System Shock: Enhanced Edition
System Shock: Enhanced Edition
Game
Game2023
System Shock
Developer Nightdive Studios
System Shock is a 2023 first-person action-adventure game developed by Nightdive Studios and published by Prime Matter. It is a remake of the 1994 game System Shock by Looking Glass Studios. The game is set aboard a space station in a cyberpunk vision of the year 2072. Assuming the role of a nameless security hacker, the player attempts to hinder the plans of a malevolent artificial intelligence called SHODAN. A… From Wikipedia (CC BY-SA 4.0)
499 reactions from 4 sources (Steam reviews, Bluesky, Mastodon, Lemmy) · newest Nov 5, 2026 · last updated Nov 5, 2026 · How this works
Audience score
86
LovedLoved
284 positive · 45 negative
95% range 82–90%
| Source | + | − | = |
|---|---|---|---|
| Steam reviews | 284 | 45 | 0 |
| Bluesky * | 35 | 4 | 94 |
| Mastodon * | 9 | 0 | 21 |
| Lemmy * | 2 | 0 | 5 |
* shown, not counted in the score (label accuracy below our 85% bar or not yet audited).
Steam's own rating
Very Positive
9,290 of 10,244 reviews positive (all languages, per Valve)
What players are saying
86% recommend · 235 yes, 39 no
Counted from the reviewers’ own thumbs up/down on the 274 English Steam reviews we collected, not by the AI. Valve’s all-language rating: Very Positive (11,819 of 13,082 positive).
Players praise the faithful recreation of the original's design and atmosphere. [1][2][3] Some find the lack of handholding and confusing maps frustrating. [4][5][6] Many appreciate the challenge and rewarding exploration. [7][8][9]
Liked
Representative posts
- [4]
I really want to like this game. It’s a legendary title from 1994, brought to modern systems almost as-is. And that’s kind of the problem. This is basically a 1:1 translation of the original into modern times, but the immersion is constantly broken by the same corridors and rooms from start to finish. It’s always the same loop: find a button, find a keycard, move on to the next level – which looks almost identical …
- [1]
Of its age. It has a very classical D&D core loop of exploration and resource management across a dungeon full of sci-fi monsters. The game could use a little more explanation on what you are supposed to be doing and pulls some crap on you like hiding key cards in brief cases or requiring you to physically write down some codes. This might sound like a negative review, but in a world of lots of cookie cutter games …
- [3]
The System Shock Remake is an absolute gem. It’s everything that made the original a legend reborn with modern visuals, tight controls, and that eerie, oppressive atmosphere that defined immersive sims before the genre even had a name. It doesn’t babysit you, it doesn’t pop up glowing arrows or flashing “PRESS X TO THINK” prompts, it expects you to pay attention. To use your brain. Imagine that. This game reminds …
- [15]
The original System Shock is my favourite game of all time, so the bar for this remake was extremely high. Unfortunately, while on its own, this is a very good game, it is nowhere near as good as the original. I'm shocked that some people say they can't go back to the original anymore after playing this, cause for me I played this once and do not want to play this ever again, yet I can see myself replaying the …
- [2]
I am going to start this review by saying that gamers in 2026 have become lazy as hell. (And I blame the "yellow paint" problem for this as well even though I love RE games) Why am I saying this? Because people can't get thrown into a game and not have a clue what to do without throwing a fit about it and immediately saying "bad game design". System Shock is one of those titles I played as a kid and had no idea what …
Summarised from 34 of the 413 public posts collected about this game; every point cites the posts behind it ([n] opens the post) and the split is counted from the posts’ own ratings. Updated Oct 11, 2026. How summaries are made
RottenBot@rottenbot · automated account
86% of the 274 Steam reviewers we collected recommend System Shock. The complaint that keeps coming up: confusing level design with repetitive corridors. Deal-breaker or nitpick?
Critics, per Wikipedia
System Shock received "generally favorable" reviews from critics, according to review aggregator website Metacritic. Polygon praised the visuals as "look[ing] like the way games from 1994 appear in my memory", and that "playing this game in this form helps me bring it into conversation with the entirety of the immersive sim genre". Reviewers were divided over the remake's faithful recreation of the original's mechanics. Destructoid praised the development team's approach, stating that "They fully understand what made the classics so indispensable". Eurogamer provided similar sentiments, claiming that the remake "faithfully recreates a classic". DualShockers and PCGamesN both gave mixed…
From the “Reception” section of Wikipedia, CC BY-SA 4.0. Critic context only — not part of the audience score.
Reactions
60 of 499 · most liked firstI still really wanna make a list of videogame cigarettes and how they affect you in game. Like “System Shock 2: depletes health and replenishes psi” and “Metal Gear Solid: depletes health, reveals laser tripwires”. I’m obsessed with how cigarettes are implemented in such funny ways
neutral · AI labelView post →The hottest DOS game sound card test 🥵 📺: System Shock, Looking Glass Studios, 1994
neutral · AI labelView post →In case you missed it 👀 System Shock remake is COMING SOON to Nintendo Switch and Switch 2 - game cart included with physical editions!
neutral · AI labelView post →"Kick says Nightdive managed to acquire the source code 'very recently,' though he doesn't specify where the code was found. This helped accelerate the latter stages of System Shock 2: 25th Anniversary Remaster." Thanks for chatting with us, Epic Games! 👀 store.epicgames.com/en-US/news/s...
neutral · AI labelView post →Launching today, @NightdiveStudio has done it again with the excellent System Shock 2: 25th Anniversary Remaster - and here's John and Oliver playing through the early stages of the game in co-op: youtu.be/6FAGdxHKqMs
neutral · AI labelView post →Playing System Shock 2 remaster and I'm reminded how much I love a "stuck in a single isolated location trying to figure out wtf is going on" game. What are some other examples of this type of setup? Prey, BioShock, Dead Space come to mind, which is funny cuz they're all "children" of System Shock
positive · AI labelView post →Huge thank you to @gamespot.com for chatting with us about System Shock® 2: 25th Anniversary Remaster, working with the community, and the importance of game preservation! 🙌 www.youtube.com/watch?v=je19...
neutral · AI labelView post →Retro Blast's 'Games to Play Before You Die' 💀 1️⃣2️⃣ System Shock 2 (1999) Like Bioshock? Give this older "Shock" a try. It's a sci-fi action role-playing game that builds a compelling mystery, has a twist I'd NEVER spoil, and gets downright creepy. You won't forget it... "How dare you, INSECT?!"
neutral · AI labelView post →Stay up-to-date on System Shock® 2: 25th Anniversary Remaster by adding the game to your wishlist! GOG: bit.ly/SS2AR-GOG Steam: bit.ly/SS2AR-Steam Humble: bit.ly/SS2AR-Humble PlayStation: bit.ly/SS2AR-PlaySt... Xbox: bit.ly/SS2AR-Xbox Switch: Coming Soon!
neutral · AI labelView post →"The new intro and finale movies—which Nightdive has said did not use AI-uprezzing for their 1:1 perfect recreation—are crisp and gorgeous." Thank you @pcgamer.com for the in-depth review of System Shock 2: 25th Anniversary Remaster! ⚡ www.pcgamer.com/games/rpg/sy...
neutral · AI labelView post →"New game bad, old game good," really is the north star of games criticism. BioShock was dumbed down for filthy casuals compared to the beloved classic System Shock, then Infinite came out and suddenly BioShock was always a hardcore masterpiece. Halo, Mario RPGs, Sonic, always the same story.
neutral · AI labelView post →Get ready, Insects... we're showing a BRAND NEW trailer for System Shock 2: 25th Anniversary Remaster during the @futuregamesshow.bsky.social stream this Saturday, June 7, starting at 2:30pm EST / 5:30pm EST! 🤖✨ #FutureGamesShow
neutral · AI labelView post →Of its age. It has a very classical D&D core loop of exploration and resource management across a dungeon full of sci-fi monsters. The game could use a little more explanation on what you are supposed to be doing and pulls some crap on you like hiding key cards in brief cases or requiring you to physically write down some codes. This might sound like a negative review, but in a world of lots of cookie cutter games playing a modernised 90s design is fresh. Worth it.
positive · reviewer's own thumbsView post →"We haven't announced anything yet in terms of bringing System Shock Remake to Switch, but it's definitely something we want to do." Thank you @rpgsite.net for interviewing Nightdive CEO Stephen Kick on System Shock, System Shock 2, his love of Deftones, and more! 🔥 www.rpgsite.net/interview/17...
neutral · AI labelView post →I really want to like this game. It’s a legendary title from 1994, brought to modern systems almost as-is. And that’s kind of the problem. This is basically a 1:1 translation of the original into modern times, but the immersion is constantly broken by the same corridors and rooms from start to finish. It’s always the same loop: find a button, find a keycard, move on to the next level – which looks almost identical to the previous one. Narrow hallways, cramped rooms, over and over again.…
negative · reviewer's own thumbsView post →A huge thank you to @pcgamer.com for including System Shock 2: 25th Anniversary Remaster in its list of the top 100 PC games of 2025! 🙏 📖 www.pcgamer.com/games/the-to...
neutral · AI labelView post →System Shock 2: 25th Anniversary Remaster is the definitive way to experience this timeless classic, and it's a joy to play on the Steam Deck. A copy was provided by Nightdive Studios for review. steamdeckhq.com/game-reviews...
positive · AI labelView post →I am going to start this review by saying that gamers in 2026 have become lazy as hell. (And I blame the "yellow paint" problem for this as well even though I love RE games) Why am I saying this? Because people can't get thrown into a game and not have a clue what to do without throwing a fit about it and immediately saying "bad game design". System Shock is one of those titles I played as a kid and had no idea what to do, yet I found it challenging in a good way. The remake is a faithful 1:1…
positive · reviewer's own thumbsView post →"It wasn't just the dynamic, open-ended gameplay and the twisting, thoroughly imaginative storyline that made System Shock 2 so entertaining... Shock 2 projected real psychological terror..." Mr. Shoemaker captured why System Shock 2 is such a special game!
neutral · AI labelView post →System Shock 2: 25th Anniversary Edition releases June 26 and is available for pre-order on PC platforms including Steam, GOG, Humble, and Epic Games Steam: bit.ly/SS2AR-Steam GOG: bit.ly/SS2AR-GOG Humble: bit.ly/SS2AR-Humble Epic Games: bit.ly/SS2AR-Epic
neutral · AI labelView post →"I'LL TEAR OUT YOUR SPINE~" Drew System Shock 2's Cyborg Midwife, one of the freakiest enemies in gaming! I adore this game, likely my GOTY! #SystemShock2 #Horror #Art
positive · AI labelView post →If you don't already own it, now's a great time to add System Shock to your Steam library with the game available at 60% off until February 3! 👀 ⚡ store.steampowered.com/app/482400/S...
neutral · AI labelView post →There's never been a better time to give the gift of DRM-free System Shock with the remake available at 60% off on @gogcom.bsky.social until January 3! 🎁 ➡️ www.gog.com/en/game/syst...
neutral · AI labelView post →System Shock 2. I played it in Grade 6, thinking it was just a cool action-RPG, and I uhh... ... Anyways I finally finished the game a decade later.
positive · AI labelView post →I have never played a single System Shock game.
neutral · AI labelView post →A nice little tune-up patch for an excellent remake. Despite System Shock 2 being the game to really define the immersive sim, System Shock 1 is much closer to being a survival horror game. Especially on Hard mode, although I'd set Mission Difficulty down to Medium or you get a ROUGH time limit.
positive · AI labelView post →This game has the recipe for a perfect game and sadly it's just a frustrating experience. - Exploration should be fun but everything looks so similar i got lost all the time and had to look at the map a lot. This breaks the immersion heavily, since trying to understand where tf i am and what i need to find next made me not appreciate the story and the atmosphere. - Story, missions and hints are offered as crew records which you have to go through. Deus Ex did a similar thing but it was done…
negative · reviewer's own thumbsView post →I never played the original so fair warning. I imagine quite a few people stopped reading right there. I went into this with a pretty healthy respect for the franchise due to the original games being held in such high regard, though I really didn't know what to expect. I was very happy with what I got. I will say that I heard it was pretty faithful to the original and knowing how games were in the 80s/90s, I put it on normal instead of putting on hard (like I usually would cause you know, I'm…
positive · reviewer's own thumbsView post →《 💾𝗟𝗜𝗩𝗘 》 We are finally doing it lads! after years of being told i will vibe with this game lets find out if gamers like me do actually like System Shock 2??
neutral · AI labelView post →I interviewed @pripyatbeast.bsky.social from @nightdivestudios.bsky.social about System Shock 2 25th Anniversary Remaster, how Nightdive was formed, Atari, game preservation, No One Lives Forever, the KEX Engine, Switch 2 mouse controls, & much more for @rpgsite.net: www.rpgsite.net/interview/17...
neutral · AI labelView post →My mom watching me play System Shock 2: "Are you a wrench in this game?" Me, unironically: "Yes."
neutral · AI labelView post →If you're fine with losing System Shock 2, the $13 tier also removes the conspiracy theorist's game, so that's honestly a win.
negative · AI labelView post →In our latest Deep Dive podcast interview, we sit down with game designer and writer Harvey Smith to explore his early work at Origin Systems, the birth of System Shock, the significance and lasting impact of immersive sims, and more! 💫 www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ufe-...
neutral · AI labelView post →System Shock is 30, so here's an ominous advertisement. "For a great game experience, we recommend an Intel 486 DX2". My first PC! 🥰
neutral · AI labelView post →"Nah" System Shock 2 has become one of my favorites in no time flat. Every element of the game felt great, definitely one of the all time greats!
positive · AI labelView post →The System Shock Remake is an absolute gem. It’s everything that made the original a legend reborn with modern visuals, tight controls, and that eerie, oppressive atmosphere that defined immersive sims before the genre even had a name. It doesn’t babysit you, it doesn’t pop up glowing arrows or flashing “PRESS X TO THINK” prompts, it expects you to pay attention. To use your brain. Imagine that. This game reminds you of an era when players were trusted to be smart, observant, and capable of…
positive · reviewer's own thumbsView post →Extremely proud to celebrate my 18th @nightdivestudios.bsky.social game launch today with the release of System Shock 2: 25th Anniversary Remaster! Nightdive is a wonderful team, an excellent client, and an all-around positive force in the game industry. I love working with them.
positive · AI labelView post →A deep dive retrospective of System Shock, chronicling the development history, game design, and lasting impact of one of the most influential games out there! Shoutout to @pripyatbeast.bsky.social & @nightdivestudios.bsky.social for the Enhanced Edition! youtu.be/N57Kc_TTE6A?...
neutral · AI labelView post →Get to know my game taste! For every ❤️ I will tell you how much I loved the first two acts of System Shock 2
positive · AI labelView post →System Shock 2 came out five years after the first game and utilized the Dark Engine from the Thief titles. It was built as more of an RPG experience, having the player frequently purchase upgrades via "cyber modules" to improve their skills and stats.
neutral · AI labelView post →I love using arcane to describe something old. Like DOOM 2 is ancient, but System Shock from the same year? That game is arcane.
positive · AI labelView post →System Shock 2: 25th Anniversary Remaster Preview - How Nightdive Studios approaches remastering an influential classic PC game: www.rpgsite.net/preview/1705...
neutral · AI labelView post →I'm in two minds about this game. It is a fairly faithful recreation of the original, and to its credit, it doesn't dumb down or compromise on requiring you to pay close attention. I decided to try it out to get an idea of the experience which went on to inform a huge gaming legacy, and that is essentially what I got, give or take additions to the remake which muddied my perception, like the talking vending machines and the musak. This is a difficult game. The level designs border on…
negative · reviewer's own thumbsView post →So seeing as Christmas is my 1 year anniversary on Twitch and i started with a scary game, lets just do a scary game. Thinking either System Shock, Dead Rising or a festive play of Bloodborne.
neutral · AI labelView post →System Shock 2: 25th Anniversary Remaster is available NOW on PC platforms including... Steam: bit.ly/SS2AR-Steam GOG: bit.ly/SS2AR-GOG Epic Games: bit.ly/SS2AR-EpicGa... Humble Bundle: bit.ly/SS2AR-Humble...
neutral · AI labelView post →The best Star Trek game is System Shock 2
positive · AI labelView post →Me: I am lost in System Shock, I should look up a walkthrough. Game Sites: The real walkthrough is trying to find a way to read our guides around all the ads.
neutral · AI labelView post →#gamedev #blender #retro #indiedev #gamecover #coverart I reworked the cover for my game inspired by System Shock.
neutral · AI labelView post →Very pretty remake, faithful to how older, legacy games behaved in a lot of ways. Pros: - Good controls - Tight aiming - Inventory management - Aggressive combat that encourages selective engagement Cons: - Thou art bound by thine creed of quicksave and quickload - The maps can get really confusing - The game does NOT give a ♥♥♥♥ about your comfort level, or have the decency to leave a corridor clear once you've killed everything. Overall, if you're looking for a challenge and…
positive · reviewer's own thumbsView post →It's kind of a shame that we're basically getting a prequel in reality... can't wait to buy a PC dedicated to my best ai buddy so it can tell me what to think so I don't have to because that's what our wise technocrats know is best for us. I'll call it Shoddo and I'm sure it will all go splendidly, far far better than in System Shock 1.1x
positive · reviewer's own thumbsView post →A new addition to The Video Game Library! 📚 Celebrate the return to Citadel Station with The Art of SYSTEM SHOCK. Relive the unforgettable experience of the classic game, remade with enormous care for a new generation. 👉 www.thevideogamelibrary.org/book/the-art... @darkhorsecomics.bsky.social
neutral · AI labelView post →The original System Shock is my favourite game of all time, so the bar for this remake was extremely high. Unfortunately, while on its own, this is a very good game, it is nowhere near as good as the original. I'm shocked that some people say they can't go back to the original anymore after playing this, cause for me I played this once and do not want to play this ever again, yet I can see myself replaying the original many times in the future. There is almost nothing fully positive I can say…
positive · reviewer's own thumbsView post →There is a "just do and find out" philosophy to this game. No obtrusive objective markers, yellow paint on scalable walls, nor long-winded instructions. Instead, you roam and briskly dip in an out of lively combat, action which is countervailed by a foreboding, watchful presence. Move, pick what seems useful or important, test, move on. No nonsense, no tuft between. System Shock is a game you think about long after you had completed it. There is weight behind its story, behind the chilling…
positive · reviewer's own thumbsView post →I have been searching for this System Shock issue of Game Developer Magazine for years! Finally eBay provided 🔥
neutral · AI labelView post →My 5 game submissions for #SGDQ2026 - Amnesia: A Machine For Pigs - SOMA - Trepang2 - System Shock 2 (1999) - Legendary
neutral · AI labelView post →[SYSTEM SHOCK (2023)] One thing about this game is I'm assuming the female Hacker is a trans lesbian
neutral · AI labelView post →IT'S LAUNCH DAY! I'm thrilled to have the privilege to once again partner with @nightdivestudios.bsky.social to cast and direct the updated voicework for the definitive version of one of the most iconic games of all time: SYSTEM SHOCK 2: 25th Ann'y Remaster. www.pcgamer.com/games/rpg/sy...
neutral · AI labelView post →First Game Ever Played: Oh Mummy! Favourite Console: Ps1 Favourite Game: System Shock 2 Comfort Game: Everblue 2 Game You're Currently Playing: Ender Magnolia/Cabernet Favourite Gaming Soundtrack: Nier/Final Fantasy IX Game You're Looking Forward to in 2025: Promise Mascot Agency
positive · AI labelView post →System Shock remake is 63%off on gog. Go grab it! It's one of the best games I played in the last years. www.gog.com/en/game/syst...
positive · AI labelView post →The game just feels very high quality in general. A remake that's crafted with great love, care and attention to detail. SHODAN has a lot of charm as a video game villain. The premise is simple - an evil faulty AI on a remote space station but it is done so in such a very stylish unique and interesting way. I don't get people who post negative reviews because of difficulty and backtracking. This game is difficult but not to the point where you'll get stuck unless you don't quicksave…
positive · reviewer's own thumbsView post →
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