System Shock

Platform(s): PC, PlayStation 4, PlayStation 5, Xbox One, Xbox Series X
Genre: Action/Adventure
Publisher: Prime Matter
Developer: NightDive Studios
Release Date: May 30, 2023

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'System Shock' Remake Aiming For March 2023 Launch

by Rainier on Jan. 3, 2023 @ 10:51 a.m. PST

After more than two decades, NightDive Studios are completely remaking the genre-defining classic from 1994, rebuilt from the ground up.

Originally released in 1994, System Shock ushered in a new era of action gaming. Combining a compelling storyline with innovative RPG elements, System Shock was a ground-breaking title that would influence numerous other games such as BioShock and DeusEx. Now System Shock is being redone from the ground up for today’s PC and console players.

System Shock was one of the first 3D games that took a methodical approach to exploration while revealing a story driven narrative through audio logs and messages scattered throughout the game world. It was a revolutionary step forward for the medium in a time when developers first began experimenting with interactive story telling. Nightdive has given the entirely remade System Shock the full treatment, recreating the fan-favorite title for modern players with all-new HD visuals, updated controls, revamped hacking, and a renovated Citadel Station with all sorts of new areas and secrets to uncover.

“Look at you, Hacker. A pth-pth... pathetic creature of meat and bone.”

You awaken from a six month healing coma and find Citadel Station, TriOptimum’s premier research facility, coated in blood. Mutants feast on their fellow crew mates, nightmares of flesh bound to metal roam the dark hallways, and the station's A.I., SHODAN, is aiming Citadel's mining laser...at Earth!

Players were trapped aboard Citadel Station as they fought to survive against the cyborgs and mutated crew members corrupted by a maniacal A.I. known as SHODAN, one of the most treacherous antagonists ever conceived. System Shock offered an unparalleled experience that would solidify it as one of the greatest games of all time.

After our return from Gamescom we’ve been hesitant to share anything so as not to spoil any remaining surprises we have in store. However, we’ve picked a few last things to share before our quickly approaching launch window of March, 2023.

As some of you have already pointed out this is not our first time announcing a tentative launch window, but over the past few years much has changed - the scope and scale of the project has evolved dramatically and with Prime Matter joining the project it’s enabled us to focus on quality-of-life improvements, bug fixing, and localization support - the last major steps towards releasing a game we’re all incredibly proud of. This has also given us time to go back and polish various aspects of the game that needed that extra shine.

Variants, Effects, and Features

  • When accessing a locked area, you’ll now scan the appropriate card to gain entry.
  • Citadel has gone through a bit of a makeover and is ready for her big finale.
  • We’ve created some Enemy Variants to provide new challenges to the player in later levels.
  • This new enemy type is a call-back to an original we initially omitted, but decided to include.
  • Diego will be making numerous appearances throughout the game - here is a sneak peek at one such incarnation.
  • Updated effects for the weapons, like the Plasma Rifle, provide a final level of polish.
  • As you know dismemberment has been a high priority for us and every enemy is receiving a completely custom dismemberment model - there are a lot of enemies and the amount of effort being spent on this is staggering. Here’s a look at how the Avian Mutant will perish.

Until next time -

The System Shock Team

Caught during a risky break-in, you become indentured to a greedy TriOptimum executive. After six months in a healing coma, you awaken to discover the surgeons are missing, the station is in disrepair, and the once-prime corporate facility now teems with mindless cyborgs, robots, and mutated beings, all programmed to serve a ruthless A.I.: Shodan. There's scarcely time to think before it unleashes the first terror..

System Shock will have a dramatic and modern take on a musical score. Combining its root sci-fi elements with dynamic acoustic elements à la BioShock, we are striving to set System Shock apart from other more action-based shooters as an atmospheric and dark experience.

Key Features:

  • The Return of SHODAN: The talented Terri Brosius returns to bring her unique vocal venom to the villainous AI Shodan
  • Hackers Gonna Hack: System Shock features a totally revamped hacking system featuring new 6 Degrees of Freedom (6DoF) gameplay, providing new enemies and challenges
  • Familiar but… Different: Citadel Station is bigger and more terrifying than ever with all-new areas, traps, puzzles, and of course, plenty of secrets to uncover
  • The Sound of Terror: Re-recorded audio logs provide players with a drip-feed of horrifying lore as they piece together exactly what went wrong for the dwellers of Citadel Station
  • Robots and Zombies and Lasers… Oh My: Blast, smash, and occasionally flee from re-imagined enemies like angry Repair-Bots, "Hopper" Mobile Lasers, mutants, cyborgs, and all kinds of bloodthirsty monsters and aggressive automatons 

System Shock is coming to PS4, PS5, Xbox One, Xbox Series X|S and PC/Linux (Steam, GOG, Epic Game Store) in March 2023 for $44.95.


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