Nightdive Studios’ System Shock remake launches May 21 – developers discuss the 1994 original’s influence on modern games – PlayStation.Blog
With Nightdive Studios’ System Shock remake releasing May 21 on PS5 and PS4, it’s the perfect opportunity to look back and celebrate the original PC game that changed everything.
System Shock was originally developed by Looking Glass Studios and published by Origin Systems for PC in 1994. It is a groundbreaking first-person adventure and is considered one of the most influential games since before now. Modern classics like BioShock, Dishonored, Dead Space, the Deus Ex series and many more have drawn inspiration from its pioneering gameplay.
All gameplay and screenshots in this article are from Nightdive’s System Shock remake.
System Shock’s distinctive features became the defining characteristic of what many now consider the so-called “role-playing sim” genre: games featuring vast non-linear environments that allow players to plenty of freedom in how they overcome challenges, whether by combat, stealth, or other means. mean.
To mark Nightdive’s System Shock remake heading to PS5 and PS4 next week, we reached out to some of gaming’s most prominent developers to highlight the influence 1994’s System Shock had on the genre. genre of first-person shooters and traces its impact on the first-person shooter genre. modern.
“System Shock pioneered the genre we now call ‘role-playing sim’, combining gameplay elements from multiple genres to immerse players in a simulation experience in which their choices are made. important and they have the flexibility to interact and explore the game world.“
– Stephen KickCEO, Nightdive Studios
In addition to adding layers of complexity to game systems, System Shock also left a lasting impact on video game storytelling and storytelling.
“The original System Shock’s biggest influence on BioShock (and of course the sequel we made, System Shock 2) was the sense of a world inhabited by ordinary people in extraordinary situations. often. We also love the many tools the game offers players and of course one of the best video game inventions of all time: the audio diary. I still remember the thrill of hearing real human voices coming from my computer conveying their incredible circumstances in a very grounded and realistic way. I’ve never made a first-person game without them, and I’m not sure I ever will.“
– Ken LevineCreative Director, Ghost Story Games
System Shock also innovated by using physics to control the player’s movement and interaction with the world. Players can look up and down, crouch, jump, and lean around corners — which is hardly groundbreaking by 2024 standards, but revolutionary in 1994.
“The depth of the combat system makes even the most common encounters rife with choice and consequence – the physics of mass and velocity dictate everything from weapon recoil to the arc of the thrown object and the hit effect on the player character. Even head movements when running and stopping are controlled by physics. Because of its focus on physics and a systems-based approach to feature implementation rather than scripting, System Shock was one of the first games to deliver on the promise of emergent gameplay. As a result, no two players will have the same playing experience.“
– Warren Spector, Creative director of Otherside Entertainment. & Producer, System Shock (1994), Looking Glass Studios, Inc.
Now, 30 years later, Nightdive Studios is expanding on the classic original game with a completely rebuilt PS5 and PS4 remake that includes updated visuals, new music, and modern controls. The upcoming remake also features Terri Brosius, the original voice actress of the AI mind SHODAN, one of the most iconic video game villains of all time.
Discover (or rediscover) a classic game when Nightdive Studios’ System Shock remake launches May 21 on PS5 and PS4.
