It has been twenty years since the release of System Shock, and soon, a remastered version will make its way to retail, prepping an entire new gaming generation for the upcoming release of System Shock 3.
In development by Night Dive Studios, this polished edition of the original will be built in Unity and feature new graphics and an updated user interface to better accommodate current gaming conventions. Above you can see what they refer to as “pre-alpha gameplay”, and if I may say, the visuals are a remarkable improvement on what PC graphics were capable of when System Shock was first released in 1994. On the official website for System Shock Remastered Edition, Night Dive says they’re working with the game’s original concept artist to retain an authentic feel.
It is unclear what, if any, relation this version of the game will have to System Shock: Enhanced Edition and if the improvements made to the previously updated version will also be included in System Shock Remastered Edition. It is also unclear if System Shock 2, which also received an enhanced edition, will receive the remaster treatment.
Meanwhile, the third installment in the series, after a 16 year gap absence of System Shock since the release of the sequel, was announced this past December. Epic Mickey alum Warren Spector will be involved in its development. In an interview with Game Informer, Ken Levine, whose first shipped game was System Shock 2 said that while he does not desire to work on the game, he is excited for it and wishes them well, saying, “I hope they can figure it out and make a cool game out of it.”
System Shock Remastered Edition will soon be on Kickstarter. As of yet no platforms or release date have been announced. For more on this story as it emerges, keep an eye on the Gameranx site tag for more System Shock related news.
