Blade Runner has gone through a rather troubled history. The film flopped in theatres upon its release in 1982. It was marketed as an action film, and that was precisely what people were expecting. What they got was something totally different: a cerebral experience rich with all the literary techniques: symbolism, themes, strong characters and development, ambiguity, etc. It wasn't exactly the most action filled film, but if you like good storytelling, it won't matter. I don't have to go into the plot, since virtually everybody knows about it now, 25 years later. Not everyone knows that it was based on the novel "Do Androids Dream of Electric Sheep?" which was an excellent novel though quite different from this "loose" adaptation, not that that's a bad thing in any way.
Being the grandfather of the cyberpunk genre (Neuromancer being the archetypal piece), Blade Runner has influenced the science fiction culture in many ways over the past quarter decade, and with good reason: it's magnificent. The film noir, dystopic future atmosphere isn't very realistic though it is very much plausible and down to earth, unlike the space operas of yore.
The only cut of the film we've had up until now on DVD was the Director's Cut, which at least got rid of the pointless narration and corny ending which severely damaged the film. Unfortunately, due to time constraints I suppose, the editing was left very much unchanged, and as a result we'd get these awkward pauses where there would have been the narration. In addition the DVD transfer was pretty bloody awful.
What we've got here is the de facto version of the film, with much tighter editing and much better picture and sound quality. These were really my main problems with the Director's Cut, and now they're completely fixed. The effects are amazing even today, and the themes still very much relevant. It's a gorgeous movie to look at and hear, plus the tighter editing gives it a much more coherent flow and feel. The result is, in my opinion, the perfect science fiction film. If you even so much as liked Blade Runner before, you owe it to yourself to get a copy of the final cut today. Ridley Scott regards it as his favourite version, and he hoped we would too. Well, he succeeded, that's for damn sure.
Now I just couldn't imagine how beautiful the picture and sound are in HD-DVD and Blu-Ray form.
Cycloptis Blog
Recent Tidings, Optimistic Future
by Cycloptis on Comments
StarCraft II is announced at long last, and sitting there at the monitor refreshing IGN's news page for that magical update was enthralling. When the words popped up, it was hard to be anything but ecstatic; and why not? StarCraft was...sorry is one of the best traditional RTS currently in existance. I don't think I need to go into the other accolades that it currently enjoys.
So StarCraft II is out in the open. First impressions reveal that it is sticking to the traditional RTS formula, which is great. The genre has diversified itself more than enough so that one doesn't groan at the announcement of "yet another build and destroy game!" With that being said, and assuming SC2 does pull through and improve on SC1's excellence, where can we go next?
Supreme Commander had really good ideas up its sleeve. Massive scale was the key, which upped the ante for strategy in addition to tactics. So...why not transplant some of Blizzard's sci-fi (yet *ahem* somewhat borrowed) mythos into this gameplay template? Hardcore StarCraft players would be content with their StarCraft 2, and at the same time Blizzard could satisfy a whole other audience with this neat little combo (notice the use of the word little in the wake of a discussion of grand-scale games...God I'm awesome). The gameplay of course would have to be radically changed. Proper proportions between StarCraft's units would actually work, and it could make the battles more into what we see in some of the tense cinematics.
Hell you could go even further and turn it into a Total War style game with Supreme Commander gameplay as the basis for the real-time battles. Why not add some diplomacy so you can make those shaky alliances like in StarCraft...but dynamically? Non-linear campaigns for all, with different outcomes based on your actions! GREAT NARRATIVES ABOUND!
Alright, so I get carried away sometimes. The point is, StarCraft owns, StarCraft II is extremely exciting to watch out for, and there are just some game designs that need to be experimented with. Is StarCraft II out yet? And where's my blaster copy of StarCraft! I'm getting delusional already. See you in five years when it comes out.
-A Disgruntled Dude
Thief II: The Metal Age joins my coveted...
by Cycloptis on Comments
...list of Best Games Ever, which is usually shared by a very select few but can now look forward to seeing another join its ranks. Now it shall be comprised of:
System Shock 2
Thief II: The Metal Age
Planescape: Torment
Fallout
Grim Fandango
Despite the unusual, less than unique storyline with a fairly abrupt ending, the game carried itself so well because of its level design. There were two levels in the game that were not up to the level of the other 14, though altogether the ensemble was tremendous. The average playtime for each mission was between an hour and an hour and a half, on the Normal difficulty setting.
Fan missions (T2X in particular) should be my next priority, but I'll probably be acquiring the first game before doing so. Until then, I guess I can look forward to playing the demo of Armed Assault, or delving into my newest Transhuman Space supplement, or even some Sam & Max episodes.
System Shock 2
Thief II: The Metal Age
Planescape: Torment
Fallout
Grim Fandango
Despite the unusual, less than unique storyline with a fairly abrupt ending, the game carried itself so well because of its level design. There were two levels in the game that were not up to the level of the other 14, though altogether the ensemble was tremendous. The average playtime for each mission was between an hour and an hour and a half, on the Normal difficulty setting.
Fan missions (T2X in particular) should be my next priority, but I'll probably be acquiring the first game before doing so. Until then, I guess I can look forward to playing the demo of Armed Assault, or delving into my newest Transhuman Space supplement, or even some Sam & Max episodes.
The next time I'm tasked with going over rooftops...
by Cycloptis on Comments
I'm going to be expecting a tremendously well crafted mission that takes me just over two hours to complete. I will also be expecting a mission that totally demonstrates the excellence of the game's mechanics.
"Life of the Party," while not my hands-down favourite mission of Thief II (there is no hands-down victor in a sea of excellence) is probably one of the best missions ever made from an objective standpoint.
Not only is there a wealth of pockets to pick and coffers to take from (pun intended), there is also always a multitude of ways to complete it; you are not sheparded through a linear series of corridors and mission objectives are able to be completed in more or less any order.
The level itself is also ridiculously massive. In short, you're tasked with traveling across a great deal of rooftops (and not just repetitive looking ones either, as they all differ and there is a large quantity of obstacles to deal with). Then you must infiltrate a six-storey tower filled to the brim with locks to pick and guards to outwit. Finally, you have to come all the way back to the beginning. I'd hate to imagine how long it would take if I was playing on the highest difficulty (just Normal mode for me thanks).
I managed to get myself out of a potentially life-threatening using Vine Arrows. In a room extending all the way from the top to the bottom, with multiple ledges arranged in a circular pattern for the top three floors, I lowered myself on a vine and onto another level to avoid being detected by one of the guards. Take that Solid Snake, and Sam Fisher. Good luck pulling that off (not like they'd need to, being cheapskates with their massive health bars and regen).
It's just too bad that the story is a bit...strange. But that's why I'll have to acquire the first game, now isn't it?
"Life of the Party," while not my hands-down favourite mission of Thief II (there is no hands-down victor in a sea of excellence) is probably one of the best missions ever made from an objective standpoint.
Not only is there a wealth of pockets to pick and coffers to take from (pun intended), there is also always a multitude of ways to complete it; you are not sheparded through a linear series of corridors and mission objectives are able to be completed in more or less any order.
The level itself is also ridiculously massive. In short, you're tasked with traveling across a great deal of rooftops (and not just repetitive looking ones either, as they all differ and there is a large quantity of obstacles to deal with). Then you must infiltrate a six-storey tower filled to the brim with locks to pick and guards to outwit. Finally, you have to come all the way back to the beginning. I'd hate to imagine how long it would take if I was playing on the highest difficulty (just Normal mode for me thanks).
I managed to get myself out of a potentially life-threatening using Vine Arrows. In a room extending all the way from the top to the bottom, with multiple ledges arranged in a circular pattern for the top three floors, I lowered myself on a vine and onto another level to avoid being detected by one of the guards. Take that Solid Snake, and Sam Fisher. Good luck pulling that off (not like they'd need to, being cheapskates with their massive health bars and regen).
It's just too bad that the story is a bit...strange. But that's why I'll have to acquire the first game, now isn't it?
You know the thing about Thief 2 is that...
by Cycloptis on Comments
Even after all of these years, it's tough to cite a game that compares to its masterfully crafted level design. Who knew that a simple warehouse level could be turned into something fun, and can still remain fun after seven years.
It's also aged pretty damn well, the proof being that this is the first time I've played numero two. There are still many things Ubisoft has to learn from it, most particularly about the level design and its non-linearity.
A forced first-person perspective means no cheapo-camera tricks to see what's around the corner...which also means that we have the privelege of a proper leaning system. I'm not too sure on how many games have done it since Thief 2, but not many have lean right, left, and forward. Even though recent games like Half-Life 2 have absolutely no need for them, it would be nice to have that extra control over your in-game avatar.
The game also does a very good job of giving you varying degrees of control over your movement. There are three speed levels for crouching and standing, and with some minor tweaking the inconveniences of digital buttons isn't too noticeable.
The AI is fairly good. Overall the game is harder with regards to staying undetected, but it also provides several different methods of fishing yourself out of dangerous situations. Unfortunately, the game is devoid of any acrobatics, but this, along with lockpicking, are totally justified by the context of the game. Garrett is a thief, period; not to mention this isn't the modern age, and judging by logic I'd hazard a guess that lockpicks aren't nearly as complicated as you might expect.
Visuals are fairly mediocre, which is to be expected. Music is useful, but not intrusive, just as it should be (although to be honest Chaos Theory had a stunning soundtrack, despite being somewhat intrusive). Art design within the game is fairly meh so far, but the cutscenes are really something to behold. The personality of The City, of Garrett, and the whole dark and cynical atmosphere is just great.
Speaking of Garrett, he's hilariously cynical, and the voice actor was perfectly cast. Metal Gear Solid, Splinter Cell, Thief...the voice acting for all three main characters is perfectly done. My standards are definitely astronomical in these respects.
My only real problem with the game is a lack of connection between the story and the gameplay. MGS was overly annoying with its approach, featuring a million too many codec calls and what have you; Splinter Cell did a really nice job with its own seamless "codec" calls. Garrett's monologues do exist, although they are fairly scarce to this point. It is sort of justified by the context of the game, since Garrett is without a team to back him up. I've been told that Thief 1 does a much better job with the story, so I'll definitely have to look into that.
It's also aged pretty damn well, the proof being that this is the first time I've played numero two. There are still many things Ubisoft has to learn from it, most particularly about the level design and its non-linearity.
A forced first-person perspective means no cheapo-camera tricks to see what's around the corner...which also means that we have the privelege of a proper leaning system. I'm not too sure on how many games have done it since Thief 2, but not many have lean right, left, and forward. Even though recent games like Half-Life 2 have absolutely no need for them, it would be nice to have that extra control over your in-game avatar.
The game also does a very good job of giving you varying degrees of control over your movement. There are three speed levels for crouching and standing, and with some minor tweaking the inconveniences of digital buttons isn't too noticeable.
The AI is fairly good. Overall the game is harder with regards to staying undetected, but it also provides several different methods of fishing yourself out of dangerous situations. Unfortunately, the game is devoid of any acrobatics, but this, along with lockpicking, are totally justified by the context of the game. Garrett is a thief, period; not to mention this isn't the modern age, and judging by logic I'd hazard a guess that lockpicks aren't nearly as complicated as you might expect.
Visuals are fairly mediocre, which is to be expected. Music is useful, but not intrusive, just as it should be (although to be honest Chaos Theory had a stunning soundtrack, despite being somewhat intrusive). Art design within the game is fairly meh so far, but the cutscenes are really something to behold. The personality of The City, of Garrett, and the whole dark and cynical atmosphere is just great.
Speaking of Garrett, he's hilariously cynical, and the voice actor was perfectly cast. Metal Gear Solid, Splinter Cell, Thief...the voice acting for all three main characters is perfectly done. My standards are definitely astronomical in these respects.
My only real problem with the game is a lack of connection between the story and the gameplay. MGS was overly annoying with its approach, featuring a million too many codec calls and what have you; Splinter Cell did a really nice job with its own seamless "codec" calls. Garrett's monologues do exist, although they are fairly scarce to this point. It is sort of justified by the context of the game, since Garrett is without a team to back him up. I've been told that Thief 1 does a much better job with the story, so I'll definitely have to look into that.
Point & Click Deeds - Thy Dungeon Man 3, Gabriel Knight 1, Sierra Compilatio
by Cycloptis on Comments
Updates galore on this side of the line! I just recently received my copy of Sins of the Fathers, so I'll be getting to that one quite soon. I already configured it to run on DOSBox, and upon further testing, discovered that it at least gets to the menu screen!
To my delight, I also discovered that the Sierra compilations are finally out. What really surprised me was that they were at thy local Bestest Buy. All of them were there except for Police Quest, although I'm only gunning for King's Quest and Space Quest. Next time I make my way there, I'll probably pick them up. 'Tis definitely a good time to catch up on yon Sierra On-Line adventures.
Finally, I've taken to another adventure game recently, Thy Dungeon Man 3, by the folks at Videlectrix (who, I assume, work in conjunction with homestarrunner.com, where I found the game). A nice parody on the old conventions of adventure games, including the floppy disk accessing sound effects for when there were no hard-drives. Not to mention a scoring system.
Yarr,
The Carpal Tunnel
To my delight, I also discovered that the Sierra compilations are finally out. What really surprised me was that they were at thy local Bestest Buy. All of them were there except for Police Quest, although I'm only gunning for King's Quest and Space Quest. Next time I make my way there, I'll probably pick them up. 'Tis definitely a good time to catch up on yon Sierra On-Line adventures.
Finally, I've taken to another adventure game recently, Thy Dungeon Man 3, by the folks at Videlectrix (who, I assume, work in conjunction with homestarrunner.com, where I found the game). A nice parody on the old conventions of adventure games, including the floppy disk accessing sound effects for when there were no hard-drives. Not to mention a scoring system.
Yarr,
The Carpal Tunnel
Pen & Paper Conundrums - Transhuman Space
by Cycloptis on Comments
We here at the Carpal Tunnel are experiencing severe disgruntlement (but then again, when aren't we) with the current state of cyberpunk or hard science-fiction computer role-playing games. Yes, we fully recognize the existance of BloodNet, and that other one....durr....nevermind (as you may be able to tell I'm leaving out post-apocalyptic settings since Fallout, Fallout 2, and Afterfall is all we need until we die).
Thus it has come to our attention that our curiosity to delve back into pen & paper games is impeccable. What better opportunity is there than now, to reach into the realm of empty Coca-Cola cans and wasted sheets of paper? Especially when Transhuman Space, powered by GURPS, is sitting right there for the pickings? Thus is shall be declared, on this very 25th of September, that yon Carpal Tunnel shall go on hence forth to venture past the realm of extreme laze and purchase said Transhuman Space.
Here's the boxart.
Here's a gameplay screen.
Here's a gameplay video.
Of course yon Carpal Tunnel must also purchase yon GURPS Rulebook, but at this time we are still gathering information on just what rulebook and rulebook version needs to be purchased.
Yarr,
The Carpal Tunnel
Thus it has come to our attention that our curiosity to delve back into pen & paper games is impeccable. What better opportunity is there than now, to reach into the realm of empty Coca-Cola cans and wasted sheets of paper? Especially when Transhuman Space, powered by GURPS, is sitting right there for the pickings? Thus is shall be declared, on this very 25th of September, that yon Carpal Tunnel shall go on hence forth to venture past the realm of extreme laze and purchase said Transhuman Space.
Here's the boxart.
Here's a gameplay screen.
Here's a gameplay video.
Of course yon Carpal Tunnel must also purchase yon GURPS Rulebook, but at this time we are still gathering information on just what rulebook and rulebook version needs to be purchased.
Yarr,
The Carpal Tunnel
As of now, only one Troika game eludes me...
by Cycloptis on Comments
And that one is Temple of Elemental Evil, which I am not too keen on pursuing at the moment. Bloodlines is now mine, and I am itching to play it. The box was somewhat roughed up during shipping, but it is sealed, along with the contents inside. I, for one, am content.
Another Looking Glass Classic is Mine!
by Cycloptis on Comments
After much toil and patience, Thief II: The Metal Age is at last mine. It took a total of nine days to arrive (six business days), and I'm glad it arrived. Unfortunately, I haven't gone for The Dark Project just yet, since I was hoping to get both in their boxed form. Alas, TMA came in two slip cases and the CD manual, which doesn't really disappoint me since the rest is trivial stuff at best. I suppose I shouldn't start TMA before TDP, since TMA is more advanced gameplay-wise, but I should be fine.
Bloodlines should be arriving soon enough, as it is also on the way here. I look forward to that as well. Until then, it'll just be me and a small assortment of tools getting the job done.
Bloodlines should be arriving soon enough, as it is also on the way here. I look forward to that as well. Until then, it'll just be me and a small assortment of tools getting the job done.
System Shock First Impressions
by Cycloptis on Comments
Well, my efforts to obtain formerly mentioned old games (i.e. Broken Sword) haven't been too successful as of late, but I have been motivated to get System Shock 1 running (which we own). Needless to say, I did. Or else I wouldn't be posting this. Let me say right now that it is a pain in the ass, and the process would have been hopeless if not for the people at Through the Looking Glass and Strangebedfellows (don't take that name literally). Without further ado:
Compatiblity
Sucks. I already mentioned this. It's amazing it even works on XP. I hope to god that I won't have to upgrade to Vista for a while, because that will just be murder.
Graphics
Obviously archaic, given that the thing is from 1994. In fact, sometimes it's difficult to tell just where the hell you are. That said, I still can't find a way to get to resolutions above 320x400 without nasty, pastel-like discolouration, so that's definitely not helping. Huge aliasing, so much so that enemies that are far away can look like blobs. I'm thoroughly enjoying the artstyle, though, especially since it oozes cyberpunk!!!
When I do try eye-splitting resolutions of 640x480, the aliasing is greatly reduced, and it looks more than competent. I'm surprised to say that I could see the polygons. Unfortunately, the discolouration is still a problem, and I've been informed that it could be driver problems. My screenshots of the game while in this resolution may contribute to that fact, since they are fine and with proper colour. Once again, I'm thankful that the folks at SBF have even decided to mod this game. When I'm brave enough, and once this problem is fixed, I'll be attempting the 1280x1024 mod and see how that goes.
Sound
Again...rather archaic. Not that that's surprising. The music is MIDI, and is very obviously synthesized. The tunes are rather good, and would translate really well to modern-day quality (in fact, there are remixes over at the TTLG jukebox). Sounds from creatures are impossible to make out, though I am letting all of this technical inferiority slide since I just don't care.
What is incredible, though, is the voice-acting. System Shock is fortunate to be at the forefront of the "talkie" version era, where older games were ported from floppy disks to CDs and benefitted with added voice-acting. What is here is well acted, and I'm surprised at the quality.
Controls
Oh...my...god. Well...at least Looking Glass was ambitious when they made this. Hell, System Shock 2 doesn't even let you perform some of the maneuvers you can pull off here. You can alternate between stand, crouch, and prone, and in addition you can lean left or right while in any of these positions. I haven't deciphered if you can lean forward like in SS2, but I'll definitely put it on my checklist (there's no controls section where you can learn all of this, much less change them). So far, this is what I can remember:
SZXC - the replacements for WASD
A - Look Left
D - Look Right
Q - Lean Left
E - Lean Right
V - Look Down
F - Center Look
R - Look up
N - Prone
H - Crouch
Y - Stand
Single Left Click - Examine
Double Left Click - Interact
Right Click - Utilize Weapon
There is no mouse-look, from what I can tell. Instead you use the mouse as a pointer on the screen to access the various options offered to you: inventory, data, automap, implants, etc.
Gameplay
Brilliant, from what I've seen (and I've seen a lot more than I've played, from way back when in 1996 and through reading). Despite the clunkiness of the controls, I rather like the interface. It basically details everything, including your stance. On the bottom, you can choose to show a great deal of things in three partitioned areas, with the centre being used for inventory, and the left and right being used for two of five different aspects like an automap, your weapon stats, mugshots of e-mail recipents, etc. You really have to see it to know how it works, so here's a screenshot:
The gameplay itself, using comparisons of more modern, more familiar games, has elements of both Deus Ex and System Shock 2. You're standed on a spacestation, exploring every nook and cranny you can find, picking up new items, audio logs, and upgrades along the way. The items are self-explanatory, but the audio logs are used to learn the backstory of the incident on the station and piece together clues of how it unravelled; they also help with some puzzles or obstacles. Your cybernetic interface allows for upgrades much like Samus' suit, although the ones here are somewhat more imaginative: rollerskates, jetboots, and a camera out the back of your head, to name a few. The rear-view camera even has a neat little disadvantage in that the image it provides refreshes much slower than your normal front-view. All of these implants, when in operation, drain your energy, much like the augmentations in Deus Ex.
I can't really comment on the enemies much, although I will be excited to see my favourite enemy of all time, the cyborg assassin, kicking ass once again. SHODAN is also here, otherwise the game wouldn't be nearly as compelling as it is. Same voice, same psychotic personality. Despite the game's technical shortcomings, I still feel a sense of dread and fear, which is really amazing under the circumstances. Obviously the game's age prevents its scare-factor from being on the same level as its successor, but a modern-day conversion would yield impressive results.
An interesting aspect of the game's non-combat elements is cyberspace. At various points in the game, there will be obstacles which are locked down through the station's computer systems, so you'll have to plug yourself into cyberspace, a polygonal world with solid-colour textures and wireframe environments. I find this an interesting element of the game that keeps if fresh, although I'm not too sure if a brooding hatred for it will eventually arise, as seems to be the case with some other people who played the game.
Overall
Since the game was so far ahead of its time back in 1994, System Shock largely ages well, and I'm enjoying it. The overall package is still rare even in today's gaming scene, and as a result it's very playable (as long as you can get it working and can get over the nasty controls).
Compatiblity
Sucks. I already mentioned this. It's amazing it even works on XP. I hope to god that I won't have to upgrade to Vista for a while, because that will just be murder.
Graphics
Obviously archaic, given that the thing is from 1994. In fact, sometimes it's difficult to tell just where the hell you are. That said, I still can't find a way to get to resolutions above 320x400 without nasty, pastel-like discolouration, so that's definitely not helping. Huge aliasing, so much so that enemies that are far away can look like blobs. I'm thoroughly enjoying the artstyle, though, especially since it oozes cyberpunk!!!
When I do try eye-splitting resolutions of 640x480, the aliasing is greatly reduced, and it looks more than competent. I'm surprised to say that I could see the polygons. Unfortunately, the discolouration is still a problem, and I've been informed that it could be driver problems. My screenshots of the game while in this resolution may contribute to that fact, since they are fine and with proper colour. Once again, I'm thankful that the folks at SBF have even decided to mod this game. When I'm brave enough, and once this problem is fixed, I'll be attempting the 1280x1024 mod and see how that goes.
Sound
Again...rather archaic. Not that that's surprising. The music is MIDI, and is very obviously synthesized. The tunes are rather good, and would translate really well to modern-day quality (in fact, there are remixes over at the TTLG jukebox). Sounds from creatures are impossible to make out, though I am letting all of this technical inferiority slide since I just don't care.
What is incredible, though, is the voice-acting. System Shock is fortunate to be at the forefront of the "talkie" version era, where older games were ported from floppy disks to CDs and benefitted with added voice-acting. What is here is well acted, and I'm surprised at the quality.
Controls
Oh...my...god. Well...at least Looking Glass was ambitious when they made this. Hell, System Shock 2 doesn't even let you perform some of the maneuvers you can pull off here. You can alternate between stand, crouch, and prone, and in addition you can lean left or right while in any of these positions. I haven't deciphered if you can lean forward like in SS2, but I'll definitely put it on my checklist (there's no controls section where you can learn all of this, much less change them). So far, this is what I can remember:
SZXC - the replacements for WASD
A - Look Left
D - Look Right
Q - Lean Left
E - Lean Right
V - Look Down
F - Center Look
R - Look up
N - Prone
H - Crouch
Y - Stand
Single Left Click - Examine
Double Left Click - Interact
Right Click - Utilize Weapon
There is no mouse-look, from what I can tell. Instead you use the mouse as a pointer on the screen to access the various options offered to you: inventory, data, automap, implants, etc.
Gameplay
Brilliant, from what I've seen (and I've seen a lot more than I've played, from way back when in 1996 and through reading). Despite the clunkiness of the controls, I rather like the interface. It basically details everything, including your stance. On the bottom, you can choose to show a great deal of things in three partitioned areas, with the centre being used for inventory, and the left and right being used for two of five different aspects like an automap, your weapon stats, mugshots of e-mail recipents, etc. You really have to see it to know how it works, so here's a screenshot:
The gameplay itself, using comparisons of more modern, more familiar games, has elements of both Deus Ex and System Shock 2. You're standed on a spacestation, exploring every nook and cranny you can find, picking up new items, audio logs, and upgrades along the way. The items are self-explanatory, but the audio logs are used to learn the backstory of the incident on the station and piece together clues of how it unravelled; they also help with some puzzles or obstacles. Your cybernetic interface allows for upgrades much like Samus' suit, although the ones here are somewhat more imaginative: rollerskates, jetboots, and a camera out the back of your head, to name a few. The rear-view camera even has a neat little disadvantage in that the image it provides refreshes much slower than your normal front-view. All of these implants, when in operation, drain your energy, much like the augmentations in Deus Ex.
I can't really comment on the enemies much, although I will be excited to see my favourite enemy of all time, the cyborg assassin, kicking ass once again. SHODAN is also here, otherwise the game wouldn't be nearly as compelling as it is. Same voice, same psychotic personality. Despite the game's technical shortcomings, I still feel a sense of dread and fear, which is really amazing under the circumstances. Obviously the game's age prevents its scare-factor from being on the same level as its successor, but a modern-day conversion would yield impressive results.
An interesting aspect of the game's non-combat elements is cyberspace. At various points in the game, there will be obstacles which are locked down through the station's computer systems, so you'll have to plug yourself into cyberspace, a polygonal world with solid-colour textures and wireframe environments. I find this an interesting element of the game that keeps if fresh, although I'm not too sure if a brooding hatred for it will eventually arise, as seems to be the case with some other people who played the game.
Overall
Since the game was so far ahead of its time back in 1994, System Shock largely ages well, and I'm enjoying it. The overall package is still rare even in today's gaming scene, and as a result it's very playable (as long as you can get it working and can get over the nasty controls).
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