Writer's Block: Gamer's Choice
My favorite old-school video game, eh? Well, I consider myself a rather large video game buff, on both old-school and new-age games, so I figured that this would be an appropriate topic to answer for my first "Writer's Block" entry. (For the record, I feel more comfortable with new-age gaming, but that's neither here nor there.)
For those who don't feel like reading a long-ass entry regarding a single video game, I will leave you in peace with a simple answer: System Shock 2.
For those who are interested in hearing why, you can find it after the cut. I admit, this is not for the faint of heart, if only because of the quantity, but I am sure that, if you enjoy video games, you will find it interesting. So, please, let me tell you about my favorite old-school video game: System Shock 2.
Look At You, Hacker...
First, a little backstory. System Shock 2 was a game that was given to me (almost unwittingly) by Kurtis, of all people. One day during junior high, Kurtis showed me this large binder full of computer games that he said he had brought from home. I never asked about the true origin of these discs, but suffice to say that there were enough of them that I questioned the legitimacy of his claim. Of course, the contents of the disc binder were a little sketchy anyways, as most of them were actually burned CD's with the titles of games written on them. Regardless, I flipped through the binder and found this interesting looking disc with the following picture as the artwork:
I was immediately intrigued, and stole it away. It was pretty much the only disc I took from him that day, and was also the only disc that worked out of that entire binder (unless my memory is failing me). There was no instruction manual, no guide, not even a case to put it in. Just the disc and the artwork on the front of it.
I had no idea what I was getting myself into.
I took it home, installed it and started playing it. And had to immediately stop. I can't say that System Shock 2 was my first experience with true fear, but damn if it wasn't the first computer game that actually made me stop playing because I was too scared to continue. I didn't even get through the first level before I had to stop. It was that freaky. The only other game to have that effect on me was the original F.E.A.R. Sure, other horror games have kept me on the edge of my seat (Doom 3), or have even caused me to shoot reflexively (Dead Space), but only those two have caused me to stop playing for sheer fright.
Resist. Humanity Demands It.
The story of System Shock 2, for those who don't know, is as follows: You play a soldier belonging to one of three different divisions of the military: the Marine Corps, the Navy, or an organization known as the OSA, which specializes in psionic powers (you get to choose which division you belong to). Because this is the future (boogedy-boogedy), you are implanted with cybernetic implants that augment and improve your abilities in certain areas, depending on your own specifications. After three years of service and training, you are sent on the Rickenbacker, a military cruiser, to accompany a science vessel called the Von Braun on it's inaugural faster-than-light flight. It is important to note that, at this point in the games history, the Von Braun is the first vessel to have a faster-than-light engine. So just keep that in mind.
A few months into the voyage, both ships receive a distress call from a planet called Tau Ceti V. They investigate, finding a crashed space station on the surface of the planet, as well as some very disturbing, organic, alien eggs (stop me if you've heard this before). They bring some of the eggs back up to the Von Braun, where the scientists start testing them. Unfortunately, the eggs infect some of the scientists, mutating their DNA, which in turn causes their cognitive processes to begin to obey a hive mind-type of organism called The Many. The mutated crew quickly takes over both ships, leaving little to no actual survivors anywhere on either vessel.
And that's when you wake up.
(Fun fact on the backstory: the crashed space station on the planet? The actual name for the station is Citadel Station. Why this is important is because the original System Shock took place on Citadel Station, where you played a hacker trying to take down a rogue AI program called SHODAN (see picture above) who killed off the crew of the station and created mutants in an attempt to perfect organic life in the universe. You end up crashing the space station into the planet at the end of the game, with the assumption that you have killed all of SHODAN's creations, as well as SHODAN herself.
Which is why this game is called System Shock 2.)
Anyways. Starting out, you find you are on the second deck of the Von Braun, and you can remember nothing of your history. You are contacted by a surviving scientist on the fourth deck of the vessel, telling you the basics of the situation and asking you to help (considering you're the only one left alive). And the game doesn't hold any punches, because you quite literally start the game in a position where you can die unless you act immediately. Crazy.
Be Careful... I Think SHODAN Has Plans For You.
This game was made in 1999, so it's graphics are old-school, but that's the only thing that it doesn't have going for it these days. The gameplay is part first-person-shooter, part role-playing-game, and I dare-say that it pioneered the hybrid FPS/RPG industry. Granted, there were other games before System Shock 2 that used that format, including the original, but nothing anywhere near the execution that it managed to pull off. Even Deus Ex, which came out the following year - and is highly touted as the best FPS/RPG ever created, not to mention one of the best games ever - doesn't truly come close to how System Shock 2 pulled it off. Don't get me wrong, the gameplay in Deus Ex has a much wider range, and I do not question that it is a great game; it has many qualities that System Shock 2 does not, and is better in some aspects. I just enjoy System Shock 2 more.
I'm sorry, my fanboyism is showing. Moving right along.
Leaving the gameplay behind, let us move on to the story. Ah, the story. This is one of the most well-executed, well-delivered stories that I've ever had the pleasure of enjoying. It's a cyberpunk science-fiction setting fused with a horror story, so you have to be able to stomach that sort of thing before you want to try it. But if you enjoyed the Alien movies, you will thoroughly enjoy this game. It is a gripping and compelling tale of the downfall of man because of their curiosity and pride, which is only accented by the way they deliver it.
Contrary to video game conventions, you do not learn the backstory during the opening cutscene in the game. Indeed, it is entirely possible to play through this entire game without learning one iota of information about what the hell is going on. But if you decide to search (in some cases hardly at all), you will find audio logs with dialogue from former crewmembers detailing the deterioration of the ships and their crew's sanity, all delivered by voice actors who manage to capture their characters so well through mere dialogue that they deserved awards. It is entirely possible to follow a series of audio logs recorded by a single character throughout the entire game, showcasing their epic attempt at escape, only to find a final audio log next to their dead body (a mechanic that has been used in other games even today). The characters are developed beautifully through these logs, and it really gives a true human element to the entire game.
Granted, if you don't go searching for these tidbits, you will miss out entirely, as the game does not force you to pick them all up. But you are truly compelled to do so, if only to gain insight into the happenings on these two ships, not to mention to see how the crew tried to react to it all.
I would be remiss if I didn't also mention the sound development in this game; as mentioned before, the voice acting is stellar, and I consider it some of the best work I've heard in a game to date. The music is chilling, giving an added edge of nerve-shredding tension to already chaotically horrific scenes, and the ambient sounds are amazing. Though sound development has improved drastically since 1999, this game, though dated in some attempts, still grips you tight and doesn't let go.
Join Me, Human, And We Can Rule Together.
Now, some of you may be saying to yourselves, "This model of game seems very familiar to a nautically-inclined horror romp that I played a year or so ago, only that game was steampunk instead of cyberpunk". You would be right, of course, and I would applaud your aptitude at perceiving that fact. Let me explain.
(If, in fact, you didn't make that leap, that's alright, just follow me anyways.)
The guys and gals behind System Shock 2 were a company called Irrational Games, who, unfortunately, no longer exist. However, fear not, because this state of incorporeality is in name only: in 2006, Irrational Games was bought out by Take-Two Interactive, a publisher who owns various video game developers such as 2K Sports, 2K Games, and (you better believe it) Rockstar Games. Irrational Games changed their name to 2K Boston/2K Australia and kept much of the staff, including the lead designer on System Shock 2, one Ken Levine.
After a single year after the transition, in 2007, 2K Boston/2K Australia released the critically-acclaimed blockbuster hit of a video game, BioShock, to outrageous sales and reviews. BioShock was hailed as the spiritual successor to System Shock 2, was given numerous awards from multiple news sources, and sold so well that both a direct sequel and a movie adaptation were discussed and subsequently planned. That's right, folks; the people who were the brains behind System Shock 2 were the same ones behind BioShock. Eight years after System Shock 2 was released, they are still alive and kicking, bringing out brand new ideas to team up with their brilliant execution of gameplay. I, for one, am rather glad of this fact.
-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-
And, on that note, I will bring this entry to a close. I apologize if anyone was outraged by the sheer unadulterated length of my explanation, but I do hope that you took something away from this. I cannot recommend System Shock 2 highly enough. It still proves itself as a hallmark of what video gaming should aspire to be. Sure, it's not perfect, and seems dated by today's graphics standards. But it's still my favorite old-school video game.
For those who don't feel like reading a long-ass entry regarding a single video game, I will leave you in peace with a simple answer: System Shock 2.
For those who are interested in hearing why, you can find it after the cut. I admit, this is not for the faint of heart, if only because of the quantity, but I am sure that, if you enjoy video games, you will find it interesting. So, please, let me tell you about my favorite old-school video game: System Shock 2.
Look At You, Hacker...
First, a little backstory. System Shock 2 was a game that was given to me (almost unwittingly) by Kurtis, of all people. One day during junior high, Kurtis showed me this large binder full of computer games that he said he had brought from home. I never asked about the true origin of these discs, but suffice to say that there were enough of them that I questioned the legitimacy of his claim. Of course, the contents of the disc binder were a little sketchy anyways, as most of them were actually burned CD's with the titles of games written on them. Regardless, I flipped through the binder and found this interesting looking disc with the following picture as the artwork:
I was immediately intrigued, and stole it away. It was pretty much the only disc I took from him that day, and was also the only disc that worked out of that entire binder (unless my memory is failing me). There was no instruction manual, no guide, not even a case to put it in. Just the disc and the artwork on the front of it.
I had no idea what I was getting myself into.
I took it home, installed it and started playing it. And had to immediately stop. I can't say that System Shock 2 was my first experience with true fear, but damn if it wasn't the first computer game that actually made me stop playing because I was too scared to continue. I didn't even get through the first level before I had to stop. It was that freaky. The only other game to have that effect on me was the original F.E.A.R. Sure, other horror games have kept me on the edge of my seat (Doom 3), or have even caused me to shoot reflexively (Dead Space), but only those two have caused me to stop playing for sheer fright.
Resist. Humanity Demands It.
The story of System Shock 2, for those who don't know, is as follows: You play a soldier belonging to one of three different divisions of the military: the Marine Corps, the Navy, or an organization known as the OSA, which specializes in psionic powers (you get to choose which division you belong to). Because this is the future (boogedy-boogedy), you are implanted with cybernetic implants that augment and improve your abilities in certain areas, depending on your own specifications. After three years of service and training, you are sent on the Rickenbacker, a military cruiser, to accompany a science vessel called the Von Braun on it's inaugural faster-than-light flight. It is important to note that, at this point in the games history, the Von Braun is the first vessel to have a faster-than-light engine. So just keep that in mind.
A few months into the voyage, both ships receive a distress call from a planet called Tau Ceti V. They investigate, finding a crashed space station on the surface of the planet, as well as some very disturbing, organic, alien eggs (stop me if you've heard this before). They bring some of the eggs back up to the Von Braun, where the scientists start testing them. Unfortunately, the eggs infect some of the scientists, mutating their DNA, which in turn causes their cognitive processes to begin to obey a hive mind-type of organism called The Many. The mutated crew quickly takes over both ships, leaving little to no actual survivors anywhere on either vessel.
And that's when you wake up.
(Fun fact on the backstory: the crashed space station on the planet? The actual name for the station is Citadel Station. Why this is important is because the original System Shock took place on Citadel Station, where you played a hacker trying to take down a rogue AI program called SHODAN (see picture above) who killed off the crew of the station and created mutants in an attempt to perfect organic life in the universe. You end up crashing the space station into the planet at the end of the game, with the assumption that you have killed all of SHODAN's creations, as well as SHODAN herself.
Which is why this game is called System Shock 2.)
Anyways. Starting out, you find you are on the second deck of the Von Braun, and you can remember nothing of your history. You are contacted by a surviving scientist on the fourth deck of the vessel, telling you the basics of the situation and asking you to help (considering you're the only one left alive). And the game doesn't hold any punches, because you quite literally start the game in a position where you can die unless you act immediately. Crazy.
Be Careful... I Think SHODAN Has Plans For You.
This game was made in 1999, so it's graphics are old-school, but that's the only thing that it doesn't have going for it these days. The gameplay is part first-person-shooter, part role-playing-game, and I dare-say that it pioneered the hybrid FPS/RPG industry. Granted, there were other games before System Shock 2 that used that format, including the original, but nothing anywhere near the execution that it managed to pull off. Even Deus Ex, which came out the following year - and is highly touted as the best FPS/RPG ever created, not to mention one of the best games ever - doesn't truly come close to how System Shock 2 pulled it off. Don't get me wrong, the gameplay in Deus Ex has a much wider range, and I do not question that it is a great game; it has many qualities that System Shock 2 does not, and is better in some aspects. I just enjoy System Shock 2 more.
I'm sorry, my fanboyism is showing. Moving right along.
Leaving the gameplay behind, let us move on to the story. Ah, the story. This is one of the most well-executed, well-delivered stories that I've ever had the pleasure of enjoying. It's a cyberpunk science-fiction setting fused with a horror story, so you have to be able to stomach that sort of thing before you want to try it. But if you enjoyed the Alien movies, you will thoroughly enjoy this game. It is a gripping and compelling tale of the downfall of man because of their curiosity and pride, which is only accented by the way they deliver it.
Contrary to video game conventions, you do not learn the backstory during the opening cutscene in the game. Indeed, it is entirely possible to play through this entire game without learning one iota of information about what the hell is going on. But if you decide to search (in some cases hardly at all), you will find audio logs with dialogue from former crewmembers detailing the deterioration of the ships and their crew's sanity, all delivered by voice actors who manage to capture their characters so well through mere dialogue that they deserved awards. It is entirely possible to follow a series of audio logs recorded by a single character throughout the entire game, showcasing their epic attempt at escape, only to find a final audio log next to their dead body (a mechanic that has been used in other games even today). The characters are developed beautifully through these logs, and it really gives a true human element to the entire game.
Granted, if you don't go searching for these tidbits, you will miss out entirely, as the game does not force you to pick them all up. But you are truly compelled to do so, if only to gain insight into the happenings on these two ships, not to mention to see how the crew tried to react to it all.
I would be remiss if I didn't also mention the sound development in this game; as mentioned before, the voice acting is stellar, and I consider it some of the best work I've heard in a game to date. The music is chilling, giving an added edge of nerve-shredding tension to already chaotically horrific scenes, and the ambient sounds are amazing. Though sound development has improved drastically since 1999, this game, though dated in some attempts, still grips you tight and doesn't let go.
Join Me, Human, And We Can Rule Together.
Now, some of you may be saying to yourselves, "This model of game seems very familiar to a nautically-inclined horror romp that I played a year or so ago, only that game was steampunk instead of cyberpunk". You would be right, of course, and I would applaud your aptitude at perceiving that fact. Let me explain.
(If, in fact, you didn't make that leap, that's alright, just follow me anyways.)
The guys and gals behind System Shock 2 were a company called Irrational Games, who, unfortunately, no longer exist. However, fear not, because this state of incorporeality is in name only: in 2006, Irrational Games was bought out by Take-Two Interactive, a publisher who owns various video game developers such as 2K Sports, 2K Games, and (you better believe it) Rockstar Games. Irrational Games changed their name to 2K Boston/2K Australia and kept much of the staff, including the lead designer on System Shock 2, one Ken Levine.
After a single year after the transition, in 2007, 2K Boston/2K Australia released the critically-acclaimed blockbuster hit of a video game, BioShock, to outrageous sales and reviews. BioShock was hailed as the spiritual successor to System Shock 2, was given numerous awards from multiple news sources, and sold so well that both a direct sequel and a movie adaptation were discussed and subsequently planned. That's right, folks; the people who were the brains behind System Shock 2 were the same ones behind BioShock. Eight years after System Shock 2 was released, they are still alive and kicking, bringing out brand new ideas to team up with their brilliant execution of gameplay. I, for one, am rather glad of this fact.
-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-
And, on that note, I will bring this entry to a close. I apologize if anyone was outraged by the sheer unadulterated length of my explanation, but I do hope that you took something away from this. I cannot recommend System Shock 2 highly enough. It still proves itself as a hallmark of what video gaming should aspire to be. Sure, it's not perfect, and seems dated by today's graphics standards. But it's still my favorite old-school video game.