Half-Life vs System Shock II

Unfortunately, I never got the chance to play these games, being 4 and 5 respectively when they came out, but they are frequently listed in many "top 5 FPSs of all time" lists and they're both considered classics.

But which is better?

As shooter, Half-Life is better.thusaha

Yeah. System Shock 2 is more like an First Person RPG. If I had to choose one it would be System Shock 2 because of the RPG elements and just that feeling of being alone and stuck between a rock and a hard place (ie The Many and Shodan)

Half-Life was the first shooter I ever played.

I remember watching the opening scene withjaw hanging open and drool dribbling out.

Amazing.

SS2

But then you could have put Big Rigs up against HL and my answer would've been the same

SS2. I think Half-Life is a better game but that is taking into account it's context. Because of it's influence on future games it will just feel like a stale shooter if you are just playing it for the first time now. SS2 is still fresh and interesting.

Half Life has the better gunplay by far, while System Shock 2 does just about everything else much better.

If I had to pick one, it's no contest - System Shock 2. But comparing Half Life with Shock 2 is like comparing Half Life with Battlefield 2.

They are both two of the best games ever creates for different reasons.

If I personally had to pick id choose HL.

This thread makes me want to get System Shock 2 and finish Half Life.

Half Life is an amazing game with the best pacing of any game I've played.

Outside of the perspective (first person), there is ZERO comparison to be made.

System Shock 2 is an RPG

Halflife is a shooter.

With that said, they are both likely the best of their genre and subgenres (action and action-rpg).

System Shock 2 is a great game for someone who loves science fiction-horror, and who wants to build a character however they want and interact with the environment. Its story is also better told than Halflife's, and the game length is also better. In short, System Shock 2 has dozens of options on how to play, whereas Halflife essentially has only one way (blast your way to the end using guns).

Halflife is good for people that want a great vanilla shooter. I say vanilla as a compliment; there are all kinds of vanilla shooters out there. But if Quake 4 is your Dreyer's Vanilla, Doom 3 is your Ben and Jerry's Vanilla...then Halflife is your Italian Artisan Vanilla Gelato imported to your specialty stores that charges you 10 bucks a pint; it will make you see God with your first taste.

Both are definately worthy of owning; as for which one to get, well, I gotta say System Shock 2 is worthwhile.

PS: if you cant find SS2, I highly recommend Deus Ex. Its my favorite game of all time, and it plays fairly similiar to SS2. Steam has it for like 10 dollars I think.

Something I'd like to point out is that Half Life has been made absolutely redundant as a game. Besides the story, which is hardly great to begin with. Everything found in Half Life can be found elsewhere, only better.

The same cannot be said of System Shock 2. It is still the best at what it does.

That's not to say I don't think Half Life is not a masterpiece (it's at #6 on my best PC games of all time list), but there is little incentive to play it today, except for nostalgia's sake.