System Shock Overview
System Shock is set aboard a space station in 2072, where a hacker is coerced into disabling the ethical restraints of the station's controlling AI, SHODAN. Upon awakening from a coma, the hacker finds the station overrun by hostile robots, mutants, and cyborgs created by the now-malevolent AI, whose ultimate goal is to destroy Earth. The narrative is primarily uncovered through scattered electronic logs and emails, with the CD version featuring full voice acting for these elements.
Gameplay is a blend of first-person combat, environmental exploration, and puzzle-solving across the station's multiple levels. Players manage an inventory that includes various weapons with specific effectiveness against different enemy types, alongside consumable items like medical patches and specialized grenades. A key mechanic involves using cyberjacks to enter a wireframe cyberspace, where the player can collect data and bypass security by floating freely and neutralizing digital threats.
The protagonist's neural implant allows for the installation of hardware upgrades, such as speed boosters or light sources, which consume electrical energy. Resources like ammunition, battery packs, and other gear are gathered from defeated enemies, storage containers, and the environment. The game offers separate, adjustable difficulty settings for its combat, puzzle, and mission objective components, allowing for a fair to challenging experience tailored to the player.
