For many modern gamers, the name System Shock doesn't mean all that much. That's a shame, too: despite its relative lack of popularity, System Shock has been influencing the gaming industry for years.
Not only is System Shock a classic PC RPG, but without it, fans never would have played a little game called BioShock or any of its sequels.
Then again, there's a reason why more modern gamers haven't played through System Shock — the game wouldn't run on modern PC operating systems. While it was possible to get the game running with a little bit of work, System Shock was originally built to run on DOS — basically, any computer from the last several years was just too new to run the game properly.
Thankfully, that won't be an issue anymore: GOG.com and Night Dive Studios have teamed up to bring System Shock to modern PCs. As an added bonus, the game comes with a number of updates and enhancements — sure, it's not a full HD remaster, but at least the game will finally play in widescreen!
The most noticeable update will be the game's resolution: the original version was only able to run in 640 by 480, or the same size as a low-res YouTube video. With the enhanced edition, System Shock can run at 1024 by 768 — it's not a huge picture by any means, but it's at least running in HD. Considering how old the game actually is, that's a pretty big accomplishment.
System Shock's other tweaks will be less apparent to newer fans, but returning players will definitely notice: the game now comes with mouse-based camera control (which purists can turn off), along with an updated, easier-to-use inventory system. There's no denying that System Shock (and its sequel, for that matter) could be a little obtuse, but these changes should go a long way toward making the game a bit more streamlined.
Currently, you can grab System Shock: Enhanced Edition on GOG.com for $7.99, but that's a temporary price — System Shock will go back to its full $9.99 on Sept. 29.
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