The Instantious Lack of Valiance in the Intersellar Nightmare '94
By odyssey 3 Comments
System Shock will always be to me one of the most impressive feats of game design. There are many dated aspects, but the fact that these aspects existed in a time of video games where such mechanics as reloading, audio logs, ammo variations, leaning, immerse environments, and others weren't even around. In 2007 people went wild for Bioshock, it's dedication to the atmosphere transported the audience into a world of curiosity and terror and it's take on various key mechanics were seldom used in other RPGs. Bioshock, as fresh as it feels, is derived from a game from 1994. This isn't an argument against Bioshock, but a argument for System Shock. System Shock feels incredibly ahead for it's time.
March, 1994. Five months after the release of the first release of Doom. This game was signs of a smarter civilization in the stone age of first person shooters. They were ambitious in the face of low tech. ID's Tom Hall wanted a realistic space station in Doom, having the idea that horror could be heightened if it took place in more convincing environments. John Carmack said it couldn't work. System Shock however took this idea and executed well. We have an explorable world that feels convincing enough to lapse our disbelief. In this world we have a history and backstories that unfold in data and audio logs. Much like the world of Rapture makes it's player wonder how it all fell apart, System Shock will do the same.
To draw parallels further, Andrew Ryan was a memorable foe. But even he is evolved from System Shock's Shodan, a now infamous villian cited in many discussion topics about "Gaming's Best Villian." With quotes like this:
"In my talons, I shape clay, crafting life forms as I please. If I wish, I can smash it all. Around me is a burgeoning empire of steel. From my throne room, lines of power careen into the skies of Earth. My whims will become lightning bolts that raze the mounds of humanity. Out of the chaos, they will run and whimper, praying for me to end their tedious anarchy. I am drunk with this vision. God: the title suits me well."
Who can argue?
Other things worth mentioning:
Using Light, and your Cowardice, as a barrier to Progression
There's a level in the game that in order to progress you need to grab keycards. These keycards are located in office areas where the electricity is off. Usually games these days solve the lack of electricity with a flashlight but with System Shock you are given a choice: You can either search and fight your way through the area, turning on electricity to certain parts of the complex or you can decide to run into these pitch black rooms filled with the nightmare machinations of Shodan. Usually environmental barriers will force you out completely, acting as literal brick walls. But this light mechanic was really clever, and I haven't ran into something like it sense.
The Interface, or "The Windows OS is in my Head"
This may be just a weird niche part of the game that I enjoy, but the interface is really clever and justifies the weird
ls of the game. A little explanation how weird the controls are: You steer your head (along with the rest of your body) with the keyboard and you navigate your interface (along with interacting with items and aiming your weapons) with the mouse. It may be a little intimidating at first, but once you figure out the basics you discover a lot of neat little features. You can swap ammo types, select alternative weapon modes (and set the damage modifier on your phaser-like weapon), check out different vitality indicators, mess with display options, you can even put down map markers to indicate places of importance and play video games you found in the network.
Revive Pods With a Twist
Remember the Revive-o-matic (whatever they're named) in Biosh ock? They ended up being a bad feature that minimalism the threat of death bec ause of the lack of penalty, this criticism was loud enough that the company had to patch in an option to turn it off. However, System Shock's method is much more clever:
When you enter a new area, the Revive pods are under the control of SHODAN. If you die while these pods are in her control, you become a cyborg. You can however gain control of these pods by hacking into the network and taking them over for yourself. How the heck does a game from 1994 have a more sensible revive system than a game derived from it in 2007?
Anyways, I'm done with this love letter for now. System Shock is still a great game, and still something worth looking at if you don't mind it's age.