System Shock 2 on GoG.com tomorrow

[endtherapture]

http://www.rockpapershotgun.com/2013/02/13/many-questions-system-shock-2-comes-to-gog/

Yep, the 90s classic is coming to GoG.com, which is pretty epic.

With copies being so expensive and hard to run on modern systems and never having played such a highly rated game, I'm very tempted to try it out. Apparently it runs very smoothly on modern systems which is great news.

Anyone else planning to pick it up?

 

[ScrabbitRabbit]

I currently have just enough money to pay my bills and transport costs for the next two months...

... Overdraft, here I come.

 

[hazabaza1]

So... did that HD texture thing ever get finished?
Might have to get this if it did.

 

[bananafishtoday]

YES. VERY YES.

I'd never played System Shock 2 before until last year, and I can say it totally holds up despite being more than ten years old. Like, without any nostalgia (since, y'know, "last year"), I'd call it one of the best games I've ever played. It's very difficult compared to modern games, but the difficulty serves the narrative by keeping the stakes high. Even the weakest monsters are very capable of killing you, so the game maintains tension throughout--enemies don't become less threatening b/c leveling makes you super powerful, but rather because as you play, you get more cautious, careful, and paranoid.

And then the mid-game reveal, holy shiiiiiit. I'd read the spoilers so I knew exactly what the plot twist was... but I never expected it to be revealed in the way that it was. That scene had me fucking awe-struck.

Edit:

So... did that HD texture thing ever get finished?
Might have to get this if it did.

There's SHTUP, a fan-made hi-res texture pack. No idea if it will work with the GOG version... I've never bought from them, so I dunno if they tamper with anything. If their version is the same as the 1999 install + the fan patches to get it running on Win7, you should be able to use any of the mods the SS2 community's created.

SHTUP is good as it's just HD versions of existing assets, but all the character model mods are awful, as they change the look and feel too much. Better to stick with the originals on those.

 

[The Wykydtron]

Oh oh! I've heard of that game! 'S like Deus Ex with a crazy AI chick or something right? Apparently it's supposed to be good so I may as well try, i've never even glanced at GoG before but why not?

Hopefully won't be as disappointing as Deus Ex was. This is why people hyping the fuck out of games ruins it for everyone

By everyone I mean me.

 

[BloatedGuppy]

Hopefully won't be as disappointing as Deus Ex was. This is why people hyping the fuck out of games ruins it for everyone

By everyone I mean me.

Deus Ex was a revolutionary, ground breaking game, but it can't always be easy to appreciate these things when they've aged out of relevance. For instance, Ultima IV was arguably the most important CRPG ever made, but if you played it today with those expectations you'd think I'd gone mad.

System Shock 2 was a fantastic game, and anyone with an enthusiasm for retro gaming and/or an interest in gaming history owes it to themselves to try it. But don't expect something state of the art.

 

[Tallim]

YES. VERY YES.

I'd never played System Shock 2 before until last year, and I can say it totally holds up despite being more than ten years old. Like, without any nostalgia (since, y'know, "last year"), I'd call it one of the best games I've ever played. It's very difficult compared to modern games, but the difficulty serves the narrative by keeping the stakes high. Even the weakest monsters are very capable of killing you, so the game maintains tension throughout--enemies don't become less threatening b/c leveling makes you super powerful, but rather because as you play, you get more cautious, careful, and paranoid.

And then the mid-game reveal, holy shiiiiiit. I'd read the spoilers so I knew exactly what the plot twist was... but I never expected it to be revealed in the way that it was. That scene had me fucking awe-struck.

Edit:

So... did that HD texture thing ever get finished?
Might have to get this if it did.

There's SHTUP, a fan-made hi-res texture pack. No idea if it will work with the GOG version... I've never bought from them, so I dunno if they tamper with anything. If their version is the same as the 1999 install + the fan patches to get it running on Win7, you should be able to use any of the mods the SS2 community's created.

SHTUP is good as it's just HD versions of existing assets, but all the character model mods are awful, as they change the look and feel too much. Better to stick with the originals on those.

Most mods work with GOG versions although we will have to wait and see if they had to change anything. The upgrade mods generally just replace assets so it should work. If not I imagine they will start working on a version for GOG.

 

[Padwolf]

Ooo yes please! I've heard so much about that game and it's greatness and I never got to play it when it originally came out. I would love to give this a try! I just wish I had the money for it Quick! Someone buy it for me! Just joking!I'm really excited for this!

 

[bananafishtoday]

Most mods work with GOG versions although we will have to wait and see if they had to change anything. The upgrade mods generally just replace assets so it should work. If not I imagine they will start working on a version for GOG.

Oh, without a doubt. When I got SS2, I was frankly shocked by how large and active the modding community is. If the mods don't work on GOG's version straight out the box (how's that for an antiquated saying), I'm sure they'll get them working really quickly.

 

[fwiffo]

YES. VERY YES.

I'd never played System Shock 2 before until last year, and I can say it totally holds up despite being more than ten years old. Like, without any nostalgia (since, y'know, "last year"), I'd call it one of the best games I've ever played. It's very difficult compared to modern games, but the difficulty serves the narrative by keeping the stakes high. Even the weakest monsters are very capable of killing you, so the game maintains tension throughout--enemies don't become less threatening b/c leveling makes you super powerful, but rather because as you play, you get more cautious, careful, and paranoid.

And then the mid-game reveal, holy shiiiiiit. I'd read the spoilers so I knew exactly what the plot twist was... but I never expected it to be revealed in the way that it was. That scene had me fucking awe-struck.

Edit:

So... did that HD texture thing ever get finished?
Might have to get this if it did.

There's SHTUP, a fan-made hi-res texture pack. No idea if it will work with the GOG version... I've never bought from them, so I dunno if they tamper with anything. If their version is the same as the 1999 install + the fan patches to get it running on Win7, you should be able to use any of the mods the SS2 community's created.

SHTUP is good as it's just HD versions of existing assets, but all the character model mods are awful, as they change the look and feel too much. Better to stick with the originals on those.

Most mods work with GOG versions although we will have to wait and see if they had to change anything. The upgrade mods generally just replace assets so it should work. If not I imagine they will start working on a version for GOG.

There's an interview on another site *cough RPS* (am i allowed to link it 0.0) with the people who updated the game and GOG.

here are some choice quotes:

"This release is the original version in all its glory. Fans will be able to apply the mods they know and love, and hopefully we may see some new mods from the community in the future."

"the game runs pretty much flawlessly on Windows XP, Vista, 7, and 8"

"In addition to the soundtrack, the GOG.com version of the game will have concept art, maps of the Von Braun, a interview with Ken Levine, the first pitch document, and much more. "

"our community wish list shows we have quite a bunch of LucasArts? titles to sign next and we will do our best to satisfy our gamers. Heck, we just signed SS2 after all, so impossible is nothing for GOG!"

Looks like good news all around.

 

[Jazoni89]

I can't believe it, so EA have finally stop being such dicks with their System Shock license. No more pirating the damn game as the only true means to play it.

I'm downloading that bad boy tomorrow. Been trying to find an excuse to play more PC games, and now i have one.

 

[Christopher Fisher]

Can we get some links to the best mods to have for it? Did GOG already make a list of recommended mods like they sometimes do?

 

[Soulrender95]

This is great news I've been worried something would happen to my cd copy due in part to my own inability to keep things tidy and the scarcity of the game now I get to lock it away safely and will be able to use the digital release to replay and mod , now all I need is someone to make System Shock 3.

 

[thesilentman]

Wait, so that rumor was true? There goes my free time. Now all they need to do is make an HD remake of it and we'll be good.

 

[endtherapture]

If mods are working for it, I'll definitely get it.

This is so cool.

 

[Pink Gregory]

Never thought I'd see the day.

This is a good day. Or rather tomorrow is a good day.

 

[ohnoitsabear]

I can't believe it, so EA have finally stop being such dicks with their System Shock license. No more pirating the damn game as the only true means to play it.

I'm downloading that bad boy tomorrow. Been trying to find an excuse to play more PC games, and now i have one.

Actually, EA weren't the ones that made it so hard for anything to be done with the System Shock license. EA has actually been pretty reasonable with their older licenses, considering how many of those games are already on GOG. Basically, after the studio that made it (Looking Glass, I think) went under, the rights went to some insurance company that didn't give two shits about gaming. These people wanted obscene amounts of money (and a hefty chunk of revenue, if I'm not mistaken) to get the game re-released, and absolutely refused to negotiate. System Shock 2 developed a reputation as being the hardest game to get a re-release of, and the fact that GOG was able to do it is simply incredible.

Anyway, I'm super glad this is happening. Never got to play either of the System Shock games, and now I don't have an excuse. I will certainly pick this one up sometime.

 

[Atmos Duality]

Thank God.
I've been looking for a new copy for the better part of a year now.

 

[Myndnix]

Very nice! I've been wanting to play this for a while. I hope the first one becomes available at some point too.

 

[Lugbzurg]

And then the mid-game reveal, holy shiiiiiit. I'd read the spoilers so I knew exactly what the plot twist was... but I never expected it to be revealed in the way that it was. That scene had me fucking awe-struck.

Don't you just sort of love it when that happens?

I was spoiled for the final bosses of Ratchet & Clank Future: A Crack in Time and Viewtiful Joe, but that was it. No context, just the name of the boss itself. So, upon getting to those points, I was still awestruck with how exactly it happened.

Wow... Just... Wow. You guys know how to make one heck of an EXTREMELY dramatic final boss!