What comes to mind when you think about BioShock? The remarkable sense of place? The Plasmids? The creepy atmosphere and unsettling enemies? The audio logs? Whatever it may be, chances are that it probably cropped up first in the 1999 sci-fi horror FPS System Shock 2.

Written and designed by Ken Levine, who would go on to lead the development on BioShock (2007) and BioShock Infinite (2013), System Shock 2 is widely regarded as a pioneering title; leagues ahead of its time and to this day one of the finest games ever made. Now, thanks to the remaster wizards over at Nightdive Studios, it’s finally available on console via System Shock 2: 25th Anniversary Remaster.

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Captured on Nintendo Switch (Handheld/Undocked)

Taking place on the starship ‘Von Braun’, you play as a soldier who awakens from cryostasis with amnesia, and it’s up to you to work your way through the environment and meet with Dr. Janice Polito, who helps you along the way via radio. Naturally, this is merely a slice of the overarching narrative, and like much of Levine’s work, you can expect a couple of twists and turns during your adventure that, if you’re completely new to the game, will undoubtedly shock you (all puns intended).

Gameplay is a mix of exploration, combat, and light RPG mechanics. Exploring Von Braun is an absolute joy, with each main area presenting its own unique sense of atmosphere. Given the game's age, some of the environments look a little ‘samey’ at times, so I’d definitely recommend toggling the mini-map to give you a helping hand if you ever get lost. That said, Von Braun is a ship that’s begging to be explored from top to bottom, and the combination of visual storytelling and collectible audio logs really help add vital context to the overall narrative. The ambient soundtrack enhances the sense of place even further thanks to its retro, Blade Runner-inspired sci-fi tracks.

Taking your time and navigating the environment carefully is highly advisable. Not only will enemies like Hybrids, Monkeys, and Rumblers lurk behind the corners, but surveillance cameras hamper your progress at every turn. Shoot them out if you wish (or clobber them with a crowbar), or hack into the security systems and disable them temporarily. Hacking is done by switching nodes to light up three in a line, but failing on a red-outlined 'ICE' node shuts down the terminal completely, raising the alarm, and locking you out until you're able to repair it. It's tense stuff.

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Captured on Nintendo Switch (Handheld/Undocked)

Combat, on the other hand, definitely struggles a bit by comparison. It’s not for lack of options, mind: you’ve got standard guns, laser guns, melee weapons, and even Plasmid-like cybernetic abilities via the spherical ‘psionic amplifier’. The problem is that, by virtue of the game’s vintage, encounters often boil down to simply whacking enemies or shooting them until their health drops to zero, with the enemy AI doing little to avoid your attacks.

Ultimately, I’d argue that you don’t play a game like System Shock 2 for the combat first and foremost, but it’s something to keep in mind given the frequency with which you encounter enemies. It’s also pretty difficult at times, so make sure you either lower the setting down to ‘easy’ or save manually whenever you can to ease the pressure. If you're after a true challenge, however, then 'impossible' mode is ready and waiting.

Either way, you can make things easier by activating the 'Regeneration Stations' in each area. These act like respawn points when you die, removing the stress of having to reload your save entirely. If you save frequently enough, however, you might find that reloading can be more beneficial in certain scenarios.

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Captured on Nintendo Switch (Docked)

Finally, unlike BioShock, System Shock 2 gives you complete control over how to build your character abilities. You can increase stats across four key areas, including Tech, Weapons, Psi Powers, and O/S. If that’s not enough, you can also increase your core stats like strength and endurance.

All of this is achieved via collectable Cyber Modules, which are either gifted to you upon completion of main story objectives or located throughout the environment. They’re pretty rare, though, so careful consideration on how to spend them is key to your success. Vending machines are also located throughout Von Braun, so you’ll be gathering quite a hefty amount of Nanites, the game’s currency, from dead bodies and crates.

Nightdive’s revival of System Shock 2 retains much of the original’s essence, enhancing the experience in small, yet key ways. Crucially, the game works surprisingly well with traditional console controls via the Switch’s analogue sticks (with optional gyro aiming thrown into the mix, too), though I’d also concede that its complex menu system can be a little tricky to navigate at times. Should Nightdive opt to update the game for Switch 2 and introduce mouse controls, this would give it a significant advantage over the likes of the PS5 and Xbox (on that note, it plays perfectly fine on Switch 2 - no issues to report).

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Captured on Nintendo Switch (Handheld/Undocked)

The original game also included co-op play, but to say that it became somewhat unwieldy over the years with mods and bugs is an understatement. Nightdive has again revived this for the 25th Anniversary Remaster, including cross-play across all platforms. You can't join strangers, mind you, so you'll need a room code to access an online session, but having a friend on board would definitely make those higher difficulty settings a bit more manageable. Switch 2 also proves a great option here too, as the built-in microphone makes in-game chat a breeze.

Like Nightdive’s other efforts on Switch, you’ve also got rock-solid 60fps performance to go along with the enhanced visuals, with frame rate in both docked and handheld mode never missing a beat. Visuals might look a touch sharper in docked mode, but again, it's near enough identical. Don’t expect anything even close to the System Shock remake released in 2023, though — that’s an entirely different beast; one that we hope makes its way to Switch 2 eventually — but rather something more akin to Nightdive’s treatment of The Thing: Remastered. This is very much the same System Shock 2 that launched in 1999, but characters and environments look significantly crisper without losing its core identity.

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Captured on Nintendo Switch (Docked)

You’ve also got a whole bunch of supplemental material via the ‘Vault’. Accessed through the main menu, this contains an almost overwhelming amount of content to peruse, including concept art, trailers, early screenshots, unused assets, sound clips, and interviews. The jewel in the crown, however, has to be the full inclusion of the 290-page Prima strategy guide, scanned and readily available should you need any help and can’t be bothered to hop onto the internet.

Overall, the Vault represents an excellent celebration of the original classic and should provide plenty of additional context to both newcomers and veterans.

Conclusion

System Shock 2: 25th Anniversary Remaster is a wonderful way to experience one of the most well-regarded FPS titles of all time. With an excellent narrative and a world that begs to be explored, it's not only an incredible game in its own right but should also be considered essential reading for BioShock fans.

Minor combat concerns aside, System Shock 2's immersive mechanics will keep you hooked from start to finish, with Nightdive's enhancements and supplemental material providing ample bonus points. Now go play it, insect.