No sooner has Looking Glass released the superb Thief and we're already talking about System Shock 2. Still the original was extremely popular and fans have been demanding the sequel for well over two years now. For those of you that were still wearing nappies (i.e. too young) or in a coma, System Shock was and still is widely acclaimed as one of the best games of all time. On the surface it may have seemed like a first person shooter but it really had so much more too offer in terms of the RPG department. This was certainly one of the few games we can recall that successfully managed to seat one bum comfortably on to two chairs by meshing two genres sublimely into one. Back then it was considered quite revolutionary and indeed proved that RPGs don't need to be turn based slow moving affairs. And with its sci-fi theme, System Shock also proved that RPGs don't necessarily need to have medieval characters that dress up in tights and don't clip their toenails. Makes a change eh?

First things first, System Shock's engine now looks about as trendy as an 80s Escada suit complete with shoulder pads. Yes it's really aged that much, we're sorry to say. In an effort to bring the game bang up to date, Looking Glass will be using a modified version of the Dark engine, which was actually the 3D engine used for Thief: The Dark Project (which was plum). The engine can render in full 16-bit color (no 32-bit has been mentioned as yet) and will take full advantage of the current crop of 3D graphics accelerator cards (no surprises there then). A full array of special effects will be ever-present including, colored lighting, variable translucency objects and (everyone's favorite) particle effects for explosions. Basically the game should look nothing short of drop dead gorgeous.

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We'd be tempted to say that the AI will also be intact (as in the original's case). Enemies will patrol and alert each other in an attempt to curb danger stemming from you or other human players. You will need to master the Advanced Psionic Powers System (much like the Force in Jedi Knight), which will enable you to distract and confuse your foes. As well as your 'magical' prowess your character(s) will also harbor extreme tendencies where the more conventional weaponry is concerned. Looking Glass are keeping tight lipped about the amount/different types of guns within the game but what we do already know is that using them won't be as simple as double clicking on a mouse button. Far from it, you'll need to modify, repair and set your weapons in accordance with your characters differing skills/weaknesses not to mention the infrequency of ammo. Because System Shock isn't a fantasty-themed RPG your missions won't involve 'a walkin' up to de olde hill and locating the green flask in the 'ol Irish tavern'. This isn't to say that you won't be up the Thames without a paddle though, as you'll need to hack security systems, ship's replicators and into sensitive data access panels. Best of all though will be the co-operative multiplayer mode, which will allow four players to pit their wits together.

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