I loved SS1 and Deus Ex, why can't I get into SS2 - Help me not be retarded

Chin of Campbell

Chin of Campbell

The Man with the Seething Brain
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I recently set about playing some PC classics after my Doom marathon a few months ago. I played System Shock: Enhanced Edition and loved every fucking second of it. It's like Doom for mega geeknerds. Pocket protector nerds, not Reddit Funkopop nerds. Then I played Deus Ex for the first time and, wow. Easily one of my favorite games of all time now. I prepared myself to play System Shock 2, which I hear nothing but good things about, and, sadly, I can't seem to get into it.

Somehow, despite being more detailed, the areas seem more labyrinthine than Citadel Station. I constantly feel like I'm running into dead ends without even finding a scrap of paper to pick up. System Shock 1 and Deus Ex are very good about this, for example. Every little nook and cranny has at least some shitty little bauble to pick up, and even if you don't need it, it's still affirming to find something. SS2 is just dead-ends and empty rooms and...my least favorite thing, doors that open into turrets that immediately fire on you. No warning, it's just "BEEP BEEP YOU'RE FUCKED". Early on turrets would take a second to rise from their casings and give a warning "growl" first, but now I'm running into versions that seem ready to go the instant my taint becomes visible through the 1 cm opening in the door. This isn't helped by the fact that none of my weapons are made out of actual metal and seem to be crafted purely from balsa wood, breaking after breathing on them too hard.

I don't know, I'm worried I won't be able to get into it at this rate. I don't feel its claws sinking into me like DE and SS1 did. Any tips for a first timer? For the record, I picked the navy and have a couple levels in hacking, modifying, and cyber affinity, as well as a few in standard weapons.

Also, Ken Levine is a one trick pony. The resemblances between SS2 and Bioshock are so numerous I'd call it stealing if they weren't made by the same person.
 
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How far in are you? Early on you pretty much have to rely on the wrench to get you around.

Also, the weapon degradation is the worst mechanic in the game by far and I'm pretty sure theres a bunch of mods to remove it.
 
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Livecorpse said:
How far in are you? Early on you pretty much have to rely on the wrench to get you around.

Also, the weapon degradation is the worst mechanic in the game by far and I'm pretty sure theres a bunch of mods to remove it.
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I just ran through a bunch of radioactive hallways and am in the shuttle bay, I think? I'm still trying to get the elevator turned on and just got a vision from "The Many" who I'm pretty sure are SHODAN's babies from the first game since they keep talking about their "mother".

I've been trying to use the wrench as much as possible on base enemies but turrets and robots rip my asshole off.
 
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I's more of a stealth game than an action game, it's much more difficult to "tank" your way through it than the first one. If you figure out the small hit-walk-backwards-hit shuffle game once you can kill most enemies in melee without taking any damage. Give it time, it's a fun game, I did like the first one better too though. It felt much bigger.
 
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Chin of Campbell said:
I just ran through a bunch of radioactive hallways and am in the shuttle bay, I think? I'm still trying to get the elevator turned on and just got a vision from "The Many" who I'm pretty sure are SHODAN's babies from the first game since they keep talking about their "mother".

I've been trying to use the wrench as much as possible on base enemies but turrets and robots rip my asshole off.
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So it's been a while since I played it, but i do know where you are, and I remember disliking this part too. Try to avoid fighting things like robots and turrets unless you have to; usually you can evade them or dodge their shots. Also death is usually pretty cheap; save your healing items for when you've actually made progress you don't want to risk losing.
 
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Thanks guys. I also read that the security panels can not only temporarily shut down cameras but turrets, so that should help a lot. I'll probably give it a rest for the night so I don't get any more assbabymad at the game but I'll remember your tips for tomorrow.
 
I just finished an SS2 run recently and after a while it just "clicks" even after all the playthroughs, but the beginning is a slog. The Engineering Deck and Cargo Bay areas are the most tedious due to the running back and forth. Try getting Hacking to level 3 early on to get into all the locked chests and don't waste ammo early on, the zombies die with a 1-2 hits from the wrench and they'll do that until the end of the game. Even if you will never use them get Energy Weapons to level 1 to use the laser pistol, they are useful against robots and to snipe distant cameras, but it's completely useless against the annelids.

You can grab a Recycler that can turn useless inventory items into a small amount of credits, try to grab it asap if you want. When you come across a weird crystal thingy try to research/use it asap, it will change your combat life.
 
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The Bovinian Derivative said:
I just finished an SS2 run recently and after a while it just "clicks" even after all the playthroughs, but the beginning is a slog. The Engineering Deck and Cargo Bay areas are the most tedious due to the running back and forth. Try getting Hacking to level 3 early on to get into all the locked chests and don't waste ammo early on, the zombies die with a 1-2 hits from the wrench and they'll do that until the end of the game. Even if you will never use them get Energy Weapons to level 1 to use the laser pistol, they are useful against robots and to snipe distant cameras, but it's completely useless against the annelids.

You can grab a Recycler that can turn useless inventory items into a small amount of credits, try to grab it asap if you want. When you come across a weird crystal thingy try to research/use it asap, it will change your combat life.
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I've heard of a crystal object that is this game's equivalent to the Laser Rapier, which is one of the most satisfying weapons to find and use in the first game, so I'll assume you mean that.
 
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anti SJW said:
Because you really want Cyberpunk 2077 lol.
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What kind of game is Cyberpunk even going to be? I don't think I've ever once heard anything about the actual gameplay, but I also haven't really been paying attention to it. If it's anything like Deus Ex I'm down.
 
Be aware that even the GOG version has the bug where the cleared floor gets "infested" again and you have to press the two(?) buttons again.
SS2 also has some bullshit going on. IMO while Deus Ex always stayed difficult, but fair, SS2 features some bullshit like enemies never running out of ammo, never jamming, materializing out of thin air, etc.
 
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