Conclusions

Summing it up

My biggest problem with the original System Shock (though I didn't know it at the time), was actually the engine. It was far, far too primitive (despite being light-years ahead of Doom, which was the de-facto standard in 1995.) It just didn't give scenes realistic enough, and the sounds were nowhere near to par.

Basic Training or Advanced?

We're not wusses

Back to reality

Now, I have the lights on in my room and I took my headphones off in favor of my speakers (just to let in outside noise, to keep me from being pulled in too much...) The graphics are amazing. Crisp, clear and stunning, they beat the daylights out of the Quake2 engine. The screenshots, BTW, are taken on a Voodoo3 3000.

No not cyberspace - it's holotraining

Endless C3POs to kill - sorry no JarJars

The sounds, especially the voices of them (as I like to call the hybrid), are excellent. Everything is setup for total immersion. Just for kicks, I had the Quake CD in for music, with that kickass Trent Reznor soundtrack, and what do you know - the whispering sounds 'song' came on. Ugh. If Looking Glass/Irrational Games can dig up anything even half as good as that, then forget going to work with a full night's rest. You'll either have played the whole night or just had too much excitement to fall asleep.

Die C3PO, DIE!

The explosions are lame

One thing that the screenshots can't give you a sense of is the smoothness of the movement. There's no herky-jerky arm and leg motions to the creatures. It's all superbly animated and gives extra depth to the immersion factor - and for a game that already sucks me in like an all-you-can-eat at KFC sucks in Roseanne, that's saying a lot.

So she's a big download, my friend. But do it overnight - get some sleep. You'll need it. =)