From the dark, electric squalor of the Medical floor to the gilded opulence of the Executive chambers, each level of Citadel Station creates a singular atmosphere that draws the player into exploring the world authentically. This works to great effect in immersing the player whilst retaining the feel of the original’s labyrinthian layout.

The world of System Shock is rendered with a fresh art style that blends modern graphics with pixelated textures. The highlight by far is the suite of visual updates developer Nightdive has made.

Overall System Shock is a very faithful adaptation of many of the original game’s qualities. Now, after many iterations during a notably protracted development cycle, Nightdive Studios has found its answer to this pivotal question with System Shock but is it an answer that will please everyone waiting on an upgraded version of this seminal classic? The horror genre serves as proof of this, with titles like Resident Evil 4, Dead Space and the upcoming Silent Hill 2 each presenting their own vision of what a remake can be. In an age where the concept of a ‘video game remake’ is so malleable, trying to be definitive is a fool’s errand. ‘How do you remake a video game?’ is a question with a broad range of answers.

System shock remake concept art