RF Generation Message Board

Welcome to the Modern Community Playthrough for November 2014!

As a huge Ken Levine and Irrational Games fan, I am thrilled to be hosting a playthrough of the spiritual prequel to BioShock, which is one of my all-time favorites. I'm also excited to be playing a PC game for the first time since I was a child.

[img width=582 height=304]http://www.rpgfan.com/reviews/systemshock2/sshock2-logo.jpg[/img]

System Shock 2 is a PC game first released in 1999. It was developed by Irrational Games and designed by Ken Levine. Although it sold poorly initially, it is looked back on as a classic and praised for its innovative and deep blend of first person shooting, role playing, and survival-horror elements.

Although System Shock 2 is a sequel to System Shock, the first game was not designed by Levine and company. System Shock 2 was originally conceived as an Ultima styled dungeon crawler in a science fiction setting and originally called Junction Point. When Electronic Arts signed on to publish the game, they suggested using the System Shock licence, which they owned at the time.

Story

You'll wake from a cryogenic sleep aboard the Von Braun Starship in the year 2114 (42 years after the events of the first game), very far from home. Right away you'll understand that something has gone horribly wrong and you'll need to get to the bottom of it.

Gameplay

While fans of BioShock and BioShock Infinite will recognize many of the gameplay elements and themes of this adventure, System Shock 2 is a much deeper and more complicated game than either BioShock title.

At its core, System Shock 2 is a first person shooter, but it isn't all about guns. Players can pick up Psi-Amps with which they can use a wide variety of powers to defeat enemies and overcome environmental hazards. Much like plasmids in BioShock, Psi powers add variety to combat and give the player more choice in the form of customization.

[img width=640 height=480]http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/f/f2/Systemshock2_ingame_final.jpg[/img]

There is also a strong emphasis on resource management, which earns the game its above mentioned survival horror status. The player must loot containers, desks, dead bodies, and of course garbage cans for all his supplies, and as you might guess, ammo is a little hard to come by.

Having been published in 1999 it's arguable whether this game should be considered modern or retro, and this is appropriate because the gameplay is even blend of modern shooter mechanics and old-school PC game mechanics.

Resources (All Contain Spoilers)
http://youtu.be/s7DVOw1lIcM
http://www.gamasutra.com/view/news/118627/Analysis_System_Shock_2__Structure_And_Spoilers.php

Platforms
PC
Mac
Sega Dreamcast
Linux

Participants
grayghost81
fleach
disposed hero
bombatomba
samus5678

Checkpoints
Week One - Get to Deck Four Three
Week Two - Get to Deck Five
Week Three
Week Four

Player Tips
As someone with a fondness for the BioShock series, the comparative complexity of System Shock 2 blindsided me and took a long time get used to. Some of these tips are things I figured out for myself while playing, some are taken from other sources but have been proven to be helpful in my time with the game. 

-Save often. This game rarely auto saves but gives you the ability to hard save at any time. This is one of those games where knowing when to hard save becomes part of the strategy.

-Learn about the systems. Pay attention to the tutorials and read a guide if you don't understand. There are many complex systems operating here, and it pays to understand what is going on with them to maximize your abilities evenly.

-Remember you can lower (or raise) the difficulty at any time. If all else fails, there is a cheat code command. Look it up and use it if you have to. I don't want to see people drop out of the playthrough because they had trouble with the combat.

-Toggle your mini-map on if you wish. I bring this up because it defaults to off, and I didn't realize it was an option until a few hours into the game.

I'm disappointed that this game takes place two years after 2112. The Priests must have been defeated or joined with the baddies of System Shock in this games.

This and Deus Ex are just timeless classics.  I'm in.  Going to be playing it via my GoG purchase, though I haven't decided on Windows or Linux.

I see my name is already on the list, so I guess I don't have much choice, do I?  :P


I played Deus Ex when it was first released and loved it, but unfortunately I missed out on System Shock 2.  It's a game I've always wanted to play.  A few years ago (before the game was released on Steam, GoG, etc.), I even went as far as to download the .iso and tried to play it that way, but I couldn't get it to run.  Fortunately the game has finally been re-released on digital platforms and now works with modern PCs.

@GrayGhost:  I don't suppose you used any mods for your playthrough?  I was considering using a graphics update mod, but I also feel like I want to experience the game as it was originally released, so I may just roll with the vanilla game.  I haven't decided yet.

I forgot about the mods for this game. Is there a mouse aiming mod or anything that might improve the overall experience? I know System Shock 1 was greatly improved by some fan made mods.

I'm not using any mods. I really wouldn't know how to even get them or use them. I'd be more willing to mess with the game when I'm finished with it. Feel free to use mods, discuss them here and post screenshots.

I don't know what all mods exist for this game, but I'm sure there are plenty by now.  I was only really interested in some graphics mods because I don't want to mess with the game too much.  Assuming that you're playing on Steam, you should just be able to check the game's discussion/forum page to find useful mods and instructions on how to install them.  I haven't messed with it myself, but I think Steam makes it pretty easy to install mods.

I'm in, this game has been sitting in my steam library for a while and haven't had the chance to play it yet.

 I had The Temples of Syrinx caught in my head for hours after reading this post, and since I don't know very much of the song it was a long couple of hours.

The Priests of Syrinx were defeated BY THE POWER OF ROCK AND ROLL!

This game is on sale for the next two days at humble:

$2.00

https://www.humblebundle.com/store/p/systemshock2_storefront

nabbed mine, thanks for the heads up! anyone on the fence about this, the sale ends in 2 hours as of this post.

It's two days like Addicted said. Playthrough starts tomorrow though so grab it!

oh i didn't see that, i just saw $2 and then when clicking the link i saw a countdown timer that started on 2 and assumed it was hours Lol

Has any one started yet? My only mouse and keyboard control experience is with World of Warcraft. How would someone who's only played with a controller adapt to System Shock?

The first half hour or so of the game has no combat and consists of tutorials and spec'ing out your character. Take the time then to get used to the controls. If you don't like it at first try changing the mouse sensitivity in the options menu. I never play games on PC either and I got used to it pretty quickly.

what grayghost said, PC is all about customizability. if you don't like the feel of the game, make the game fit what works for you.

I got started on this over the weekend.  I was really put off by the game at first, so much so that I almost gave up on it.  This game can be pretty complicated with all of the different items you find and the stats and abilities you can spec, and I wasn't sure what would be good to invest in.  It also felt pretty dated by today's standards, which is a given for an FPS that came out in 1999, but in my opinion System Shock 2 feels even more dated than Half-Life, which came out a year earlier.

Anyway, before giving up on the game, I checked out a Youtube video of someone (who knew what they were doing) playing through the opening parts of the game, and I also checked out a couple of FAQs detailing all of the different skills and attributes, as well as many of the other finer points of the game.  After starting a new game, I'm enjoying it much more on my second attempt.  I'm not following a walkthrough, but I still have to refer to a FAQ pretty often just to know what certain items and abilities do, and to know what skills are worth upgrading.

With that being said, I'm really enjoying this game now and have become pretty engrossed by it.  Despite being 15 years old, this game is still genuinely creepy/scary, even more so that most of the more recent horror games that I've played lately.

I should be starting on this soon too now that I'm finished Super Metroid. i'll probably need to use a skill/attribute FAQ as well, I always feel like that isn't really cheating so much as just getting explanations that the game should be giving you but doesn't.

I started the game during the weekend, gotten to the cargo bays on the 2nd deck, I found that my history of MMOs (mainly EVE) helped me with figuring out the different key combos (also rebinding WASD helped) and screen management.

Right now for my first impression, I'd have to agree with Yahtzee from The Escapist.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6ScjZGArpUs (warning: language)

I'm glad you guys are jumping in already and sounding off here. Like I said in the OP, this game is way deeper and more complex than I, for one, am used to.

I'm also glad to hear you guys are open to using guides. I really think they are a necessity with this game.

The good news is this games is pretty short (8-10 hours), and we have all month, so take your time.

Glad to see good participation on this thread and that people are enjoying it. :)  I like what Disposed wrote about being frustrated at first and then going and watching a video to help understand the game a little more. Games are about having fun, so do what you need to do to have fun, whether it be watch videos or add mods. No one is going to judge you for it here. Have fun guys, wish I had a gaming PC; since Super Metroid is already in the can, I would have definitely joined.  Oh well, going to get some shmup practice in to kick all of your a@#es in December. *pew* *pew* 

Are you guys having as much fun with this game as I am?  I'm actually surprised by just how much I am enjoying this game.  I'm having a hard time putting it down.

I've already passed the Week 1 checkpoint and am well into Deck 3.  Won't be long before I finish that up and head to Deck 4....

Has anybody here invested into Psionics at all?  I haven't.  I've been putting my points into hacking, maintenance, and weapon skills instead.  I'm curious to try out Psionics because it looks like there are some useful skills there.

I have also been going more for hacking, etc ahead of Psionics. I feel like you're better off, though some of the later tier Psi powers seem like they'll be awesome.

If I ever replay this game (which would be at least a couple years from now), I think I'll attempt a Psionic-heavy build and see how that goes.

Right now I'm progressing through Deck 4.  I hit the big plot point, but I've known about the plot twist there forever so it wasn't a surprise for me.  I think it's pretty much common knowledge at this point, at least in the gaming community.

Not for me.

me neither, i've actually never even heard of this game until it was suggested as a playthrough.

Hmm.... I guess it's not as well known as I thought then.

If the twist is...

Spoiler (hover to show)

Everyone is dead

I'm not surprised because the space station is empty except for proto-splicers/zombies/what have you. I figured that much in the first half hour.

This game is living up to GrayGhost's description. It's tough. That's actually untrue, it's unfair. The enemies seem to have a much better reach with melee attacks than the character does.

Floyd, that's not the twist.

Let's all take it easy with the twist. I haven't even posted week two's checkpoint yet.

BUT EVERYONE IS SO EXCITED

Would you kindly relax?

[img width=600 height=367]http://cdn.foodbeast.com.s3.amazonaws.com/content/wp-content/uploads/2013/07/taco-bell-cinnamon-twists.jpg[/img]

Step away from the twists, gentlemen.

That being said I was aware of a twist (too many podcasts), but have forgotten it.  I've finally set up a low-end gaming laptop so that I can play this as well as an oddball PC RPG (maybe for review) at home and work.

*shrug* I'll go back to lurking and reading. I was enjoying the conversation, and it was nice to see people excited. The last time I heard people talking about System Shock 2, I was just starting High School, so it's nice to see people re-experiencing it and being in the dark about it.

Why don't you play it with us?

The only time I use a PC outside of work is for RFGeneration and school work. I don't even have time to play my Xbox One these days.

I haven't edited controls this much since I first played Half Life.  I am also sincerely surprised by the RPG inventory management aspect.  Hearkens back to an earlier age, me thinks, when you moved the mouse freely in the window and hold a button and swung to attack.

On a different note I official hate the crappy keyboard on my cobbled together laptop.  Almost ready to pull the hard drive on it and try another laptop. *sign*

Anyways, I'm about to choose my class and I have no idea.  I think it's easy to infer what each military branch will focus on, but I need to do a bit of reading first.

UPDATE: Everyone seems to recommend the Marines first, so naturally I will start with the Navy.

I went with Marines because they're bada$$! Just kidding, I just liked their logo the most.

Week two checkpoint is up. Again, take your time. If you're not having fun take a break, or better yet, stop playing. Life is too short.

I've hit the week one goal (after about an hour) and am moving forward with the week two goal.  Not really sure what is going on, which is by design, I think.  Noting the resemblance between Xerxes (pic in the Med Stat area of the game).

The enemies remind me a bit of the Shibito from Siren.  Not only are they very talky, but fighting them with a melee weapon is nearly the game.

So far this game is a lot of fun.

Geez, you're progressing a lot faster than I did then.  I don't remember how long it took me to hit the first checkpoint, but I'm at the second checkpoint now and my save file says I'm just under 10 hours.  Of course, I'm extremely thorough when exploring areas and looking for items, so that's definitely inflating my time.  Not to mention running all over the ship looking for chemicals to research new items.

I chose Navy as my starting class since most sources I read suggested that.  Choosing Navy gives you a bonus to your Tech skills, while Marines gives you a bonus to weapon skills.  OSA is for Psionic players.  Unless you plan on playing mostly Psionic, you really can't go wrong with either Marines or Navy.  The three missions you choose during the tutorial portion of the game affect which skills you start with.

Things are a little quiet in here. How's everyone doing?

I finished System Shock 2 last night.  As great as this game is, I'm really glad that it's over.  The feeling of constant tension caused my nerves to be pretty shot by the end of the game, and I don't think I could have taken much more of it.  With most horror games, after a while you figure out where the safe zones are and generally have a good idea of when you're safe and when you're not.  With this game, I NEVER felt safe.  I always felt the need to check my surroundings before sorting through my inventory, using upgrade stations, etc.

I played on Normal difficulty for most of the game and didn't have too much trouble (except maybe at the beginning when I was still trying to figure the game out), but I did have to dial it back to Easy for a couple of minutes during one section towards the end.  Generally, as long as you save often, you'll be alright.

I'm not sure if I was just dragging my feet while playing, but my total game time according to my save file was right about 16 hours.  A lot longer than I expected, but like I said before, I'm very thorough when exploring areas and looking for items.  I was also pretty cautious when exploring areas, so I was probably moving through the game pretty slowly.

It feels good to finally cross this game off my list.  I've been aware of it for a really long time, maybe since it was released, but just never got around to it.  Good luck to the rest of you guys that are still playing.  You're gonna need it....

Finally picked up SS2 again and progressing over level 4.  Final time for week one was 4.5 hours (an hour was a slight exaggeration), and most of it was literally me wandering around going, "Where is *insert place* again?"  First thing I noticed was that I can no longer just use my trusty wrench, as a there are too few places to hide and ambush.  Oh, well. It was too overpowered anyways.  The shotgun stinks in comparison. I found a laser rapier (or something), but I need level 4 energy weapons to use.  I think I'll save that for exotic weapons, though.  I also noticed that if you pick up an enemy's weapon you can unload the round in the chamber and keep it.  To think how many shotgun rounds I'd have if I'd noticed that earlier...

Disposed is totally right about the saving.  Though, if you played FPS games from around this era I imagine you already know this.  Me, I sometimes press "Atl-S" entering into every new area.  I really hate those vita chamber-things.

finally started playing this tonight! it's complicated but awesome so far. i feel like the game does explain everything well enough, you just have to do a lot of reading to understand it all. hovering over things in the menus helps a ton, and hovering over your stats during basic training helped me decide what to pick for career and missions. i went with Navy because it seemed to be the most balanced overall, OSA sounded interesting but a guide said it was the hardest path so i avoided that. marines sounded easiest but i feel like i would regret the lack of hack/modify/whatever skill points.

it's really, really creepy the way the enemies talk, never played anything like this before.

how do you know what deck you're on? i made it to the medical area past that bulkhead that brings up a loading screen and an autosave. it looked like maybe the science area was deck 2 and medical is deck 1 based on the numbers in the bulkhead, but i'm not really sure if that's what those mean or not.

The navigation is pretty confusing in this game. I think if you pay attention to the audiolog that keeps telling you where to go you should be OK. I generally have no idea where I am, but if that lady gives me more instructions I know I'm on the right track.

You're right about the Hybrids sounding scary as heck. I hate the way they moan. Sends shivers down my spine.

Yep, Engineering is deck 1 and Medical is Deck 2.  I didn't really know which floor I was on until I got the power back on and stepped into an elevator.  I thought, "I'm just now getting onto Deck 3!?!?!"  It was kind of amusing, but things get moving faster from that point on.

Spot on with the hybrids. I did a lot of jumping during my first hour, and I still jump every now and then when I think I'm safe and get caught with my inventory open.  That's a useful truth: Enemies spawn in most areas, although there are safe spots where you can monkey with your stuff and check the map.

Great game.  I'm actually looking forward to playing the Ultima Underworld and the early Elder Scrolls games now.

I found the shotgun to be pretty useful for most of the game.  Maybe you just need a few more points in Standard weapons (if you want to go that route, that is).  I never used the laser rapier, but I did exchange my wrench for the crystal shard (exotic weapon) a little later in the game, although by that time I was using guns pretty much exclusively.  Keep in mind that you can change ammo types for your weapons if you find you're not doing much damage.


Yeah, like bombatomba said, what deck your on becomes much more apparent once you get the elevator up and running, which happens relatively early in the game.


I think it's even more disturbing if you really listen to what they're saying and don't just dismiss it as the usual zombie moaning.  Sometimes the Hybrids say things like "Run!" or "I'm sorry" or "Kill me!", which to me suggests that there is still a somewhat conscious human in there somewhere who has no control over their actions.

Along with the audio logs on deck 3 makes it even creepier knowing that only one or two people willingly joined.

Yeah, listening to the audio logs is quite chilling as well.  You can hear it in their voices when some of the crew members are being converted.  The sound design in this game is pretty great, most notably the enemy sound effects and the way the voices of The Many are distorted.

I have been listening to what the Hyrbids say. I think you're right about the possibility that they might still have a shred of human consciousness.

the moaning doesn't bother me, it's what they say that i found creepy. it definitely feels like they're fully conscious of what they're doing and hate themselves for it.

I just got to this week's checkpoint, and I was surprised when I found out

Spoiler (hover to show)

that you were working for SHODAN this whole time.

That's such a Ken Levine style twist. Something similar happens in BioShock as well.

I also noticed that similarity.  I know BioShock is the spiritual successor to System Shock 2, but I was still surprised by just how many similarities there are between the two games, both in terms of gameplay and narrative.

That blew me away too.  Totally was not expecting that at all, but it does explain quite a bit.

Finished it. Took me...  a lot of hours.  Pretty close to the average posted on Gamefaqs.  I'm now watching a playthrough of the game on Youtube.  I can't believe how inefficient I was.  I used to wrench, shotgun, and pistol for so long.  This guy was stashing stuff in the elevator for storage.  How cool is that?

Has everyone else finished playing?

I know GrayGhost took a bit of a shot in the dark with this game since it's likely not for everyone, but I'm seeing some god discussion and some have completed the game which makes me happy.

Yeah, I guess it's time to let the mutated monkey out of the bag; I didn't play the game. Well, I didn't come close to finishing it. I played up to the first checkpoint and didn't really enjoy it all. I established further checkpoints by watching youtube videos. I didn't even put up a checkpoint for last week because those who were playing the game were already finished.

So, it sucks that I didn't gel with this game, but we still had a really good podcast and I hope you all will give it a listen.

Feel free to share your thoughts an analysis here, spoilers and all. To those who did play, I hope you liked the game more than I did.

As soon as I saw that System Shock 2 was going to be a community playthrough title, I knew that the reception would be lukewarm at best.  It's a difficult and complicated game, and probably an unknown for anybody who didn't play PC games back in the late '90s / early 2000s.  Despite that, I was actually really excited for this one.  It's a game that has been on my radar pretty much since it was released, but I just never got around to playing it.  Even when I did try to play it a few years ago before it was released on Steam, I ran into some compatibility issues with my PC and couldn't get the game to run.

So fast forward to November 2014, I finally had the perfect opportunity to fire up this game, and after a rocky start, I really got into it.  Despite being 15 years old now, it's still one of the scariest and most unnerving games I've ever played.  I'm actually really glad I didn't play this game when it first came out because my 12 year old self never would have made it through the first deck.  I like to think that I have pretty strong nerves now when it comes to jump scares and the like, but this game still got to me many times.  After I got acclimated to the game and its atmosphere, I was ok for the most part....

....Then came the spiders.  Damn those spiders.  I don't consider myself an arachnophobe, but.... damn those spiders!  Why does almost every horror game feel the need to have giant spiders?  I'm ashamed to admit, but I actually watched a video walkthrough in conjunction with my playthrough of the game just to see where the spawn points were for the spiders.  And then they spawn somewhat randomly on some of the decks.  The worst was when I returned to Deck 4.  I opened up a door just to find a spider directly on the other side.  I almost jumped out of my chair while screaming "SHIT!!!" and proceeded to unload on it with my shotgun.  Seriously, am I the only one who gets freaked out by those things?  I almost quit playing the game because of them.

Anyway, I'm not surprised that GrayGhost and some of the others here didn't finish the game.  As much as I loved it, I was actually really glad when it was over.  Playing it actually felt pretty stressful most of the time.  Not to mention the steep learning curve involved, although it gets a lot easier once you get about half way through the game (and of course, remember to save often!).  I'm really looking forward to the podcast segment.  :)

As playthrough hosts, I think we feel that we should always finish a game. But in a "real" gaming situation (at home with no commitments or other barriers), that's not how any of us game at all (well, maybe all of us except Disposed :) ). I think that any time you start a game, the intention is to beat or finish it. However, on multiple occasions, I've just shut off a game and been like f&*k this! At some point, your enjoyment of a game diminishes so much that you have to do yourself (and sometimes your family) a solid and just put the damn thing back on the shelf. We playthrough hosts are just like other gamers and while I think we try and finish all of these games, we just can't. Though we shouldn't, we put this expectation upon ourselves. As hosts, we should look at ourselves as mainly "organizers" in that we are getting some really cool people together to experience a game and talk about it. That's what I love about these playthroughs, the camaraderie and social dynamic that it establishes; something in my life that has been lacking since I stopped going over to peoples' houses and dorm rooms to game with them.

Not finishing a game is not a bad thing by any means, it doesn't mean we failed in our objective or devalue the experience in any way. Simply playing a game and experiencing at least some part of it adds value to our lives and helps us better understand ourselves as gamers. Sometimes really disliking a game or becoming overly frustrated with it is often a more valuable experience than beating a more lackluster title.

My take away and what I always tell the guys is, don't worry if you couldn't finish a game. There is still plenty to talk about on the podcast and even discussing why you disliked it or couldn't finish is valuable. As hosts, I know it's a tough dynamic to accept, but I feel that we are harming our gaming experience by holding ourselves to higher standards.

I got to the Rickenbacker but I haven't had much time to get much farther in it, with me crunching down on getting ready to take the A+ exam. Hopefully, when I have the tame, I will finish the game.

Take your time. I really appreciate you joining us. Please make a habit of it!

Sounds like you're getting pretty close to the end.  Reaching the Rickenbacker would probably be an appropriate Week 3 checkpoint, so you're making pretty good time.


Ha!  That's actually not far from the truth.  I make it a point to finish every game I start, but if I really hate a game, I'll stop playing it.  Beyond Oasis was one in particular that I couldn't finish.

Me either brother. That game was awful.

i haven't hit the week 1 checkpoint yet, i really want to like this game but it does get extremely frustrating at times. i haven't put down a game that i intended to finish in a long time now, but this might be one that i need to, we'll see.

i actually like that the playthroughs put abnormal constraints on attempting to finish games. in the past i would have taken months if not over a year on some of these long RPGs that we play, but now i'm finishing them in a month, or 2 at most. it can wear you down after doing it continuously but overall i feel it's for the better.

Floyd mentioned this video on the podcast so I figured I'd drop it here. Funny stuff.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6ScjZGArpUs

I enjoy watching these Zero Punctuation reviews, but they make every single video game seem bad. I know it's just the guy's style of humour but he often doesn't paint games in a good light. Just check out the Sunset Overdrive video.

i haven't watched many of his "reviews" but i think that might be the point, he's almost like AVGN.

Glad I wasn't alone on that one.

last day of november! anyone still playing this one? thanks to those who played and especially to those who finished, even though i didn't it looked like a really interesting game, but definitely not one for everyone.

Actually if Samus5678 ended up finishing, that's everybody. 

To echo Techwizard, thank you to all who joined on this one. Kind of an "out on a limb" choice but I am grateful for the participants who stuck it out and powered through this incredibly challenging experience.

I promise my next game will be fluffy and fun, kind of like Kirby (but not Kirby).

Jigglypuff?

You wish! Actually, if we ever do Pokemon it'll be your month. You've been barking up that tree for a while now.