Survival horror Horror shooters and action horror

System Shock 2: 25th Anniversary Remaster

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Wake alone on a starship where the crew have become something else.

Platforms: PC, PlayStation, Xbox, Switch
Price: Paid
Rated: Very Positive on Steam (88% of 2,279 reviews); Metacritic 84 (PC)
Length: about 13 to 20 hours
Players: 1, or online co-op
Made by: Nightdive Studios
Released: 2025

Get it on Steam Steam Nightdive Studios PlayStation Store Xbox Nintendo eShop

What frightens You wake from cryo sleep on the starship Von Braun with no memory, and the crew are gone or changed: hybrid mutants shamble through the halls muttering, robots patrol, the cries of survivors echo through the hull, and an AI called SHODAN watches everything you do.
Content: violence, gore, disturbing imagery, jumpscares.

System Shock 2: 25th Anniversary Remaster is Nightdive Studios' remaster of the 1999 sci-fi horror classic. Waking from cryo sleep on the starship Von Braun, you explore its decks deck by deck, fighting hybrid mutants and robots with scarce gear, while a rogue AI called SHODAN shapes what happens.

About System Shock 2: 25th Anniversary Remaster

System Shock 2 was made in 1999 by Irrational Games and Looking Glass Studios and is one of the founding games of first-person sci-fi horror. Nightdive Studios rebuilt it for this 25th Anniversary Remaster, released on PC in June 2025 and on PlayStation 4 and 5, Xbox One and Series X|S and Nintendo Switch in July 2025, with improved models and animations, controller support, mod support and cross-play co-op.

It is the year 2114. You wake from cryo sleep aboard the faster-than-light ship Von Braun, unable to remember who or where you are, and something has gone terribly wrong. Hybrid mutants and deadly robots roam the halls, the cries of the remaining crew echo through the cold hull, and SHODAN, a rogue AI bent on the destruction of mankind, has a stake in what you do next.

You choose a military branch, the Marines, Navy or the psionic O.S.A., and build your character as you go, spending upgrades on weapons skills, hacking or psionic powers. Ammunition and health are scarce, weapons degrade, and the inventory is small, so every deck is a careful push into the dark, reading logs and emails that tell the crew's fate.

Reviewers praised the remaster as the best way to play it, while noting that its combat and menus show their age and that it has no autosave. It suits players who love Dead Space or BioShock and want to see where that kind of horror came from.

How to play System Shock 2: 25th Anniversary Remaster

Choose a branch of the military and an early specialism for your character.
Explore the Von Braun deck by deck, reading logs and emails for codes and clues.
Fight mutants and robots with what you find, and keep weapons repaired and ammunition topped up.
Spend upgrade points on weapons, hacking, psionics or survival skills.
Save often; there is no autosave.

Screenshots

System Shock 2 remaster screenshot: a mutated woman in a dark bodysuit stands by a large egg-like growth in a blue-lit medical bay

System Shock 2 remaster screenshot: two hybrid mutants with pipes come at the player, who holds a round grenade, in a cryo storage room

System Shock 2 remaster screenshot: a dark figure with red eyes stalks a dim corridor as the player raises a rifle

System Shock 2 remaster screenshot: a bulky blue security robot patrols a purple-lit deck of the starship

Tips

Save before every new area and every fight you are unsure of.
Listen to audio logs; many hold door codes.
Pick a focus for your skills rather than spreading points thin.
Turn off security cameras and alarms before they call in robots.

Questions

Is System Shock 2 a horror game?

Yes. It is a first-person sci-fi shooter and RPG, but its dead ship, mutated crew and scarce resources make it one of the classic survival horror games.

What platforms is the remaster on?

PC, PlayStation 4 and 5, Xbox One and Series X|S, and Nintendo Switch.

How long is System Shock 2?

Around 13 to 20 hours for a first play.

Can I play System Shock 2 in co-op?

Yes, the remaster adds cross-play online co-op, though most play it alone.