Summary
- Nightdive Studios will release System Shock 2: 25th Anniversary Remaster on June 26.
- System Shock 2 is a cult classic that influenced franchises like BioShock and Thief.
- The remaster will not drastically change visuals or story, but will update graphics and gameplay for modern audiences.
Nightdive Studios has revealed that the long-awaited System Shock 2: 25th Anniversary Remaster will finally be releasing on June 26. The game studio was founded in 2012 for the precise goal of updating the original System Shock for distribution on modern platforms like GOG and Steam. This objective quickly expanded to include System Shock 2 and eventually led to the release of a complete remaster of the first game, with the same treatment for the sequel planned for the future.
The original System Shock 2 was released in 1999, and its action RPG style, sci-fi survival horror setting, and stellar reviews across the board immediately earned it a cult following. Co-developed by Irrational Games and Looking Glass Studios – known for the BioShock and Thief series, respectively — the title and its predecessor served as an inspiration for Irrational’s flagship franchise and other projects like Arkane’s 2017 first-person sim Prey.
Related
The era that spawned what became known as the CRPG was also home to some of the genre’s greatest titles, many of which continue to this day.
Since the remake of System Shock was released in 2023, fans of the series knew it was only a matter of time before the sequel’s remake saw the light of day, but it wasn’t clear exactly when. Now, Nightdive has revealed that the 25th anniversary remaster of System Shock 2 will be launching for PC and consoles on June 26. This announcement was accompanied by a new trailer, giving the community a glimpse of what they have to look forward to.
System Shock 2 Remastered Release Date Announced
It’s important to keep in mind that these new versions of the System Shock games are remasters, not remakes. As such, the visuals are not drastically overhauled and there are not drastic changes to the story or gameplay. Rather, a remaster often uses the original source code to update graphics, textures, and lighting while keeping most story and gameplay elements, beat for beat, the same. Quality-of-life changes for the UI, controls, and accessibility are usually introduced, and combat, animations, and gameplay idiosyncracies are often tweaked to suit the tastes of modern gamers. A good example of this is 2024’s Tomb Raider 1-3 Remastered, which essentially presents the originial games in a prettier wrapping.
System Shock 2 is considered one of the classics of its genre, and one of the best at that. It takes place decades after the events of the first game, and the company TriOptimum did not learn from its mistakes. On a starship’s maiden voyage into space, its crew unhappily discovers that the rogue AI called SHODAN has once again made some questionable decisions that result in chaos, death, mutations, and horror.
- Released
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August 11, 1999
- ESRB
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