History VideoGame / SystemShock2

* ObviousBeta: The last 1/4th of the game lacks a working automap feature, and level design quickly becomes very linear as opposed to the earliest areas such as MedSci. [[https://irrationalgames.ghoststorygames.com/insider/what-might-have-been/ Ken Levine admits]] that they also ran out of time to make a proper ending.

[[http://www.g4tv.com/thefeed/blog/post/713030/the-lost-history-of-system-shock/ Following a legal tangle]] that went unsolved for around a decade, Nightdive Studios acquired the UsefulNotes/DigitalDistribution rights to ''System Shock 2'' and had it released on GOG.com, and thanks to an agreement between them and Valve, it is also on UsefulNotes/{{Steam}}. After Nightdive acquired the right to the IP and began working on a remake for the first game, they got Otherside Entertainment, composed of ex-Looking Glass developers, to develop a third game. The game was initially to be published by Starbreeze Studios, but the company later got into severe financial troubles after ''VideoGame/OverkillsTheWalkingDead'' flopped and was forced to [[https://www.rockpapershotgun.com/2019/02/11/starbreeze-sell-system-shock-3-rights-to-otherside/ sell publishing rights for the game back to Otherside in Febuary 2019]]. In September, [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yIWAMT2og3M a new gameplay trailer was revealed,]] suggesting that the game was still being worked on in 2020. In 2022, [[https://venturebeat.com/games/how-warren-spector-got-back-to-making-his-latest-game/ news outlets reported the game was truly dead,]] as development had stopped following employee layoffs.

* RespawningEnemies: When the alarm goes off, enemies spawn fast enough that it's quite likely one will spawn right in front of you.

* GameGourmet: There is a plethora of food items you can find on the ''Von Braun'' to eat. Whether they be a pack of chips, a can of soda, a bottle of orange juice or a bottle of liquor, however, consuming them restores only 1 negligible hitpoint. Alcoholic drinks also inflict a nasty ManaMeter penalty.

* FleshVersusSteel: XERXES and The Many often called you, questioning why the soldier chose ([[ButThouMust not that there was any choice]]) the [[spoiler:machine-mother]] over the pleasure of the flesh.

** Very early on, once you reach Medical, a disembodied set of voices will demand to know why you're working with "her" and ask you if you know about her history and intentions (in tandem with a minor InterfaceSpoiler identifying them as "The Many" before they officially refer to themselves as such). This doesn't appear to have any significant meaning, particularly your MissionControl is a human doctor from the ''Von Braun''... until you start connecting the dots regarding ''who'' The Many are referring to.

* DeadpanSnarker: Janice Polito. [[spoiler:The one that's actually SHODAN.]]

* DarkerAndEdgier: The first game was plenty dark in its own right, but at least you had copious firepower and [[MissionControl someone reasonable]] to receive your objectives from. The one borders on SurvivalHorror, with breakable weapons and limited supplies. Almost everyone you meet is dead or dying, if they weren't already corrupted by the Many and sent after you themselves. Your circumstances force you into alliance with a supposed crewmember who [[spoiler:is SHODAN herself, the original (if inadvertent) creator of the Many, and you spend the rest of the game doing her bidding, because she's the only nearby entity strong enough to help you fight back against her runaway creations.]]

* ContinuingIsPainful: On Normal and Hard difficulty, the resurrection chamber will cost a small amount of nanites each time it is used. This also doubles as a SequelDifficultySpike, as resurrection was free in the original ''VideoGame/SystemShock''.

* ContinuingIsPainful: On Normal and Hard difficulty, the resurrection chamber will cost a small amount of nanites each time it is used.

* DeathIsASlapOnTheWrist: Finding the Quantum Reconstruction Chamber and providing your DNA sample will let you respawn on the level any time you die. The range for the chamber is limited to the level you're on, so you'll need to activate it for each new area, and respawning requires paying some nanites. If you don't have enough nanites, or if you haven't found the chamber before dying, then death is permanent. [[spoiler: The Body of the Many, and the final level, do not have Quantum Reconstruction Chambers.]]

* WhamLine: In contention for the greatest in the history of gaming: [[spoiler:"[[DeadAllAlong THE POLITO-FORM IS DEAD]], ''[[SomethingOnlyTheyWouldSay INSECT]]!"'']]

* {{Invisibility}}: One of the PSI-disciplines allows this. And the Spiders enemies feature an invisible variant.

* AbsentAliens: [[spoiler:The Many are not some form of alien life, but were created by SHODAN back in Citadel station, and thus, from human origin.]]
* AbsurdlySharpBlade: The Crystal Shard is described as one. It's also described as fragile; [[GameplayAndStorySegregation it isn't.]]

* AffablyEvil: The Many are quite polite, very friendly, and genuinely want to make everybody they see happy and at peace. Unfortunately, the only way to do so is to be assimilated into their hive, which isn't pretty, is ''exceedingly'' painful, and will erase your individual identity.

** Also from [=SS2=], military man Suarez, who manages to not only stay alive with only standard-issue cybernetics but escape with his civilian girlfriend to boot.

* BizarreAlienBiology: Which the player must research.

[[http://www.g4tv.com/thefeed/blog/post/713030/the-lost-history-of-system-shock/ Following a legal tangle]] that went unsolved for around a decade, Nightdive Studios acquired the UsefulNotes/DigitalDistribution rights to ''System Shock 2'' and had it released on GOG.com, and thanks to an agreement between them and Valve, it is also on UsefulNotes/{{Steam}}. After Nightdive acquired the right to the IP and began working on a remake for the first game, they got Otherside Entertainment, composed of ex-Looking Glass developers, to develop a third game. The game was initially to be published by Starbreeze Studios, but the company later got into severe financial troubles after ''VideoGame/OverkillsTheWalkingDead'' flopped and was forced to [[https://www.rockpapershotgun.com/2019/02/11/starbreeze-sell-system-shock-3-rights-to-otherside/ sell publishing rights for the game back to Otherside in Febuary 2019]]. In September, [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yIWAMT2og3M a new gameplay trailer was revealed,]] confirming the project is still in development.

** The RPG [[Overworld Zero|https://shodan.fandom.com/wiki/OverWorld_Zero]] actually gives you a small amount of nanites for winning, although given the [[monstrous difficulty|NintendoHard]] you won't be swimming in riches anytime soon.

* ObviousBeta: The last 1/4th of the game lacks a working automap feature, and level design quickly becomes very linear as opposed to the earliest areas such as MedSci. [[Ken Levine admits|https://irrationalgames.ghoststorygames.com/insider/what-might-have-been/]] that they also ran out of time to make a proper ending.

** Selecting the "DEATH" setting on the [[Fusion Cannon|BFG]] is an easy way to blow yourself away along with the enemy in close quarters.