SYSTEM SHOCK 2 - ONLY ?2.50 DRM FREE!

[Sketcz]

GOG is having a sale:

http://www.gog.com/game/system_shock_2

Only ?2.50! DRM FREE!

Great survival horror FPS. Great gun play. Great story. Proper manly mechanics. None of this recharging health nonsense.

Also, my all time favourite FPS. More so than Pathologic. You know how I complain about every game I play? It's because they're all not System Shock 2.

Buy it, play it, love it, understand my disdain for modern FPS titles.

[Guts]

Already got this on another GoG sale recently for just $1.99. Now I just need to gather my courage to play it.

[Sketcz]

Do it Guts.

Often we've had disagreements over the merits or lackthereof in games. SS2 is the kind of FPS which defines everything I like about games, and what I would classify as good. I even like the faults in SS2.

When I replayed it I went with an OSA build. DO NOT DO THIS. Go with the Navy for your first time. The Marines are too gun-focused, and most satisfaction comes from the Navy class. The game seems to be designed primarily around it, since the focus is on hacking and technology.

Crank it up to Hard as well.

I also tried a variety of mods, which are quite good, but the vanilla experience is honestly also perfectly fine. I also don't like the character builds for female characters with the mods. Makes me them look... wrong. Like pornstars.

For your first time get the hi-res space textures, improved flora, and new weapon models/skins, plus the hi-res environment textures and better quality music packs. The enemy model reskins are an acquired taste, and the originals are actually a bit scarier than the newer ones. The high-res environment textures are great though - very much in keeping with the original style.

Play through on vanilla, Navy class, Hard difficulty. Ignore all psi-abilities. It's not worth the cyber modules upgrading them - I found them all to be useless. Conserve ammo at all times. Pick up enemy weapons and remove the ammo from them to survive.

God. I wish I could go back and play it for the first time. You are in for a treat, Guts.

[jamesy]

I missed this the GOG sale there. Will def get it next time it shows up in a sale on steam or GOG. Sounds awesome.

[jamesy]

Well, that didn't take long. It's ?1.74 on steam at the minute if anyone is interested!

[Sketcz]

Do it.

Currently enjoying a rerun through Navy mode, on Hard. Even easier than I remember. Maybe I should switch to impossible? Still amazing though. Great pacing, great sense of dread, really clever design ideas.

[jamesy]

What's the difference between the classes? I played the training and then chose a class but i'm not sure what changes occur depending on the class chosen.

[Sketcz]

It all has to do with starting abilities. The OSA is the psychic class. During your 3 years of training, all the options have a focus on boosting your psychic abilities. It's not much fun to play as, especially for a first timer.

The Marine will allow you to start with better combat abilities, while the Navy allows you to start with higher stats for hacking, and technological stuff. You can start with the ability to repair or maintain gear if you like.

You can diversify once playing, by choosing to boost certain aspects, so really it only affects your starting bonus. Think of the game like an RPG. Your starting class adds certain points to certain abilities, which you can later augment. The manual is pretty detailed.

My advice for a first timer: ignore all things PSI related, and turn it up to HARD. I'm on HARD and I wish I'd chosen impossible. You end up with so many bullets and med hypos it's ridiculous.

[Deuteros]

Only $1.99 until 2:00 P.M. tomorrow.