost worth the pain, even if certain things never feel quite right. Even in the endgame I'm learning new tricks and discovering new ways to use the UI and environment to my advantage. Exploration is so damn good, with a map that's devoid of objective markers and instead filled with fantastic environmental storytelling and danger around every corner. You never know when SHODAN will appear next, and some of her traps sent chills down my spine. Item placement and enemy variety hits that perfect pacing that only the best of the best like Resident Evil 2 have nailed. You're always working to conserve your resources, and every item found feels like a victory. I will say that some of the combat is a bit unbalanced, and and some of those hitscanners are full of shit, but the clunky poke-around-the-corner-and-hope-you-don't-get-shot style of combat feels appropriate for the desperate situation that SHODAN has put you in.
I love this game. It's far from perfect with quite a few bugs and a rough game feel that never quite goes away, but the atmosphere, storytelling, world design and exploration all serve to create one of the most immersive and unforgettable gaming experiences that I've had in a long time. In many ways, this game is superior to it's spiritual successors and inspirations, and is just as worth your time today as it was back in 1994.
These are the types of games that people talk about when they say "timeless classics".
Maddmike's review of System Shock
I went into System Shock fully expecting a game that pushed boundaries and set trends, but what I wasn't expecting was a game that, barring some minor things, absolutely held up to modern scrutiny.
It's a wonderful game with fun emergent gameplay, nonlinear exploration, and some really great ideas that make it worth going back to investigate.
Classic Cyberpunk Metroidvania
This review is for the PC (Microsoft Windows) version
I quit playing this game twice. First, after the first two minutes, and second, after coming back a week later, after playing for an additional measly twenty minutes. This game is probably one of the hardest to get into, especially as years go on--the controls are just that jank. However, once you learn the confusing controls, you can finally play one of the best classic PC games.
System Shock 1 is a metroidvania--seriously, I highly recommend watching Super Bunnyhop's analysis on the game, it's what got me to actually play this.
I would argue that the best part of the game is the antagonist--Shodan. She has amazing voice acting, and I always got so excited when she'd send me a new message about wanting to stop my face in.
Overall, my favorite Metroidvania. A classic cyberpunk FPS with a perfect antagonist that was a bit ahead of it's time--just good luck with the controls.
A Milestone I Couldn’t Finish
This review is for the PC (Microsoft Windows) version
I will never forget the first time I saw System Shock in action. I did not own a computer capable of running demanding games at the time. I had briefly tried Ultima Underworld II: Labyrinth of Worlds, but performance limitations and my age made it inaccessible. Then I watched a friend play System Shock, and it felt revolutionary. The movement through a fully realized 3D space, the sense of inhabiting a seemingly photorealistic environment—at the time, it was astonishing. It is difficult today to convey how groundbreaking that presentation was.
When the remake was released decades later, I intended to play that version, but circumstances led me instead to revisit the original through GOG. I wanted to understand it firsthand. As an important piece of video game history, it felt necessary to experience it properly.
After an adjustment period with the controls and visuals, it held up better than expected. The atmosphere remains strong, and the narrative—especially the presence of SHODAN—is still remarkable. She remains one of the most compelling antagonists in gaming.
However, the constant enemy respawning undermined the experience. Navigating the intricate corridors is demanding enough, but being forced to fight through fully repopulated areas repeatedly becomes exhausting …
I will never forget the first time I saw System Shock in action. I did not own a computer capable of running demanding games at the time. I had briefly tried Ultima Underworld II: Labyrinth of Worlds, but performance limitations and my age made it inaccessible. Then I watched a friend play System Shock, and it felt revolutionary. The movement through a fully realized 3D space, the sense of inhabiting a seemingly photorealistic environment—at the time, it was astonishing. It is difficult today to convey how groundbreaking that presentation was.
When the remake was released decades later, I intended to play that version, but circumstances led me instead to revisit the original through GOG. I wanted to understand it firsthand. As an important piece of video game history, it felt necessary to experience it properly.
After an adjustment period with the controls and visuals, it held up better than expected. The atmosphere remains strong, and the narrative—especially the presence of SHODAN—is still remarkable. She remains one of the most compelling antagonists in gaming.
However, the constant enemy respawning undermined the experience. Navigating the intricate corridors is demanding enough, but being forced to fight through fully repopulated areas repeatedly becomes exhausting rather than engaging. Backtracking through complex levels only to find every enemy restored felt punitive. Around the midpoint, I stopped.
It still frustrates me that I did not complete it. Yet after also trying System Shock 2 and encountering similar design frustrations—even in its remastered form—I have accepted that I understand its significance without needing to finish it. It remains a landmark. It looks impressive for its era, tells a strong story, and occupies an important place in gaming history.
But as a contemporary player, I no longer feel compelled to push through mechanics that only generate frustration. I tried it. I experienced enough to contextualize it. That is sufficient.
dropped, did you? frowny face@shoma
I defeated SHODAN this morning.
While it has aged in places, System Shock: Enhanced edition truly gobbled my attention.
A 1994 title is contending for my 2025 goty.
System Shock, indeed!
I'm having an incredible time.
The 90s enemy designs are painfully dated but end up making a full circle back into intimidating as they hunt in the dark, while you're low on health and gripping to your last pistol clip.
The inventory system is atrocious but also strangely emergent, like searching through a bag in a cumbersome panic.
The VO however, is laughable. A best effort from the design team, I hope. It tears the experience away from the surprising amount of atmosphere garnered by visuals and design, a single year older than DOOM itself.
I've found a new appreciation for modern VO performances but still entirely captivated away from Modern AAA titles.
There are many things wrong in the world but 90s pc games on sale for $2 is not one of them.
Okay, I tried. I can’t keep playing, but I’m definitely going to play the remake… whenever I find it at a good discount, since it seems it is one of those remakes that “replaces the original”.
Full disclosure: Beat the first 2 levels, and most of another one, so I think that if I forced myself, I could probably beat the entire thing, but I wouldn’t be having a good time.
I can see the skeleton of something great, but its age is showing too much. For me, there are 2 fundamentals problems:
- Too many buttons to do something simple.
- Lack of a direction for where to go next, which, granted, is something I use to not mind when I was younger and had a lot of time and very few games, but nowadays, I can’t be bothered with it. So, that’s more of a me problem, I suppose.
These problems are something common in many games that aged poorly, in my opinion.
I was determined to try it, at least, since I’ve been told that once you play the remake you can’t go back to the chunkiness of the original, and that the second game is better after playing …
Okay, I tried. I can’t keep playing, but I’m definitely going to play the remake… whenever I find it at a good discount, since it seems it is one of those remakes that “replaces the original”.
Full disclosure: Beat the first 2 levels, and most of another one, so I think that if I forced myself, I could probably beat the entire thing, but I wouldn’t be having a good time.
I can see the skeleton of something great, but its age is showing too much. For me, there are 2 fundamentals problems:
- Too many buttons to do something simple.
- Lack of a direction for where to go next, which, granted, is something I use to not mind when I was younger and had a lot of time and very few games, but nowadays, I can’t be bothered with it. So, that’s more of a me problem, I suppose.
These problems are something common in many games that aged poorly, in my opinion.
I was determined to try it, at least, since I’ve been told that once you play the remake you can’t go back to the chunkiness of the original, and that the second game is better after playing the first one. So, I guess my journey into this franchise continues.
Imma do it. Imma fucking do it.
I'm going balls deep in this old ass game that looks completely inaccessible for me
I know the remake is out, but this has been in my library for a couple of years now, so might as well give it a go
Game music I like:(ripping off @inc) day 1 Reactor/flight deck from System Shock
This theme really sounds like an assembly line of death, which is probably what they were going for. The enhanced edition one sounds cleaner in terms of the whirs and clicks, but the original is more aggressive which fits the tone a lot better IMO. There's also a lot of influence from Nine Inch Nails' Head Like A Hole (which is an absolutely amazing song, too). It's particularly noticeable at 0:34 seconds into the eng.s flight deck theme, which sounds incredibly similar to the drums at around 0:20 in HLAH
I'm going to stop playing because of the level design. If it weren't for all the nonsensical mazes, like the reactor level, and me not knowing what I'm supposed to do next, I'd definitely continue. I really like it otherwise. I hope the remake strays a bit from the original and fixes some of those levels. If they don't, these levels will stick out like a sore thumb with fancy, modern graphics.
