Ask a bunch of older gamers to name some of the most classic, perhaps even the most influential, PC games of the 90s and it won't be long until someone mentions System Shock, possibly in the same breath as Doom or Half-Life. It's generally considered to be one of the best sci-fi games of the 1990s, with gameplay mechanics, story, and a memorable antagonist that made it way ahead of its time. Since the sequel in 1999, fans have been clamoring for a new entry, and while a remake is currently being worked on, word is finally spreading about a general release date.
According to a report from PC Gamer, the remake of the original System Shock from 1994 will finally be coming out next year. Sadly, there is no indication of an exact date, but with developer, Nightdive Studios, partnering with publishers, Prime Matter, things are starting to move forward again. Alongside this announcement, there's also been a slew of new screenshots that have been released, just to whet people's appetites. Fans will also be able to get a free copy of System Shock 2: Enhanced Edition upon release when they pre-order the remake.
The System Shock remake has had a demo released, with the final form of that snippet being made available at the start of this year. Given that, fans have been waiting patiently to hear when the full game was going to be coming out, with the Steam page only mentioning that it was "coming soon." At the time of the demo being launched, there was talk of Nightdive Studios releasing the game in summer 2021. However, as is plainly obvious, that time has been and gone, with many fans who have been eager perhaps a little disappointed about the delay.
It's not surprising that players are keen for the remake to come out. System Shock is notable for SHODAN, the artificial intelligence system that resides on Citadel Station, and is considered one of the most sinister video game AI enemies in recent memory. The sequel surpassed it when it was launched a few years later, becoming a firm favorite among older PC gamers and an influential game overall, with the likes of BioShock essentially being a spiritual successor to the series.
On top of that, there's going to be a TV adaptation of System Shock as well. Nightdive Studios' CEO, Stephen Kick, said that a show was the "perfect medium" to retell the game's original story. With this, and the remake coming out next year, it seems as though this is a sci-fi franchise that is going to be making a splash in the public sphere once again, after a long time of lying dormant.
The System Shock remake launches sometime in 2022 for PC, PS4, and Xbox One.
Source: PC Gamer